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Bonita J.
Biegalke, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical Sciences
biegalke@ohiou.edu
227 Life Sciences Research Building
740-593-2377 |
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Research Interests: The primary focus in my
laboratory is the herpesvirus, human
cytomegalovirus. Cytomegalovirus infection is
extremely prevalent, with approximately 80% of the
population demonstrating evidence of infection. In
the majority of individuals, infection is
asymptomatic. However, in people with insufficient
immune responses, cytomegalovirus infection is
associated with severe and often fatal disease. Some
examples include mental retardation or deafness in
newborn infants, pneumonia in bone marrow transplant
recipients and retinitis in people with AIDS. My
laboratory is interested in understanding, at a
molecular level, the events that are required for
viral gene expression and replication and
ultimately, the events responsible for the pathology
seen following infection.
Human cytomegalovirus synthesizes several proteins
that enable the virus to escape detection and
elimination by the immune system. The viral US3 gene
retains major histocompatibility complex class I
molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum, thereby
delaying the presentation of viral antigens to the
host's cytotoxic T cells. My lab has been interested
in the regulation of US3 expression and the function
of the US3 proteins. We have identified a DNA
element in the US3 gene that causes expression of
the US3 gene to be shut off. A viral protein,
encoded by the UL34 gene, binds to the DNA element.
We are currently investigating how UL34 regulates
US3 expression. For further information, please
email me.
A more complete discussion of my research interests |
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