Papers by Elizabeth Brown
To investigate how Ebola virus phenotypes changed during the 2013‒2016 Western African Ebola viru... more To investigate how Ebola virus phenotypes changed during the 2013‒2016 Western African Ebola virus disease epidemic, we examined a key viral mutation that rose to high frequency: an R111C substitution in the viral nucleoprotein (NP). Though NP plays many essential roles during infection, there are a limited number of assays for studying these functions. We developed new reporter assays to measure virion-like particle (VLP) production and NP oligomerization in live cells under biosafety level 2 conditions. We found that NP-R111C significantly enhanced VLP production and slightly increased NP oligomerization without impairing viral transcription and replication. By contrast, a synthetic charge-reversal mutant, NP-R111E, greatly increased oligomerization but dramatically reduced transcription and replication. We detected an interaction of NP with the cellular clathrin adaptor protein-1 (AP-1) complex, which may explain how NP facilitates VLP production. Our study provides enhanced meth...
Trends in Genetics, 2013
When considering selective forces shaping human evolution, the importance of pregnancy to fitness... more When considering selective forces shaping human evolution, the importance of pregnancy to fitness should not be underestimated. Although specific mortality factors may only impact a fraction of the population, birth is a funnel through which all individuals must pass. Human pregnancy places exceptional energetic, physical, and immunological demands on the mother to accommodate the needs of the fetus, making the woman more vulnerable during this time period. Here, we examine how metabolic imbalances, infectious
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Papers by Elizabeth Brown