Translational Research - Université de Genève

Virology
Dominique Garcin
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine
Dominique Garcin obtained his PhD at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Lyon in 1989. Thereafter
he joined the Department of Microbiology and Genetics, HUG where he was appointed Lecturer
(Maître d’Enseignement et de Recherche) in 2010.
The molecular basis of ligand recognition by RIG-I and viral escape strategies
Viral infections are responsible for extensive human and animal suffering and death. Very few
antiviral molecules are available and, more importantly, escape mutants resistant to existing
antiviral agents generally emerge rapidly for RNA viruses, due to their high mutation rate. On
the other hand, one of the first lines of defence against viral infection is innate immunity.
Detailed knowledge of how this is established and how viruses escape these antiviral defenses,
is critical for understanding how to prevent viral infection. Our laboratory has long experience
in studying negative strand virus (NSV) RNA synthesis, replication and their interactions with
their host, in particular the IFN antagonists that the virus expresses to counteract the innate
immune response.
28 Université de Genève • Faculté de médecine
Marq JB, Hausmann S, Veillard N, Kolakofsky D, Garcin D (2011) Short double-stranded RNAs
with an overhanging 5’ ppp-nucleotide, as found in arenavirus genomes, act as RIG-I decoys.
J Biol Chem. 286:6108-16
Marq JB, Kolakofsky D and Garcin D (2010) Unpaired 5’ ppp-nucleotides, as found in arenavirus
dsRNA panhandles, are not recognized by RIG-I. J. Biol. Chem. 285: 18208-16.
Marq JB, Hausmann S, Luban J, Kolakofsky D and Garcin D (2009) The dsRNA binding domain
of the vaccinia virus E3L protein inhibits both RNA and DNA-induced activation of , IFNβ.
J.Biol. Chem. 284:25471-8
Hausmann S., Marq JB, TapparelC, Kolakofsky D, Garcin D (2008) RIG-I and dsRNA-Induced IFNβ
Activation. PLoS ONE 3: e3965
Strahle L, Marq JB, Brini A, Hausmann S, Kolakofsky D, Garcin D (2007) Activation of the beta
interferon promoter by unnatural Sendai virus infection requires RIG-I and is inhibited by
viral C proteins. J. Virol. 81: 12227-37
Marq JB, Brini A, Kolakofsky D, Garcin D (2007) Targeting of the Sendai virus C protein to the
plasma membrane via a peptide-only membrane anchor. J. Virol. 81:3187-97
Contact: Dominique.Garcin@unige.ch
Virology
Université de Genève • Faculté de médecine
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