TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you're given a paragraph from the research paper and your task is to generate a suitable title for the research paper based on the given paper. Under 100 words is a good title length.
PROBLEM: All coronaviruses (CoVs), including the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), encode a nucleocapsid (N) protein that harbors two independent RNA binding domains of known structure, but poorly characterized RNA binding properties. We show here that the Nterminal domain (NTD) of N protein from mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a virus most closely related to SARS-CoV, employs aromatic amino acidnucleobase stacking interactions with a triple adenosine motif to mediate high-affinity binding to single-stranded RNAs containing the transcriptional regulatory sequence (TRS) or its complement (cTRS). Stoichiometric NTD fully unwinds a TRS-cTRS duplex that mimics a transiently formed transcription intermediate in viral subgenomic RNA synthesis. Mutation of the solvent-exposed Y127, positioned on the β-platform surface of our 1.75 Å structure, binds the TRS far less tightly and is severely crippled in its RNA unwinding activity. In contrast, the C-terminal domain (CTD) exhibits no RNA unwinding activity. Viruses harboring Y127A N mutation are strongly selected against and Y127A N does not support an accessory function in MHV replication. We propose that the helix melting activity of the coronavirus N protein NTD plays a critical accessory role in subgenomic RNA synthesis and other processes requiring RNA remodeling.

SOLUTION: Coronavirus N Protein N-Terminal Domain (NTD) Specifically Binds the Transcriptional Regulatory Sequence (TRS) and Melts TRS-cTRS RNA Duplexes

PROBLEM: Background Uganda is currently implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR[2005]) within the context of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR). The IHR(2005) require countries to assess the ability of their national structures, capacities, and resources to meet the minimum requirements for surveillance and response. This report describes the results of the assessment undertaken in Uganda. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional assessment using the protocol developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The data collection tools were adapted locally and administered to a convenience sample of IHR(2005) stakeholders, and frequency analyses were performed. Results Ugandan national laws relevant to the IHR(2005) existed, but they did not adequately support the full implementation of the IHR(2005). Correspondingly, there was a designated IHR National Focal Point (NFP), but surveillance activities and operational communications were limited to the health sector. All the districts (13/13) had designated disease surveillance offi ces, most had IDSR technical guidelines (92%, or 12/13), and all (13/13) had case defi nitions for infectious and zoonotic diseases surveillance. Surveillance guidelines were available at 57% (35/61) of the health facilities, while case defi nitions were available at 66% (40/61) of the health facilities. The priority diseases list, surveillance guidelines, case defi nitions and reporting tools were based on the IDSR strategy and hence lacked information on the IHR(2005). The rapid response teams at national and district levels lacked food safety, chemical and radio-nuclear experts. Similarly, there were no guidelines on the outbreak response to food, chemical and radionuclear hazards. Comprehensive preparedness plans incorporating IHR(2005) were lacking at national and district levels. A national laboratory policy existed and the strategic plan was being drafted. However, there were critical gaps hampering the effi cient functioning of the national laboratory network. Finally, the points of entry for IHR(2005) implementation had not been designated. The assessment highlighted critical gaps to guide the IHR(2005) planning process. The IHR(2005) action plan should therefore be developed to foster national and international public health security.

SOLUTION: S9 Uganda. 2 World Health Organisation Country Offi ce, Plot 60, Prince Charles Drive, P.O. Box 24578, Kampala. 3 World Health Organisation -Regional Offi ce

PROBLEM: Dengue virus (DENV) emerged from the sylvatic environment and colonized urban settings, being sustained in a human-Aedes-human transmission chain, mainly by the bites of females of the anthropophilic species Aedes aegypti. Herein, we sought evidence for fine-tuning in viral codon usage, possibly due to viral adaptation to human transmission. We compared the codon adaptation of DENV serotype 2 (DENV-2) genotypes from urban and sylvatic habitats and tried to correlate the findings with key evolutionary determinants. We found that DENV-2 codons of urban and sylvatic genotypes had a higher CAI to humans than to Ae. aegypti. Remarkably, we found no significant differences in codon adaptation to human between urban American/Asian and sylvatic DENV-2 genotypes. Moreover, CAI values were significantly different, when comparing all genotypes to Ae. aegypti codon preferences, with lower values for sylvatic than urban genotypes. In summary, our findings suggest the presence of a molecular signature among the genotypes that circulate in sylvatic and urban environments, and may help explain the trafficking of DENV-2 strains to an urban cycle.

SOLUTION:
Codon adaptation biases among sylvatic and urban genotypes of Dengue virus type 2