Start of funding 01.01.2009 | ||
Recombinant herpesviruses for research in autophagy and cancer | ||
Prof. Dr. Armin Ensser
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Prof. Dr. Jae U. Jung
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The project will combine the Erlangen recombinant DNA technology know-how, specifically the genetic manipulation of herpesviral genomes by homologous recombination, with the USC platforms in cell biology and immunology. It is planned to create recombinant KSHV viruses with specific marker gene insertion and gene deletion relevant to virus induced signal transduction, tumorigenesis and autophagy. These viruses will then be analyzed by the state-of-the-art cell biology and immunology assays established in Prof. Jung’s laboratory at USC. The techniques and results that are derived from this cooperation not only will be used for a joint research program focused on antiviral and antitumor host defence, but also will ultimately lead to the discovery of new approaches in the therapy of virus associated human cancer. |
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Final report:
The BaCaTeC project funding initiated a fruitful cooperation between Californian and Bavarian laboratories. The Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) bacterial artificial chromosome (BACmid ) Bac16, newly produced at USC in the laboratory of Prof. Jung, was transferred by us into appropriate host bacteria and can now be changed rapidly and specifically by homologous recombination. This KSHV Bac16 platform (Brulois 2012) was also successfully established in Erlangen, where we now are also to produce recombinant KSHV. In conjunction with a specific inducible host cell line this system represents the state of the art for the virus-genetic analysis of KSHV. As an example, we could now demonstrate a function of the viral K4.2 protein as a regulator of immunoglobulin secretion and calcium homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (Wong 2013). Finally, we were just able to uncover a new function of the viral effector ORF75, a viral tegument protein, in the modulation of intrinsic cellular restriction factors in nuclear domain 10 (ND10) structures (Full 2013). | |
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