Month: September 2022

AGENTS OF CELL DEATH. "Depending upon the need, a virus may inhibit or induce apoptosis for the obvious purpose of replication and spread, respectively. Interference in mitochondrial function can cause either cell death due to deregulation of the Ca2+ signaling pathways and ATP depletion or apoptosis due to regulation of Bcl-2 family proteins. Apoptosis is a programmed cell death." https://lnkd.in/eFuy4KS View in LinkedIn

HOST DEFENSES. "Cells respond to virus attack by activating a variety of signal transduction pathways leading to the production of interferons, which limit or eliminate the invading virus. The presence of viruses inside the cell is first sensed by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize the pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)." https://lnkd.in/eFuy4KS View in LinkedIn

VIRAL ENTRY PORTAL. "Transferrin Receptor (TfR1) is the cell-surface receptor that regulates iron uptake into cells, a process that is fundamental to life. However, TfR1 also facilitates the cellular entry of multiple mammalian viruses." https://lnkd.in/eGuH7sA View in LinkedIn

TFR1, HOST HOUSEKEEPING GENE. "While infectious disease research has long focused on host antiviral proteins, host proteins that facilitate viral replication are now an exploding area of inquiry. Essential housekeeping genes like TFR1 successfully balance the opposing selective pressures exerted by host and virus...TFR1 evolution in rodents has been shaped by two separate host-virus arms races." https://lnkd.in/eGuH7sA View in LinkedIn

DIVORCING ADAPTION. "By constantly replacing the amino acids encoded at just a few residue positions, TFR1 divorces adaptation to ever-changing viruses from preservation of key cellular functions. These dynamics have driven genetic divergence at the TFR1 locus that now enforces species-specific barriers to virus transmission, limiting both the cross-species and zoonotic transmission of these viruses." https://lnkd.in/eGuH7sA View in LinkedIn

PATTERN RECOGNITION RECEPTORS (PRRs) "include toll-like receptors (TLRs), nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD) like receptors (NLRs), and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) like receptors (RLRs)." https://lnkd.in/eFuy4KS View in LinkedIn

Menghis Bairu, MD View in LinkedIn

ENERGY PLAY. "Over the years, viruses have perfected different strategies to establish complex relationships with their host with the sole purpose of preserving their existence. One such strategy involves the hijacking of the host cell mitochondrial proteins." Why? Because they are where ATP is made, the cellular energy currency. https://lnkd.in/eFuy4KS View in LinkedIn

WHOLESALE REDISTRIBUTION. "Viruses alter the intracellular distribution of mitochondria either by concentrating the mitochondria near the viral factories to meet energy requirements during viral replication or by cordoning off the mitochondria within cytoplasm to prevent the release of mediators of apoptosis." https://lnkd.in/eFuy4KS View in LinkedIn

STEALTH MODE. "Viruses Mimic the Host Mitochondrial Proteins. Mimicking aids the viruses to gain access to host cellular machinery and greatly helps in their survival in the hostile host environment." https://lnkd.in/eFuy4KS View in LinkedIn