- Thread: How Viruses Hijack Tick RNA Machinery 🧬🕷️ Post 1/5 🧵 We just published the first map of how viruses rewire tick cell RNA machinery! Led by Alexandra Wilson & Wael Kamel! We Found 283 proteins that change RNA-binding during Uukuniemi virus infection. 📄 Our paper: doi.org/10.1371/jour...
- Post 2/5 🧵 METHOD: Using RNA interactome capture (RIC), we UV-crosslinks RNA-bound proteins to map the "RBPome" in infected vs healthy tick cells. Challenge: Bunyavirus RNA lacks poly(A) tails, yet found enough "poly(A)-like" sequences to capture viral RNAs too! #RNABiology #collaboration #Scitech
- Post 3/5 🧵 DISCOVERY: Virus systematically hijacks tick RNA machinery: 🔹 RNAi pathway: UP (tick defense) 🔹 Translation: UP (viral protein synthesis) 🔹 rRNA processing: DOWN (disrupts cell proteins) 18 proteins both changed activity AND bound viral nucleocapsid! #bunyavirus
- Post 4/5 🧵 SURPRISE: TOP3B knockdown had a weird effect: Viral RNA levels: unchanged Infectious particles: dramatically reduced Suggests TOP3B helps maintain viral RNA conformation for proper packaging. Tick & human versions remarkably similar! #lovevirology
- Post 5/5 🧵 IMPACT: This transforms tick-borne disease research: 🎯 New drug targets 🎯 Understanding vector competence 🎯 Virus-tick evolution Testing if mechanisms work across other tick viruses next. 👨🔬 collaborative project with @alf-castello.bsky.social and @alainkohlvirology.bsky.socialAug 13, 2025 12:32
