The focus of my TBI funded research is the discovery, molecular characterization, and understanding of novel archaeal viruses from high temperature (>80C) acidic (pH< 3.0) environments present in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). 

A detailed understanding of these unusual viruses from hyperthermophiles is leading to new insights into the evolution of viruses and their host cells, biochemical adaptations required for life at high temperature, and the role viruses play in the ecology of hot spring environments.  They may also provide new insight into the evolution of life on earth and the possibility of life on non-earth based bodies. Our research has been both scientifically rewarding and productive.  Research highlights include the following:

1. The discovery and molecular characterization of multiple different viruses that replicate in a diversity of hyperthermophilic archaeal hosts.  These viruses have been isolated utilizing both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. These viruses are completely novel and have not been previously described.
   
2. The high-resolution structure of one of these high temperature viruses, STIV, revealed a new virus structure with elaborate propeller-like structures extending from each of the five-fold vertices. Detailed analysis of STIV reveals that this group of viruses has an evolutionally history extending back more than 3 billion years.
3. The continuous monitoring of virus and host populations suggests an enormous virus community size that rapidly migrates between hot springs and potentially worldwide.  The cloning, expression, purification, assembly and crystallization of the first ferritin-like protein cage from Sulfolobus sulfataricus.

Selected Publications:

Advances in understanding archaea-virus interactions in controlled and natural environments.
Snyder JC, Young MJ. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2011 Aug;14(4):497-503. Epub 2011 Aug 5. Review.

Fossil record of an archaeal HK97-like provirus.
Heinemann J, Maaty WS, Gauss GH, Akkaladevi N, Brumfield SK, Rayaprolu V, Young MJ, Lawrence CM, Bothner B.
Virology. 2011 Sep 1;417(2):362-8. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus c92 protein responsible for the formation of pyramid-like cellular lysis structures.
Snyder JC, Brumfield SK, Peng N, She Q, Young MJ.
J Virol. 2011 Jul;85(13):6287-92. Epub 2011 Apr 27.

Structural and functional characterization of an archaeal clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated complex for antiviral defense (CASCADE).
Lintner NG, Kerou M, Brumfield SK, Graham S, Liu H, Naismith JH, Sdano M, Peng N, She Q, Copié V, Young MJ, White MF, Lawrence CM. J Biol Chem. 2011 Jun 17;286(24):21643-56. Epub 2011 Apr 20.

Development of a genetic system for the archaeal virus Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV).
Wirth JF, Snyder JC, Hochstein RA, Ortmann AC, Willits DA, Douglas T, Young MJ. Virology. 2011 Jun 20;415(1):6-11. Epub 2011 Apr 15.

Protein cage nanoparticles bearing the LyP-1 peptide for enhanced imaging of macrophage-rich vascular lesions.
Uchida M, Kosuge H, Terashima M, Willits DA, Liepold LO, Young MJ, McConnell MV, Douglas T.
ACS Nano. 2011 Apr 26;5(4):2493-502. Epub 2011 Mar 21.

Potential role of cellular ESCRT proteins in the STIV life cycle.
Snyder JC, Young MJ.
Biochem Soc Trans. 2011 Jan;39(1):107-10.

Use of cellular CRISPR (clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) spacer-based microarrays for detection of viruses in environmental samples.
Snyder JC, Bateson MM, Lavin M, Young MJ. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2010 Nov;76(21):7251-8. Epub 2010 Sep 17.

The crystal structure of D212 from sulfolobus spindle-shaped virus ragged hills reveals a new member of the PD-(D/E)XK nuclease superfamily.
Menon SK, Eilers BJ, Young MJ, Lawrence CM.
J Virol. 2010 Jun;84(12):5890-7. Epub 2010 Apr 7.

A click chemistry based coordination polymer inside small heat shock protein.
Lucon J, Abedin MJ, Uchida M, Liepold L, Jolley CC, Young M, Douglas T. Chem Commun (Camb). 2010 Jan 14;46(2):264-6. Epub 2009 Nov 17.

Supramolecular protein cage composite MR contrast agents with extremely efficient relaxivity properties.
Liepold LO, Abedin MJ, Buckhouse ED, Frank JA, Young MJ, Douglas T. Nano Lett. 2009 Dec;9(12):4520-6.

Current Laboratory Personnel

Postdoc:
Dr. Jamie Snyder

Graduate Students:
Becky Hochstein
Ben Bolduc
Jennifer Wirth
Laura Camilleri

Technicians:
Mary Bateson
Sue Brumfield

Debbie Willits, manager of the Young lab, moniters a reaction.

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