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1) Regulation of filoviral transcription and replication

Regulation of filoviral transcription and replication is regulated by a close interplay of cis-acting elements on the RNA genome, the viral polymerase complex, and interaction with cellular proteins.
We are interested in the role of cis-acting elements on the viral genome in transcription initiation. These are highly structured RNA elements of the viral genome in the regions of transcription start sites.
We are further studying the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) of viral proteins by cellular proteins and its contribution to the regulation of viral RNA synthesis. Here, we are particularly interested in the phosphorylation of two nucleocapsid proteins, the nucleoprotein NP and the viral transcription factor VP30, whose dynamic phosphorylation contributes essentially to the regulation of viral transcription and replication.
Dynamic phosphorylation of Ebolavirus VP30 is regulated by the interplay of cellular phosphatases and kinases, some of which we have identified such as phosphatase PP2A or kinase SRPK1.
Furthermore, we are interested in the role of nucleoprotein phosphorylation in the course of viral infection (funded by the Von-Behring-Röntgen-Foundation).