Monday, 1 June | 3:00 pm
Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento, ITALY
The role of SERINC5 in retrovirus infection and immunity
(Host: A. Marcello)
SERINC5 is a multipass transmembrane protein highly conserved in eukaryotes, which inhibits infectivity of HIV-1 and other retroviruses. The protein is efficiently incorporated into the lipid envelope of retroviral particles and blocks the penetration of the viral core into the target cell cytoplasm. The evidence that different retrovirus species have independently acquired the ability to target SERINC5 and counteract its antiviral activity indicates that the protein plays a fundamental role in retrovirus biology and infection. In this seminar I will illustrate recent advances in our understanding of the mechanism of retrovirus inhibition by SERINC5 and its function in anti-viral immunity.