Characterization of key cellular genes and pathways for virus infection; Using haploid embryonic stem cells to discover essential cellular genes for replication cycle of lethal vector born viruses.

The identification and characterization of cellular genes and pathway exploited by pathogens are essential to elucidate the process by which these microbes cause disease. Profound knowledge of these mechanisms may facilitate the develoopment of novel antiviral drugs. Recently, scientist developed a genome screening method, based on haploid cancer cells, to analyze host gene products essential for viral replication. Organisms with a single copy of their genome, i.e., a haploid genome, provide a fundament for genetic analyses where any recessive mutation of essential genes will show a phenotype due to the absence of a second gene copy.