Towards a molecular fingerprint for human-specific endogenous retroviruses. This project aims to understand how ancient viral sequences resident in the human genome can contribute to cellular processe

Description

Towards a molecular fingerprint for human-specific endogenous retroviruses. This project aims to understand how ancient viral sequences resident in the human genome can contribute to cellular processes. Using a novel molecular toolbox that combines affinity-directed proximity labelling mass spectrometry and single molecule microscopy, this project will characterise the cellular fingerprint of a human endogenous retrovirus family HERV-K (HML-2). This fingerprint will comprehensively describe how expressed HERV-K loci engage with the homeostasis network in human cells. This will provide significant benefits in the form of new knowledge concerning fundamental aspects of cellular homeostasis, and a state-of-the-art molecular biology toolbox ready to explore quantitatively the role of HERV-K in human health and disease.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 3101 - Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Lead: Dr Dezerae Cox