Abstract

Imagine a world so minuscule that it exists beyond the naked eye, where nature choreographs intricate dances of assembly and creation. Welcome to the realm of RNA viruses, nature’s nanoscale architects. These viruses, like rotaviruses that infect most people on this planet, don’t just infect; they showcase the art of self-organisation, where myriad pieces come together in perfect harmony, following rules that remain largely enigmatic. My group’s research dives deep into this nanoscale ballet, seeking to uncover the general principles of virus assembly. By examining the self-assembling viral protein containers and the jigsaw of segmented RNA genomes, we aim to decode the fundamental principles of self-organisation in biology. Join me as we journey through a world where understanding the basic choreography of viruses might illuminate broader principles of order and organisation in the vast tapestry of life, and open new avenues for targeting replication of disease-causing viruses.