Michael Emerman

HIV host cell interactions

This laboratory studies the regulatory and structural genes of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in order to understand the molecular basis for its pathogenicity. Much of our focus is on identifying and characterizing host cell functions that are used to serve specific functions for viral replication and the evolution and function of intrinsic host defenses against retroviruses.


Intrinsic host defense: Primates have evolved a number of gene families that limit or restrict retroviral infections. In collaboraton with the lab of Harmit Malik at the FHCRC we are studying the evolution of function of these intrinsic anti-viral genes. We have found that some of these genes have been rapidly evolving throughout the history of primates and some have been under selective pressure in recent human history. We study how these genes function in humans and why they are or are not active against current viruses such as HIV.

HIV infection of non-dividing cells: HIV is unusual in its ability to infect non-dividing cells such as terminally differentiated macrophages. With most retroviruses, the cell must pass through mitosis for the viral DNA to enter the nucleus. However, HIV can enter the nucleus at any stage of the cell cycle. We are trying to understand events that occur immediately after the virus has entered the cell that allow HIV to subsequently enter the nucleus