Experimental Virology
Viruses are vehicles which transmit biological information, reprogramming the function of human, animal or plant cells to produce progeny virions. Viral pathogens are very small, often with a very simple structure. Nevertheless, viral pathogens like HIV or the hepatitis C virus (HCV) threaten the health of many millions of individuals. The Institute for Experimental Virology comprises three research groups that focus on hepatitis viruses (HCV, HEV), HIV-1, respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and ist based at the TWINCORE in Hannover.
Leader
Selected Publications
Banda DH, Perin PM, Brown RJP, Todt D, Solodenko W, Hoffmeyer P, Kumar Sahu K, Houghton M, Meuleman P, Müller R, Kirschning A, Pietschmann T. A central hydrophobic E1 region controls the pH range of hepatitis C virus membrane fusion and susceptibility to fusion inhibitors. J Hepatol. 2019 Jun;70(6):1082-1092. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.01.033. Epub 2019 Feb 13. PubMed PMID: 30769006.
Khera T, Behrendt P, Bankwitz D, Brown RJP, Todt D, Doepke M, Khan AG, Schulze K, Law J, Logan M, Hockman D, Wong JAJ, Dold L, Gonzalez-Motos V, Spengler U, Viejo-Borbolla A, Ströh LJ, Krey T, Tarr AW, Steinmann E, Manns MP, Klein F, Guzman CA, Marcotrigiano J, Houghton M, Pietschmann T. Functional and immunogenic characterization of diverse HCV glycoprotein E2 variants. J Hepatol. 2019 Apr;70(4):593-602. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.11.003. Epub 2018 Nov 13. PubMed PMID: 30439392.
Bankwitz D, Doepke M, Hueging K, Weller R, Bruening J, Behrendt P, Lee JY, Vondran FWR, Manns MP, Bartenschlager R, Pietschmann T. Maturation of secreted HCV particles by incorporation of secreted ApoE protects from antibodies by enhancing infectivity. J Hepatol. 2017 Sep;67(3):480-489. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2017.04.010. Epub 2017 Apr 22. PubMed PMID: 28438690.
Perin PM, Haid S, Brown RJ, Doerrbecker J, Schulze K, Zeilinger C, von Schaewen M, Heller B, Vercauteren K, Luxenburger E, Baktash YM, Vondran FW, Speerstra S, Awadh A, Mukhtarov F, Schang LM, Kirschning A, Müller R, Guzman CA, Kaderali L, Randall G, Meuleman P, Ploss A, Pietschmann T. Flunarizine prevents hepatitis C virus membrane fusion in a genotype-dependent manner by targeting the potential fusion peptide within E1. Hepatology. 2016 Jan;63(1):49-62. doi: 10.1002/hep.28111. Epub 2015 Oct 9. PubMed PMID: 26248546; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4688136.
Frentzen A, Anggakusuma, Gürlevik E, Hueging K, Knocke S, Ginkel C, Brown RJ, Heim M, Dill MT, Kröger A, Kalinke U, Kaderali L, Kuehnel F, Pietschmann T. Cell entry, efficient RNA replication, and production of infectious hepatitis C virus progeny in mouse liver-derived cells. Hepatology. 2014 Jan;59(1):78-88. doi: 10.1002/hep.26626. Epub 2013 Nov 18. PubMed PMID: 23873628.
For all publications see here.
Further Information
A current overview of the team and further information about the research group can be found on the TWINCORE page.
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