Polyomavirus (PyV) infections are widespread in human and animal populations and are generally associated with silent persistence. Occasionally natural PyV infections can lead to cancer where PyV genome is found integrated in the tumor tissue. Raccoon polyomavirus was identified in neuroglial tumors in free-ranging raccoons as an intact episome. The bachelor thesis should therefore focus on the gaps in our basic understanding of PyV-associated malignancies, especially on underestimated molecular mechanisms that accelerate oncogenesis in infected cells. Biology and phylogeny of Raccoon polyomavirus should be compared with other small DNA tumorogenic viruses.
Preliminary scope of work in English
Polyomavirus (PyV) infections are widespread in human and animal populations and are generally associated with silent persistence. Occasionally natural PyV infections can lead to cancer where PyV genome is found integrated in the tumor tissue. Raccoon polyomavirus was identified in neuroglial tumors in free-ranging raccoons as an intact episome. The bachelor thesis should therefore focus on the gaps in our basic understanding of PyV-associated malignancies, especially on underestimated molecular mechanisms that accelerate oncogenesis in infected cells. Biology and phylogeny of Raccoon polyomavirus should be compared with other small DNA tumorogenic viruses.
