My laboratory works
on the molecular biology and pathogenesis of Leishmaniavirus. Leishmaniavirus
infects the protozoan parasite Leishmania, the causative agent of
leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is the second most important protozoan parasite
after malaria. Leishmania is carried by the sandfly vector. We have
discovered that a dsRNA virus co-exists with the parasite as a persistent
infection. The two specific viruses we work on in the laboratory are LRV1,
from a new world parasite and LRV2, from an old world parasite. We have
described the coding strategy of the virus. We have expressed the capsid
protein in baculovirus and shown that the virus can self-assemble. Recently
we have shown that the capsid protein is also a site-specific endoribonuclease
providing a unique feature to the replicative strategy of this virus. Currently,
we are working on identifying a host protease involved in viral replication,
the development of an infectious clone, and are examining the role the
virus plays in the pathogenesis of leishmaniasis. Another area of research in my lab is anthrax antibodies to toxin.
Click on the following link for additional information on Dr. Patterson:
http://www.sfbr.org/pages/virology_cv.php?u=33
M & I Graduate Student in Dr. Patterson's Lab:
