Understanding Dengue Virus — Einstein researchers led by Dr. Margaret Kielian have identified the molecular mechanism that changes the arrangement of proteins in dengue virus so that the virus can infect cells. The dengue virus is a mosquito-borne pathogen that infects nearly 400 million people a year. Severe infections can cause fevers and drops in blood pressure that are life-threatening. The researchers showed that acidic conditions cause the re-arrangement of specific protein segments of dengue virus that allows the virus to attach to and to enter cells. These findings appear in the May 20 issue of Nature Communications. Dr. Kielian is professor of cell biology and holds the Samuel H. Golding Chair in Microbiology.
Posted on: Tuesday, May 20, 2014