Project description:Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) protein is a central kinase that regulates numerous cellular functions, including cellular polarity, motility, proliferation and apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate that ROCK has antiviral properties and inhibition of its activity results in enhanced propagation of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). We show that during HCMV infection ROCK1 translocates to the nucleus and concentrates in the nucleolus were it co-localizes with the stress related chaperone, heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (Hsc70) . Gene expression measurements showed that inhibition of ROCK activity does not affect the cellular stress response. We further demonstrate that inhibition of myosin, one of the central targets of ROCK, also increases HCMV propagation, implying that the anti-viral activity of ROCK might be mediated by activation of the actomyosin network. Finally, we demonstrate that inhibition of ROCK results in increased levels of the tegument protein UL32 and of viral DNA in the cytoplasm, suggesting ROCK activity hinders the efficient egress of HCMV particles out of the nucleus. Altogether our findings illustrate ROCK activity restricts HCMV propagation and suggest this inhibitory effect may be mediated by suppression of capsid egress out of the nucleus.
Project description:Deep sequencing of mRNA from the rock pigeon Analysis of ploy(A)+ RNA of different specimens: heart and liver from the rock pigeon (Danish Tumbler, Oriental Frill and Racing)
Project description:We sought to evaluate the brain gene expression profiles of male courtship display. To assess male display and courtship behavior, we designed a courtship preference assay. We evaluated social interactions between males and females using a 40 gallon tank design with a ‘rock’ habitat at one end and ‘sand’ at the other, separated by glass bottom. When parental rock species (Petrotilapia nigra (TaxId 526958), Maylandia zebra (TaxId 106582), Labeotropheus feulliborni) are placed in this tank paradigm, males court females over the rocks. Males of sand species (Mchenga conophorus, Aulonocara baenschi (TaxId 143496), Tramitichromis intermedius (TaxId 323801)) court females over sand and construct species appropriate bowers. When single rock x sand F1 males were placed in this set up with F1 females, males invariably courted females over the ‘rock’ habitat, suggesting genetic dominance. When two rock x sand F1 males were allowed to compete for F1 females in this tank paradigm, something interesting happened. One male, typically the larger, courted females over the rock habitat, and the other simultaneously constructed bowers to court females in the sand. We detected no difference in GSI (gonadal somatic index) between F1 males behaving as ‘socially rock’ vs. ‘socially sand.’ This observation of divergent behavior among interacting F1 brothers suggests an interaction between the genome and the social environment in these males.