Cell Biology Group

Ralf F. Pettersson  M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Member

Tissue formation and integrity is critically dependent on cell adhesion molecules present on the surface of cells. Our group is specifically interested in the function of the CTX family of cell adhesion proteins, and the mechanism(s) by which these molecules exert their effects. One of the CTX proteins, the Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor (CAR), also act as a cellular receptor for adenovirus. Our group has an interest in the role of CAR in the development of adenovirus as a tool for gene therapy against cancer. In addition, we are utilizing a “reverse genetics” system for studying the cell and molecular biology of members of the Bunyaviridae family, using Uukuniemi virus as a model.

Selected Publications

• Overby AK., Popov VL., Pettersson RF., and Neve EP. (2007) The cytoplasmic tails of Uukuniemi Virus (Bunyaviridae) G(N) and G(C) glycoproteins are important for intracellular targeting and the budding of virus-like particles. J Virol. 81(20), 11381-11391.
• Mirza M., Petersen C., Nordqvist K., and Sollerbrant.K. (2007) Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor is up-regulated in migratory germ cells during passage of the blood-testis barrier. Endocrinology 148(11), 5459-5469.
• Overby AK., Pettersson RF., and Neve EP. (2007) The glycoprotein cytoplasmic tail of Uukuniemi virus (Bunyaviridae) interacts with ribonucleoproteins and is critical for genome packaging. J Virol. 81(7), 3198-3205.
• Vincent T., Pettersson RF., Crystal RG., and Leopold PL. (2004) Cytokine-mediated downregulation of coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor in endothelial cells. J Virol. 78(15), 8047-8058.
• Sollerbrant K., Raschperger E., Mirza M., Engstrom U., Philipson L., Ljungdahl PO., and Pettersson RF. (2003) The Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) forms a complex with the PDZ domain-containing protein ligand-of-numb protein-X (LNX). J Biol Chem. 278(9), 7439-7444.

Theses

• cDNA Cloning And Expression of the Golgi Complex-Specific Uukuniemi Virus Membrane Glycoproteins G1 And G2. Ragna Rönnholm 23-Oct-1992
• Exploring the Molecular Biology of Uukuniemi Virus. Studies On the Segment, Its Mrnas And Protein Products, And the Segment. Jan Fredrik Simons 12-Nov-1992
• Protein Degradation And Folding In the ER. Studies On Asialoglycoprotein Receptor Subunits. Lilian Wikström 11-Dec-1992
• Expression of Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor In Vitro And In the Brain. Yihai Cao 5-Feb-1993
• Characterization of P58 And Rab1p, Two Proteins Operating At the Interface of the Endoplasmic Reticulum And the Golgi Complex. Ulla Lahtinen 17-Apr-1998
• Mapping the Golgi Retention Signal In the G1 Membrane Glycoprotein of Uukuniemi Virus, A Member of the Bunyaviridae Family. Agneta M Andersson 5-Feb-1999
• P16ink4a And P15ink4b In Senescence, Immortalization And Cancer. Jonas Fuxe 30-Nov-2001
• Characterization of the Cellular Receptor For Coxsackievirus And Adenovirus. Momina Mirza 15-Sep-2006
• Studies On CAR And CLMP, Two Proteins of Epithelial Tight Junctions. Elisabeth Rashperger 20-Oct-2006
• Adenovirus Infection Is Dependent On Regulation And Accessibility of the Receptor CAR. Theresa Vincent
• Uukuniemi Virus-Like Particles: A Model System For Bunyaviral Assembly. Anna Överby 8-Jun-2007