Much of what we study can be thought of as an elaborate chess match between hosts and the pathogens which infect them. Similar to chess, there are a variety of pieces on the board (e.g., proteins) with some more valuable/powerful than others – like the queen.
In the Hancks Lab, we are using a variety of methods to identify queens on both sides of infection - host and pathogen - (Project 1) and how these factors function including different adaptive strategies at play (Project 1 and 3).
Interestingly, just as pieces across the chessboard mirror each other – each side has a knight – many viral genes resemble host genes. Specifically, viruses encode sequences stolen from host cells that have been modified through mutation and selection such that the viral gene products function to rewire cellular processes and aid in the subversion of host immune defenses to promote infection (Project 2).
Our Projects
New Battlefronts During Infection
Pathogens must manipulate cellular functions to replicate and evade host defenses. The ability of the host (cell) to counteract such antagonism directly impacts the outcome of infection. A major goal of our research is to identify these novel tipping points of infection.
View New Battlefronts ProjectViral Genomes as a "Playbook" to Infection
It has been known for some time that viruses “steal” host genes as an adaptive strategy to mimic host functions. These stolen genes are acquired by a process referred to as horizontal gene transfer (HGT). One of the more famous examples is v-src from the Rous sarcoma virus, which led to the discovery of one of the first cellular oncogenes, src.
View Genomes ProjectHost Adaptive Mechanisms
In addition to amino acid substitutions, we are interested in exploring other adaptive strategies used by hosts to defend against invading pathogens.
View Host Adaptive Mechanisms Project