Replication and Assembly of Influenza virus

Influenza virus causes infections that altogether affect approximately 3 to 5 million people every year, leading to 500,000 deaths around the world. Key to viral replication is the polymerase that copies the genome which is then used to make building blocks for new virus particles. The polymerase of Influenza has to perform a number of chemical steps in order for the virus to replicate, and, akin to a moving motor, it is a highly dynamic machine.

Our aim is to understand how the polymerase coordinates the various stages during replication transcription and viral assembly. In the longer term, these new insights will be crucial for our understanding of the key molecular events that take place during infection and could be a major step forward, supporting the development of drugs that prevent it from functioning, effectively 'disarming' the flu virus and making it unable to spread.