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SUMMARY:Exploring the intimacy between bats and viruses: the evolution and
  function of bat antiviral IFITM proteins - Dr Camilla Benfield\, Royal Ve
 terinary College\, University of London
DTSTART:20200219T160000Z
DTEND:20200219T170000Z
UID:TALK129358@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Fiona Roby
DESCRIPTION:The ability of bats to act as virus reservoirs and seemingly t
 olerate viral infections that are highly pathogenic in other species has c
 ast a spotlight onto bat immunology and prompted the question ‘are bats 
 special?\n\nHost interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) are br
 oad-spectrum antiviral restriction factors which block virus entry into ce
 lls. Of these\, IFITM3 potently inhibits a diverse range of viruses that e
 nter cells through acidic endosomes. In humans\, single nucleotide polymor
 phisms in IFITM3 have been associated with increased virus-induced morbidi
 ty. However\, the function of IFITMs in bats\, the natural hosts of many o
 f the zoonotic and emerging viruses restricted by human IFITM3\, was previ
 ously unknown.\nIn this talk I will discuss my comparative evolution-guide
 d research on bat IFITMs. The adaptive evolution we identified for bat IFI
 TMs suggests that they serve an antiviral role in vivo\, and that at least
  some bat viruses must have exerted major fitness costs on their hosts. Mi
 crobat IFITM3 is an endosomal restriction factor capable of restricting th
 e cell entry of lyssaviruses\, flaviviruses\, alphaviruses\, and influenza
  A virus. We found that a naturally-polymorphic site within the conserved 
 CD225 domain affects the antiviral activity and S-palmitoylation of microb
 at IFITM3. Furthermore\, S-palmitoylation\, a lipid post-translational mod
 ification\, is crucial for antiviral restriction and proper subcellular lo
 calisation of microbat IFITM3.\n\nUltimately\, illuminating the molecular 
 basis of IFITM restriction and of the intimate association between bats an
 d their viruses can better arm us to combat the emergence and impact of ba
 t-borne viruses.\n
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 2\, Department of Veterinary Medicine
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