Intrinsic Immunity

Dr Chris Boutell, Lead Investigator, MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR), University of Glasgow The modification of proteins regulates many important aspects of cell biology, including host immunity to infection. Viruses have therefore evolved strategies to utilise or suppress pathways that regulate protein modification to overcome host defences to infection, thereby enhancing their replication, spread, and disease burden. However, these key interactions remain largely undefined at a biochemical level. Work within this programme focuses on two pathways, namely ubiquitin and SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-like MOdifier), which we and others have shown to play an important role in the regulation of host immunity. Our aim is to define the activity of core enzymes that influence the outcome of infection, using herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) as a model DNA virus. These studies will reveal unique insight into the mechanisms that regulate host immunity during DNA virus infection, as well as uncovering fundamental principles that regulate other important areas of cell biology relevant to human disease, for example carcinogenesis. By understanding these principles we aim to develop new targeted approaches for future therapeutic intervention to treat viral infections pertinent to public health.