Research Groups

Tumour Virology

Research Interests and Description

Research Interests

Description of Research

Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the causative agents of a number of human tumours, including cervical cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. The development of these tumours requires the action of two major viral oncoproteins, E6 and E7: understanding the mechanism of action of these two HPV gene products is the major aim of the laboratory. The work largely focuses on identifying the cellular targets of the viral oncoproteins, and on dissecting the effects of these proteins upon important cellular regulatory pathways. These include transcriptional control, cell cycle regulation and regulation of proteins through the 26S proteasome, as well as the control of cell polarity and cell proliferation. Current major interests include Discs Large (Dlg) and hScribble, both of which are tumour suppressor proteins that act to regulate cell polarity. In addition, the Group is also interested in the cross-talk between different viral proteins, and how breakdowns in these auto-regulatory pathways may ultimately result in cancer. The Group's studies almost invariably also require extensive molecular cell biological analyses of the viral target, since in many cases these are, themselves, only poorly understood. Thus, as has been seen with other DNA Tumour Virus models, HPV research offers unique insights into the processes affecting the development of cancer in general.

Recent Publications

Gammoh, N., Isaacson, E., Tomaic, V., Jackson, D., Doorbar, J., Banks, L. 2009. Inhibiton of HPV-16 E7 oncogenic activity by HPV-16 E2. Oncogene 28, 2299-2304

Narayan, N., Massimi, P., Banks, L. 2009. CDK phosphorylation of the discs alrge tumour suppressor controls its localisation and stability. J. Cell Sci. 122, 65-74

Tomaic, V., Gardiol, D., Massimi, P., Ozbun, M., Myers, M., Banks, L. 2009. Human and primate tumour viruses use PDZ binding as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of targeting cell  polarity regulators. Oncogene 28, 1-8

Massimi, P., Narayan, N., Thomas, M., Gammoh, N., Strand, S., Strand, D., Banks, L. 2008. Regulation of the hDlg/hScrib/Hugl-1 tumour suppressor complex. Exp. Cell Res. 314, 3306-3317

Thomas, M., Narayan, N., Pim, D., Tomaic, V., Massimi, P., Nagasaka, K., Kranjec, C., Gammoh, N., Banks, L. 2008. Human Papillomaviruses, cervical cancer and cell polarity. Oncogene 27, 7018-7030