Grant: Project Grant

Most people are infected with three different herpesviruses; herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). These life-long infections can be asymptomatic or can lead to a variety of health problems including oral lesions, mononucleosis, cancer and life-threatening illnesses in immune suppression. These viruses persist and cause disease through the action of the numerous proteins that they encode, which bind to and manipulate the functions of some cellular proteins. However the functions and cellular targets of most of the viral proteins have not yet been determined. This project uses comprehensive protein interaction methods and a unique library of HSV-1, EBV and CMV proteins to determine the cellular targets of the viral proteins. We are particularly interested in cellular proteins that are targeted by all three viruses as this would reflect the importance of these cellular proteins for viral infection and cellular regulation in general. This work will provide insight into how viruses manipulate cells to cause disease and enable life-long persistence, and will identify potential drug targets for antiviral treatments. It will also identify new mechanisms of regulating important cellular processes.