Toru Takimoto, D.V.M., Ph.D.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Research project in progress
The major areas of research in my laboratory are as follows:
Molecular mechanism of paramyxovirus assembly: Efficient assembly and release of progeny virions from infected cells are major determinants of viral pathogenicity. Molecular mechanism of paramyxovirus assembly is not well understood. We are characterizing the trafficking of viral nucleocapsid to the site of assembly at the plasma membrane to understand the cellular machinery viruses utilize for assembly of progeny virions. URSMD Collaborators = Brian Ward, Minsoo Kim.

Assembly of Influenza A viruses: Influenza viruses replicate and form nucleocapsid core in nuclei of infected cells. The progeny nucleocapsid cores are then transported to the plasma membrane budding sites. This study analyzes cellular and viral protein interactions required for the nuclear export of nucleocapsid and budding of progeny virions. URSMD Collaborators = Brian Ward

Role of Influenza Virus Polymerase in Host Adaptation: We participate in the virology research team of the New York Influenza Center of Excellence (NYICE), which is part of the NIH Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS) network. Our focus is on the influenza virus RNA polymerase, and understanding how it contributes to host adaptation. We characterize the polymerase activities of avian and human strains, and identify residues and subunits of the polymerase complex important for the enhanced activity in mammalian hosts in vitro and in vivo. URSMD Collaborators = David Topham, John Treanor, Steve Dewhurst, Baek Kim.