2022 Research Impact Award
Publication title: Mechanical strength of RNA knot in Zika virus protects against cellular defenses
How would you describe your research project to someone without a scientific background?
Cells defend themselves from viral infections partly by digesting the invaded viral genes, the materials determining the virulence (harmfulness or severity) of the virus. The Zika virus can break through such cellular defense, using a knot-like structure formed in its genes which resists digestion and helps to kill the cells. My study has answered what makes the knot-like structure in the Zika virus genes resistant to digestion and how it is formed. By understanding this mechanism, we can design drugs that prevent the formation of such knot-like structures and facilitate cells to clean up the detrimental genes from viruses.
What impact did your publication have within the field or otherwise?
This study contributes to understanding the underlying mechanism that drives the Zika virus to resist the cellular digestive enzymes which are an integral part of the immune systems. It shows that the Zika virus protects its genes from the enzymatic degradation, via the extreme mechanical stability, which is strengthened by the folding of their genes (RNA) into knotted structures which follows a specific order of folding events. This finding lays the foundation for future antiviral drugs to mitigate the virulence, which may act by weakening the mechanical stability of the knotted structure or disrupting the order of the folding events. Furthermore, this publication, for the first time, delineates how a knot folds in an RNA molecule, which is a question of scientific importance to structural biologists and mathematicians.
Briefly describe your role with the publication (in non-scientific terms).
I did the literature research, sample preparations, and folding measurements. Dr. Michael Woodside (my mentor) and I designed the research, analyzed the data, and wrote the paper collaboratively.
Post publication, how will the research be continued, and will you have a continued role?
xrRNA, the target molecule studied in the publication, is shared by all the flavivirus members, which include Dengue, Zika, West Nile, yellow fever virus, etc. Our publication has uncovered the mechanism of xrRNA in the Zika virus. However, it remains to be investigated whether such rules and patterns are shared by other flaviviruses.
In the future, we plan to study a panel of xrRNAs from different flaviviruses and test whether generic mechanisms are shared across the flavivirus family, from which we hope to gain valuable insights that may contribute to the pan-flavivirus therapeutics.
I expect to continue working on the xrRNA project in Dr Woodside’s lab. As a key participant of this project, I will focus on the most technically challenging part, while also helping other participants and students.
What is your favorite distraction (hobby)?
Watching Sci-Fi movies and playing tennis.
What were your favorite books, movies, movie stars, sports heroes, singers during your childhood?
Movie: Blade Runner.
TV: Breaking Bad.
Sport: Roger Federer.