A. Lorena Passarelli, Professor
Contact information
269 Chalmers Hall
(785) 532-3195
lpassar@ksu.edu
Education
Ph.D. 1993, The University of Georgia. Genetics.
Area(s) of Specialization
Molecular biology of baculoviruses; Gene regulation and viral pathogenesis
Research Focus
Research in my laboratory is focused on studying the molecular biology and pathogenesis of two different groups of viruses, baculoviruses, large DNA-containing viruses that replicate in insects, and mosquito-vectored viruses. In the recent past, my laboratory has been investigating how viruses establish systemic infections. This topic stems from a long standing question of how pathogens gain access from the insect midgut to other organs in the hemocoel, bypassing non-cellular barriers and host defenses. Although insect pathogens and insect-vectored pathogens may have devised different methods to escape from the midgut and infect other tissues, they are faced with the same barriers. More specifically, we are studying a signaling mechanism that utilizes a baculovirus encoded fibroblast growth factor (vFGF) and the activation of host genes that together aid in midgut escape. FGFs are a large family of polypeptide growth factors widespread in multicellular organisms and key regulators in cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and cell motility. We have shown that vFGF facilitates midgut escape and accelerates host mortality. However, the specific mechanism of vFGF function during virus infection is not well defined. Similarly, we are characterizing the mosquito genes that are involved in mosquito-vectored virus midgut escape and replication. Our work promises to define a long sought question on virus spread in invertebrates.
Selected Publications
Hodgson, J.J., P.J. Krell, and A.L. Passarelli. 2021. Mature viral cathepsin is required for release of viral occlusion bodies from Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus-infected cells. Virology 556:23-32.
Passarelli, A.L. 2020. Baculovirus-Host Interactions: Repurposing Host-Acquired Genes. Encyclopedia of Virology. Reference Module in Life Sciences. Doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.21551-3
Wu, W., Simmons, C.,R.J. Clem, and A.L. Passarelli. 2020. Effects of manipulating fibroblast growth factor expression on Sindbis virus replication in vitro and in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Viruses 12:943. Doi:10.3390/v12090943
Hodgson, J.J., L.W. Wenger, R.J. Clem, and A.L. Passarelli. 2019. Inhibition of dicer activity in lepidopteran and dipteran cells by baculovirus-mediated expression of Flock House virus B2. Sci. Reports. 9:14494. Doi:10.1038/s41598-019-50851-4
Kantor, A.M., S. Dong, N.L. Held, E. Ishimwe, A.L. Passarelli, R.J. Clem, and A.W.E. Franz. 2017. Identification and initial characterization of matrix metalloproteinases in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Insect Mol. Biol. 26:113-126. Doi:10.1111/imb.12275.
Dong, S., A.M. Kantor, J. Lin, A.L. Passarelli, R.J. Clem, and A.W.E. Franz. 2016. Infection pattern and transmission potential of chikungunya virus in two New World laboratory-adapted Aedes aegypti strains. Sci. Rep. 6, 24729. Doi: 10.1038/srep24729.
Kanost et al. 2016. Multifaceted biological insights from a draft genome sequence of the tobacco hornworm moth, Manduca sexta. Insect Bichem. Mol. Biol. 76:118-147.
Dong, S., J. Lin, N.L. Held, R.J. Clem, A.L. Passarelli, and A.W.E. Franz. 2015. Heritable CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. PLoS ONE 10: e0122353. Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122353.
Franz, A.W.A., A.M. Kantor, A.L. Passarelli, and R.J. Clem. 2015. Tissue barriers to arbovirus infection in mosquitoes. Viruses 7:3741-3767. Doi:10.3390/v7072795.
Ishimwe, E., J.J. Hodgson, and A.L. Passarelli. 2015. Expression of the Cydia pomonella granulovirus matrix metalloprotease enhances Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus virulence and can partially substitute for viral cathepsin. Virology 481:166-178.
Ishimwe, E., J.J. Hodgson, R.J. Clem, and A.L. Passarelli. 2015. Reaching the melting point: Degradative enzymes and protease inhibitors involved in baculovirus infection and dissemination. Virology 479-480:637-649.
Clem, S.A., W. Wu, and A.L. Passarelli. 2014. The Trichoplusia ni single nucleopolyhedrovirus tn79 gene encodes a functional sulfhydryl oxidase enzyme that is able to support the replication of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus lacking the sulfhydryl oxidase ac92 gene. Virology 460-461:207-216.
Means, J.C. and A.L. Passarelli. 2014. Intrahaemocoelic infection of Trichoplusia ni with the baculovirus Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus does not induce tracheal cell basal lamina remodeling. J. Gen. Virol. 95:719-723.
Franz A.W., R.J. Clem, and A.L Passarelli. 2014. Novel Genetic and Molecular Tools for the Investigation and Control of Dengue Virus Transmission by Mosquitoes. Curr. Trop. Med. Rep. 1:21-31.
Means J.C. and A.L. Passarelli. 2010. Viral fibroblast growth factor, matrix metalloproteases, and caspases are associated with enhancing systemic infection by baculoviruses. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 107:9825-9830. Doi: 10.1073/pnas.0913582107.
View the complete publication list in NCBI
