Objective
Biological sequence diversity in nowhere as apparent as in the vast sequence space of viral genomes. The Virus-X project will specifically explore the outer realms of this diversity by targeting the virosphere of selected microbial ecosystems and investigate the encoded functional variety of viral gene products. The project is driven by the expected large innovation value and unique properties of viral proteins, previously demonstrated by the many virally-derived DNA and RNA processing enzymes used in biotechnology. Concomitantly, the project will advance our understanding of important aspects of ecology in terms of viral diversity, ecosystem dynamics and virus-host interplay. Last but not least, due to the inherent challenges in gene annotation, functional assignments and other virus-specific technical obstacles of viral metagenomics, the Virus-X project specifically addresses these challenges using innovative measures in all parts of the discovery and analysis pipeline, from sampling difficult extreme biotopes, through sequencing and innovative bioinformatics to efficient production of enzymes for molecular biotechnology. Virus-X will advance the metagenomic tool-box significantly and our capabilities for future exploitation of viral biological diversity, the largest unexplored genetic reservoir on Earth.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgenetics and hereditygenome
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgenetics and hereditydna
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biologystructural biology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes
Programme(s)
Call for proposal
H2020-LEIT-BIO-2015-1
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
113 Reykjavik
Iceland
Participants (14)
Participation ended
IS-113 Reykjavik
6511 AA Nijmegen
223 81 Lund
84 451 Gdynia
80539 Munchen
70174 Stuttgart
80309 Gdansk
63000 Clermont Ferrand
33615 Bielefeld
5020 Bergen
DH1 3LE Durham
75724 Paris Cedex 15
9019 Tromsø
22100 Lund