Date
Nov 20, 2024, 12:00 pm1:00 pm
Audience
Free and open to the university community and the public.

Speakers

Jonathan Abraham
Associate Professor
Harvard Medical School

Details

Event Description

Abstract

Alphaviruses include several agents that can cause lethal encephalitis throughout the Americas when transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitos. I will describe how our lab used genetic screens to identify the very low-density lipoprotein receptor and apolipoprotein E receptor 2 as cellular receptors for eastern equine encephalitis virus and protocadherin 10 as a cellular receptor for western equine encephalitis virus. I will also describe how western equine encephalitis virus strains isolated in North America over the past century have seemingly shifted away from binding to mammalian receptors in preference for avian receptors, suggesting adaptation of this alphavirus to an enzootic host.

Sponsor
Department of Molecular Biology
Contact
Alex Ploss, Department of Molecular Biology
Event Category
Butler Seminar Series