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SUMMARY:Vaccinia virus has evolved the Bcl-2 family of proteins to thwart 
 the host innate immune system. - Dr Stephen Graham\, Department of Patholo
 gy\, University of Cambridge 
DTSTART:20140213T143000Z
DTEND:20140213T153000Z
UID:TALK49224@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Caroline Newnham
DESCRIPTION:Poxviruses like vaccinia virus (VACV)\, the smallpox vaccine\,
  have linear double-stranded DNA genomes encoding ~200 genes.  Almost half
  of these genes are implicated in subverting the innate and adaptive immun
 e response of hosts and many closely resemble host genes\,\nsuggesting tha
 t the viruses hijacked these genes and exploit them to their benefit.\n\nT
 he Bcl-2 family comprises a number of small cellular proteins that modulat
 e apoptosis.  We solved the crystal structures of VACV proteins A52 and B1
 4 and showed that they adopt the same fold as cellular Bcl-2 proteins desp
 ite an absence of sequence homology.  Rather than\nmodulating apoptosis\, 
 A52 and B14 have evolved to inhibit activation of the pro-inflammatory tra
 nscription factor NF-kB.  Additionally\, we found that the Bcl2-like VACV 
 protein N1 inhibits both apoptosis and NF-kB activation via two distinct m
 olecular surfaces.  Our recent work shows that the family of poxvirus Bcl-
 2 proteins is more extensive than previously supposed\, highlighting the u
 tility of this small protein fold in modulating pro-viral protein:protein 
 interactions.\n\n
LOCATION:Part II Room\, Department of Genetics
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