back  Directory

Print Profile
Robert Krug

Krug, Robert
Chair, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology,
Lorene Morrow Kelley Fellow In Microbiology

Email

Website

Main Office: MBB 2.122BA Phone: 232-5563

Alternate Office: MBB 3.230B Phone: 232-5566

Mailing Address:
The University of Texas at Austin - ICMB
1 University Station A4800
2500 Speedway; MBB 2.122BA
Austin,TX 78712-1095

Research Lab Members:
  • Hsiang, Tien-Ying (Tina)
  • Kuo, Rei-Lin
  • Leavitt, John
  • Liu, Chris
  • Malur, Meghana
  • Marklund, Jesper
  • Park, Jang Won
  • Smith, Bart
  • Sridharan, Haripriya
  • Zhao, Chen
  • Zhou, Ligang

    • Research Summary:
    The major focus of the Krug laboratory is the molecular biology of human influenza viruses (influenza A and B viruses), which cause widespread human disease. We are determining the molecular mechanisms of viral mRNA synthesis and viral RNA replication; and how the viral nonstructural proteins of these two influenza viruses contribute to pathogenesis and overcome host defense by inhibiting crucial cellular functions, including the 3’ end processing system used for the production of cellular pre-mRNAs, and the interferon-induced modification of proteins by the ISG15 ubiquitin-like protein. Our research has already identified promising new targets for the development of antivirals, which are now the subject of high-throughput screens. In addition, research on influenza A viruses includes the analysis of the functions of the genes of H5N1 avian influenza viruses, which have the potential for causing the next pandemic.


    Publications:
    2009 Newcomb, L.L., Kuo, R.L., Ye, Q., Jiang, Y., Tao, Y.T., and Krug, R.M., Interaction of the influenza A virus nucleocapsid protein with the viral RNA polymerase potentiates unprimed viral RNA replication., J. Virol. 83: 29-36
    2008 Kuo RL, Krug RM., Influenza a virus polymerase is an integral component of the CPSF30-NS1A protein complex in infected cells., J. Virol. 83: 1611-1616
    2008 Das K, Ma LC, Xiao R, Radvansky B, Aramini J, Zhao L, Marklund J, Kuo RL, Twu KY, Arnold E, Krug RM, Montelione GT., Structural basis for suppression of a host antiviral response by influenza A virus., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105: 13093-13098
    2007 Yin, C., Khan J.A., Swapna G.V., Ertekin A., Krug R.M., Tong L and Montelione G.T., Conserved surface features form the double-stranded RNA binding site of non-structural protein 1 (NS1) from Influenza A and B viruses, J. Biol. Chem. 282: 20584-20592
    2007 Melen, K., Kinnunen, L., Fagerlund, R., Ikonen, N., Twu, K.Y., Krug, R.M. and Julkunen, I., Nuclear and nucleolar targeting of influenza A virus NS1A protein: Striking differences between different virus subtypes, Journal of Virology 81: 5995-6006
    2007 Min, .JY., Li, S., Sen, G.C. and Krug, R.M., A site on the influenza A virus NS1 protein mediates both inhibition of PKR activation and temporal regulation of viral RNA synthesis, Virology 363: 236-243
    2007 Twu, K.Y., Kuo, RL., Marklund, J., and Krug, R. M., The H5N1 influenza virus NS genes selected after 1998 enhance virus replication in mammalian cells, J Virol 81: 8112-8121
    2006 Ye, Q., Krug, R.M. and Tao, Y.J., The mechanism by which influenza A virus nucleoprotein forms oligomers and binds RNA, Nature 444: 1078-1082
    2006 Min, J.-Y. and Krug, R. M., The primary function of RNA binding by the influenza A virus NS1 protein in infected cells: Inhibiting the 2'-5' oligo (A) synthetase / RNase L pathway, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103: 7100-7105
    2006 Twu, K. Y., Noah, D. L., Rao, P., Kuo, R.-L., and Krug, R. M., The CPSF30 binding site on the NS1A protein of influenza A virus is a potential antiviral target, Journal of Virology 80: 3957-3965
    2005 Zhao, C., Denison, C., Huibregtse, J. M., Gygi, S. and Krug, R.M., Human ISG15 targets both interferon-induced and constitutively expressed proteins functioning in diverse cellular pathways, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 10200-10205
    2004 Chien, C-Y, Xu, Y., Xiao, R., Aramini, J.M., Sahasrabudge, P.V., Krug, R.M., and Montelieone, G.T., Biophysical characterization of the complex between double-stranded RNA and the N-terminal domain of the NS1 protein from influenza A virus: evidence for a novel RNA-binding mode., Biochemistry 43: 1950-1962
    2004 Zhao, C. Beaudenon, S.L., Kelley, M.L., Waddell, M.B., Yuan, W., Schulman, B.A., Huibregtse, J.M. and Krug, R.M., The UbcH8 ubiquitin E2 enzyme is also the E2 enzyme for ISG15, an interferon a/b-induced ubiquitin-like protein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101: 7578-7582
    2003 Krug, R.M., Yuan, W., Noah, D.L. and Latham, A.G., Intracellular warfare between human influenza viruses and human cells: the roles of the viral NS1 protein, Virology 309: 181-189