Shannon Lab

Research focus

ERC Starting Grant · 2024

Nidovirus Replication Complexes: How enzymes shape viral genomes

Nidoviruses are an intriguing group of +RNA viruses, whose diverse genome sizes (11-41 kb) reflect a long history of adaptation to suit specific niches. They remain mostly neglected, with the exception of the large-genome Coronaviridae (CoV) family (32 kb), which includes the notorious human pathogen SARS-CoV-2. At the other end of the size-spectrum is the small-genome Arteriviridae (ArV) family (11 kb), an understudied group of prevalent, animal-infecting pathogens. Viral replication is mediated by a suite of enzymes known as the replication transcription complex (RTC), at the core of which is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and its unique N−terminal domain, known as the NiRAN.…

From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.