RNA viruses represent one of the most diverse viral groups, capable of infecting a broad spectrum of cells from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Within this category, the Retroviridae family holds particular significance in molecular biology research. Retroviruses, which replicate in host cells via the enzyme reverse transcriptase, are among the most intriguing tools used in molecular biology. After converting their RNA into DNA, these viruses can integrate into the host genome through the enzyme integrase.

The retroviral genome contains three primary open reading frames (ORFs), which include the gag, pol, and env genes. The gag sequence encodes the core structural proteins, pol encodes essential enzymes such as reverse transcriptase (RT), protease, and integrase, and env encodes surface envelope proteins. Regulatory sequences in the retroviral genome consist of two Long Terminal Repeats (LTRs) flanking the coding region. The 5′ LTR acts as a promoter and transcription initiation site, while the 3′ LTR is involved in post-transcriptional processing, such as polyadenylation. Just downstream of the 5′ LTR lies the packaging signal, which is responsible for assembling all necessary sequences into a functional viral genome.

Lentiviruses, another branch of the Retroviridae family, feature complex genomes and the capacity to infect both dividing and resting cells. By replacing the viral genome with a foreign gene adjacent to the packaging signal on a vector, and placing the viral coding genes on separate vectors, recombinant viruses carrying the desired gene can be produced. These engineered viruses are capable of infecting virtually any target cell.

Another key function of this laboratory has been the establishment of a vector and host cell bank to expedite and optimize research activities at Royan Institute.

The lab began its work by generating human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in 2008 (1387 in the Iranian calendar), and currently possesses the capacity to produce iPSCs from various cell types.

Ongoing activities in this lab include:

• RNAi experiments for gene silencing and functional analysis
• Gene overexpression and ectopic expression for functional studies
• Virus production for ongoing Royan Institute projects in neuroscience, liver, pancreas, cardiac, hematopoietic, and Y chromosome research groups
• Collaborations with academic and research centers on joint projects
• Generation of iPSC lines from fibroblasts of patients with scleroderma
• Creation of transgenic cell lines expressing fluorescent markers (e.g., GFP)
• Establishment of a comprehensive vector and host cell repository