| |
|
|
from the issue of June 9, 2005
|
| |
|
|
| |
UNL professor taps unique vein of Chlorella viruses
BY ANTHONY FEHR, FOR THE SCARLET
It's amazing what imbibing with a colleague can do for a career. In the case of Jim Van Etten, professor of plant pathology at UNL, it got him inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.
| |
| | | A conversation at a party 25 years ago led Jim Van Etten, professor of plant pathology at UNL, to the discovery of Chlorella viruses. He is presenting his findings at a national meeting at Penn State this month. Photo by Alan Jackson/Jackson Studios.
|
Twenty-five years ago Van Etten was at a party where a conversation with colleague Russ Meints led to the discovery of Chlorella viruses - an entirely new family of viruses. These viruses will garner publicity in June when Van Etten gives the keynote address at the American Society of Virology's annual meeting at Penn State.
Chlorella viruses are extremely large DNA viruses that infect a single-celled alga called Chlorella. The study of these viruses has led to many breakthroughs in general virology, medicine, evolution, biotechnology and cell biology.
At the time of their discovery, no one could have guessed that they would have made such an impact. In fact, many of Van Etten's colleagues believed he was crazy for giving up his projects in fungi to troll for this mysterious virus. However, the lure of the unknown hooked Van Etten.
"I knew that there was very little known about algal viruses at the time, so I felt like this was my opportunity to be the first one into the field," he said. "It was a way I could make my own niche in science."
Van Etten determined early that Chlorella viruses are extremely large - about six times the size of an average virus. Also, they have one of the largest genomes of any known virus.
Van Etten says the most interesting thing about Chlorella viruses is that they are thought to be ancient. Evolutionary analysis has dated these viruses as 3.5 billion years old, making them important for evolutionary studies.
Many of the proteins and enzymes produced by Chlorella viruses are relevant in medicine, cell biology, and technology. For example, they produce an enzyme called topoisomerase II that is a prominent target for many anti-cancer drugs. The viruses also make a protein called a potassium ion channel protein, which is important for many cellular processes, most notably that it helps control your heart beat.
Despite all of this research, Chlorella viruses are relatively obscure, but are gaining recognition. Chlorella viruses are now starting to appear in microbiology textbooks, and with Van Etten scheduled to speak at the conference this month, thousands more will be informed about the giant viruses.
David Dunigan, a research professor in Van Etten's lab, said their explorations are important to the general public.
"Because viruses are a very important part of many facets of our lives, it's important that we understand many of the basic molecular events that viruses employ to cause infection," said David Dunigan, a research professor in Van Etten's lab. "And a basic understanding of viruses in general will help relate to fundamental questions in biology and evolution."
Due to the importance to many different areas of biology, Van Etten believes Chlorella viruses will be studied many years into the future.
Anthony Fehr is a senior honors student in biochemistry who worked in Van Etten's lab.
GO TO: ISSUE OF JUNE 9
NEWS HEADLINES FOR JUNE 9
Swanson readies for retirement
$1 million gift given to Sheldon
Henzlik Hall to house University High timeline
A Piece of University History
Computer tool helps under limited irrigation
UNL professor taps unique vein of Chlorella viruses
732106S34661X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|