Research Projects

Interactions of animal viruses with their host cells

Keywords

• Virus entry into host cells, viral replication
• Clathrin- and Non-clathrin-mediated endocytosis
• Molecular sorting
• Cytoskeleton-membrane interactions
• Caveolae
• Endosomal compartments

Our group studies interactions that occur between animal viruses and their host cells during the infectious cycle. We investigate how virus particles bind to cells, how they are internalized by endocytosis, and how they are transported to various organelles such as endosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum. We are also analysing how the viral genome and accessory proteins escape into the cytosol, how they enter through the nuclear pore complexes into the nucleoplasm, and how replication proceeds. For that we combine cellular, molecular, and virological techniques with state-of-the-art technology such as small compound and siRNA screening using automated microscopes and image analysis, video microsopy in live cells, as well as electron microscopy.

Currently, we are particlulary interested in novel endocytic pathways that by-pass the classical organelles of the clathrin-mediated transport. Since they seem to be using caveolae and other non clathrin-mediated pathways for entry, viruses such as simian virus 40 have emerged as powerful tools to study such poorly characterized membrane transport routes in the cell. The virus systems presently analyzed in the lab include influenza virus, vaccinia virus, Uukuniemivirus, semliki forest virus, cytomegalovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and simian virus 40.

This work is performed in close co-operation with experts in computational biology, bioengineering, and systems biology.

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Links

• http://www.bunyavirus.org