My research programs focus on host immune responses to RNA viruses and viral counter-defense strategies. > 70% of plant viruses are RNA viruses and many important human diseases (e.g. influenza, avian influenza, SARS, Dengue, West Nile and polio) are caused by RNA viruses.

The genetic principles of viruses with an RNA genome are very different to those familiar to us that are based on the use of DNA as the genetic material. However, RNA viruses that infect plants, invertebrates and vertebrates are remarkably similar. Thus, we have been taking a comparative approach to investigate viral immunity in plants and animals.

A major effort in the lab is to elucidate the mechanism of (i) viral immunity mediated by virus-derived small RNAs via RNA silencing/interference (RNAi), and (ii) suppression of the viral immunity by viral encoded proteins in Drosophila melanogaster and Arabidopsis thaliana.

We are also using the Caenorhabditis elegans model developed recently in the lab for genetic dissection of the RNAi-mediated viral immunity in animals.

Selected Research Articles

1.      Lu R, Yigit E, Li WX and Ding SW. 2009. An RIG-I-like RNA helicase mediates antiviral RNAi downstream of viral siRNA biogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. PloS Pathogens 5(2):e1000286

2.      Aliyari R, Wu QF, L HW, Wang XH, Li F, Green LD Han CS, Li WX, and Ding SW. 2008. Mechanism of induction and suppression of antiviral immunity directed by virus-derived small RNAs in Drosophila. Cell Host & Microbe 4:387-397

3.      Diaz-Pendon JA, Li F, Li WX, Ding SW. 2007. Suppression of antiviral silencing by cucumber mosaic virus 2b protein in Arabidopsis is associated with drastically reduced accumulation of three classes of viral small interfering RNAs. Plant Cell 19:2053-63.

4.      Wang XH, Aliyari R, Li WX, Li HW, Kim K, Carthew R, Atkinson P, and Ding SW. 2006. RNA interference directs innate immunity against viruses in adult Drosophila. Science 312:452-4

5.      Lu R, Maduro M, Li F, Li HW, Maduro G, Li WX and Ding SW. 2005. Animal virus replication and RNAi-mediated antiviral silencing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 436:1040-1043.

6.      Chen J, Li WX, Xie DX, Peng JR & Ding SW. 2004. Viral virulence protein suppresses RNA silencing-mediated defense but upregulates the role of miRNA in host gene expression. Plant Cell 16:1302-1313.

7.      Lu R, Folimonov A, Shintaku M, Li WX, Falk BW, Dawson WO, and Ding SW. 2004. Three distinct suppressors of RNA silencing encoded by a 20-kb viral RNA genome. PNAS 101:15742-15747.

8.      Li WX, Li HW, Lu R, Li F, Dus M, Atkinson P, Johnson KL, Garcia-Sastre A, Brydon E, Ball LA, Palese P & Ding SW. (2004) Interferon antagonist proteins of influenza and vaccinia viruses are suppressors of RNA silencing. PNAS 101:1350-1355.

9.      Li HW, Li WX, & Ding SW. 2002. Induction and suppression of RNA silencing by an animal virus. Science 296, 1319-1321.

10.  Guo HS & Ding SW. 2002. A viral protein inhibits the long-range signaling activity of the gene silencing signal. EMBO J 21, 398-407.

11.  Ji LH & Ding SW. 2001. The suppressor of transgene RNA silencing encoded by cucumber mosaic virus interferes with salicylic acid-mediated virus resistance. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 14, 715-724.

12.  Lucy AP, Guo HS, Li WX, & Ding SW. 2000. Suppression of post-transcriptional gene silencing by a plant viral protein localised in the nucleus. EMBO J 19, 1672-1680.

13.  Li HW, Lucy AP, Guo HS, Li WX, Ji LH, Wong SM, & Ding SW. 1999. Strong host resistance targeted against a viral suppressor of the plant gene silencing defence mechanism. EMBO J 18, 2683-2691.

14.  Brigneti G, Voinnet O, Li WX, Ji LH, Ding SW & Baulcombe DC. 1998. Viral pathogenicity determinants are suppressors of transgene silencing in Nicotiana benthamiana. EMBO J 17, 6739-6746.

Selected Review Articles

1.      Aliyari R, and Ding SW. 2009. RNA-based viral immunity initiated by the Dicer family of host immune receptors. Immunol Rev 227: 176-188

2.      Diaz-Pendon JA and Ding SW . 2008. Direct and indirect roles of viral suppressors of RNA silencing in pathogenesis. Ann Rev Phytopath 46:303-326

3.      Ding SW, and Voinnet O. 2007. Antiviral immunity directed by small RNAs. Cell 130, 413-426

4.      Ding SW. 2007. RNAi restricts virus infections. Microbe 2, 296-301.

5.      Li F, and Ding SW. 2006. Virus counterdefense: Diverse strategies for evading the RNA silencing immunity. Ann Rev Microbiol 60:503-531.

6.      Li HW, and Ding SW. 2005. Antiviral silencing in animals. FEBS Lett 579, 5965-5973

7.      Ding SW, Li HW, Lu R, Li F and Li WX. 2004. RNA silencing: A conserved antiviral immunity of plants and animals. Virus Res 102, 109-115.

8.      Mlotswa S, Voinnet O, Mette F, Matzke M, Vaucheret H, Ding SW, Pruss G, and Vance VB. 2002. RNA silencing and the mobile silencing signal. Plant Cell S289-S301.

9.      Li WX and Ding SW. 2001. Viral suppressors of RNA silencing. Curr Opin Biotechnol 12, 150-154.

10.  Ding SW. RNA silencing. 2000. Curr Opin Biotechnol 11, 152-156.