Replication, Population Dynamics, Genetics, & Evolution of Retroviruses

Raul Gomila
Postdoctoral Fellow
B.S. University of Puerto Rico, Biology and Chemistry
Ph.D. Harvard University, Virology

Thesis Title
Identification and Characterization of Host Factors that Bind the Conserved 3' Terminal Stem Loop RNA of Flaviviruses

Current Research
My current research involves the study of host range extension in avian retroviruses and receptor-envelope interactions. We have previously identified mutations (L154S, D156Y) in the envelope of ASLV subgroup B that allow the virus to enter cells using a receptor-independent mechanism. Currently I'm studying whether mutation of the conserved L154 in other ASLV subgroups confers the same host range extension effect. In addition, I'm interested in testing the hypothesis that the host range extension mutants represent evolutionary intermediates in the adaptation of ASLV to a new receptor. Finally, I'm aiming to determine the crystal structure of the ASLV envelop to obtain a better understanding of receptor-envelope interactions (and perhaps receptor selection) and of the entry process of viruses.

Publications

1. Gomila RC, Gehrke L. Biochemical approaches for characterizing RNA-protein complexes in preparation for high resolution structure analysis. Methods Mol Biol. 2008;451:279-91.
   
2. Etemad-Moghadam B, Sun Y, Nicholson EK, Fernandes M, Liou K, Gomila R, Lee J, Sodroski J. Envelope glycoprotein determinants of increased fusogenicity in a pathogenic simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV-KB9) passaged in vivo. J Virol. 2000 May;74(9):4433-40.
   
3. Karlsson GB, Halloran M, Li J, Park IW, Gomila R, Reimann KA, Axthelm MK, Iliff SA, Letvin NL, Sodroski J. Characterization of molecularly cloned simian-human immunodeficiency viruses causing rapid CD4+ lymphocyte depletion in rhesus monkeys. J Virol. 1997 Jun;71(6):4218-25.