Přehled o publikaci

Background and Aims. Enterovirus 71 (EV71), a Picornaviridae family member, is a major cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, predominantly affecting young children. Severe cases can result in neurological complications with mortality rates reaching 19%. Escalating outbreaks in the Asia-Pacific region highlight the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. Current vaccines target specific serotypes but lack evidence of cross-protection, and antiviral therapies remain unavailable due to limited knowledge of EV71's replication cycle. This study aims to investigate unexplored aspects of EV71 RNA replication, including its coupling with genome packaging and viral assembly. Methods. We developed a fluorescent reporter system to specifically label EV71 replication sites while preserving the natural viral genome and replication process. The reporter serves as a key tool for advanced imaging techniques, including correlative light and electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, to visualise replication dynamics and viral assembly at molecular level. Results. Preliminary results demonstrate successful cloning of the fluorescent reporter system. Functional validation is underway using fluorescence microscopy, providing insights into the reporter’s potential to track replication in both live and fixed cells.