Hideki Aihara
University of Minnesota, MN·Biochemistry
Viruses depend on molecular machines to copy their genomes and get into cells, and seeing these machines in atomic detail shows where they might be blocked. This project uses structural biology, methods that determine the 3D shapes of molecules, to study two groups of RNA viruses: retroviruses and coronaviruses.
- Fields
Biochemistry
Biophysics
Microbiology & Immunology
- Topics
structural biology
virology
retrovirus
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Dec 2026
What they work on
- Investigate how host cell factors take part in integration of Human T-cell Leukemia virus and Rous sarcoma virus, building on structural studies of their intasomes, the protein–DNA complexes that insert viral DNA into chromosomes.
- Determine how the coronavirus exoribonuclease complex proofreads newly copied RNA genomes and test whether small molecules can change this proofreading activity.
- Examine how novel antibodies and antibody-mimic proteins block the coronavirus spike protein from binding its host cell receptor.
More about the research
Retroviruses permanently insert a DNA copy of their genome into a host chromosome. The insertion is carried out by the intasome, a complex of the viral integrase enzyme and viral DNA. Building on the lab's recent structures of intasomes from Human T-cell Leukemia virus and Rous sarcoma virus, the project will examine how host cell proteins help these viruses integrate. A second focus is coronaviruses, which have unusually large RNA genomes. They copy these genomes accurately thanks to a proofreading exoribonuclease, an enzyme complex that removes copying errors. The project will study how this complex works and whether small molecules can change its activity. A third line examines how new antibodies and antibody-mimic proteins block the coronavirus spike protein from binding its receptor on host cells.
Why it matters
Retroviruses include cancer-causing viruses such as Human T-cell Leukemia virus, and coronaviruses cause major outbreaks. Detailed structures of integration machinery, the proofreading enzyme and spike-blocking antibodies could aid the design of new antiviral strategies. Understanding retroviral integration could also help researchers build better gene delivery tools for research or gene therapy.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
David Veesler
University of Washington, WA·Microbiology & Immunology
Characterize how broadly serum antibodies from nonhuman primates immunized with nanoparticle vaccines co-displaying multiple receptor-binding-domain and spike antigens bind and neutralize betacoronaviruses.
Isabelle Lemasson
East Carolina University, NC·Microbiology & Immunology
Characterize how abnormally high vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, a surface protein that grips neighboring cells, combined with suppressed annexin A1 on HTLV-1-infected T cells, affects transmission of the virus to target CD4+ T cells.
Thomas Gallagher
Loyola University Chicago, IL·Microbiology & Immunology
Determine how mutations in the S2 fusion segment of the SARS-CoV-2 spike control the receptor-binding domain and its engagement with receptors, identifying specific variant substitutions that alter receptor reactivity and spike stability.
The school
University of Minnesota: 88 labs on PI Pages, $1.4B a year on research, 722 research doctorates a year.
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