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Project proposal for 6 to 9 month internship
We are looking for one enthusiastic and interested master student. If you want to know
more information or apply, please do not hesitate to contact us by email.
Affiliation:
Virology Division of the Department Infectious Disease and Immunology at the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Utrecht University
Our general aim is to understand the infection process of viruses at the level of the cell, the
organism and the population, and the development of strategies for the diagnosis of and
protection against these infections. With respect to the viruses, we focus on enveloped
positive stranded RNA viruses with particular attention to coronaviruses and baculoviruses.
Speicial focus of the Berend Jan Bosch is the targeting and cell entry of coronaviruses and
baculoviruses.
Schedule
Starting Mid September to October 2012
Supervisor
Dr. Berend Jan Bosch - [email protected]
Daily Supervisor: Oliver Wicht – [email protected]
Molecular determinants for protease dependence of porcine epidemic
diarrhea virus (PEDV)
The propagation of the swine Coronavirus PEDV field strains in cell culture is dependent on
protease activity. The main determinant for tropism and viral entry is the spike fusion
protein. We have created several mutant viruses that allow is to characterize and
investigate the responsible amino acids within the spike protein. A deeper understanding of
the viral entry mechanisms will allow us to improve the virus production for vaccine
purposes.
Within this project, the student will characterize and study the PEDV-Spike protein by i)
classical virological methods ii) protein biochemistry iii) molecular biology.
Alternative Project: Dimerization of the receptor for Murine Hepatitis
Virus (MHV)
Pilot experiments are performed at the moment; this project depends on the outcome.
MHV infects mouse cells in cell culture by using mCeacam1a as receptor. It remains unclear
how the receptor mediates virus uptake by endocytosis and virus-cell fusion. Intracellular
signaling of the receptor does not play a role. Instead, the virus might induce dimerization
of the receptor and thereby inducing endocytosis and uptake.
Within this project, the student will perform mutagenesis study on the transmembrane
domain of the receptor to determine the molecular requirements for receptor mediated virus
infection by i) classical virological methods and ii) molecular biology.
_____________________________________________
Oliver Wicht, MSc.
Department Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Division Virology
Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Yalelaan 1
3584 CL Utrecht
The Netherlands
tel: +31 (0)30 253 5094
fax: +31 (0)30 253 6723
e-mail: [email protected]