CA20110 - RNA communication across kingdoms: new mechanisms and strategies in pathogen control (exRNA-PATH)

A new frontier in RNA biology has emerged in the last decade with findings that RNA is found outside of cells and can transmit information between cells, organisms and species as a form of communication.  Pathogens can also exploit extracellular RNA (exRNAs) to enable their infections and exRNAs are associated with numerous infectious diseases in both animals and plants. However there are large gaps in knowledge on exRNA mechanisms, such as how exRNAs are selected for export, how they traffic outside the cell, how they integrate into a functional pathway in a recipient and how pathogens exploit these mechanisms. While there are coordinated efforts to advance exRNAs as biomarkers in the USA, the focus is primarily on exRNA detection in body fluids. Advancing the budding field of exRNA and harnessing its potential in understanding and treating disease urgently requires mechanistic understanding. exRNA-PATH will promote European leadership in this field by integrating a network of investigators examining exRNA communication mechanisms across diverse biological systems, with a specific focus on host-pathogen interactions. exRNA-PATH will facilitate an integrated approach to advancing the exRNA field and aligning applications with sustainable development goals in infectious disease and pest control based on coordinated objectives: i) define an agenda for exRNA research that is rooted in mechanistic understanding, ii) align investigators across diverse biological systems (animals, plants, microbes, fungi) and iii) bridge communication between different stakeholders in the exRNA field to create new synergies and innovative solutions to medical, societal and environmental challenges.