Name: Rouvinski Alexander

Title： Principal investigator

Email: alexander.rouvinski@mail.huji.ac.il

Tel: +97226758328

Research Interests

Most known human viral pathogens originate in infected animals (zoonosis). Arthropod borne viruses (arbo-viruses) can propagate in insects and in higher eukaryotes and thereby exhibit peculiar strategies permitting infections of two or even more evolutionary distant host species. We constantly witness emergence of new arboviruses exhibiting previously unknown pathogenic characteristics and invading novel ecological niches (e.g. the flaviviruses such as West Nile, Zika and Usutu). Arboviruses, such as Dengue and Chikungunya, are major causes of human and animal diseases worldwide. They are responsible for a significant public health and economic burden, causing sporadic outbreaks and epidemics. However, some viruses are only found in arthropods (e.g., insect restricted viruses) and are incapable of infecting vertebrate hosts. We also intensively study additional animal viruses with zoonotic features or zoonotic potential including Coronaviruses SARS-CoV2 and other human common cold coronaviruses. In our laboratory, we explore molecular mechanisms of host restriction and specificity in mammalian and insect hosts. We study interaction of viruses with host immune system, and cellular mechanisms of viral propagation and pathogenesis. Using classical virology, immunology, cell biology, live cell imaging and genetics combined with structural approaches using electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography of viral and host factors, we aim to gain molecular understanding of how new viruses emerge in nature and how existing viruses acquire new traits.

Ten Selected Papers

*co-corresponding authors; #co-first authors

1. Ramanathan A#, Weintraub M#, Orlovetskie N#, Serruya R, Mani D, Marcu O, Stepensky P, Weisblum Y, Djian E, Shaag A, Revel-Vilk S, Fried I, Kotler M, Rouvinski A, Wolf D, Elpeleg O*, Jarrous N*. A mutation in POLR3E impairs antiviral immune response and RNA polymerase III. PNAS, 2020, 117(36):22113-22121.

2. Medits I#, Vaney MC#, Rouvinski A, Rey M, Chamot‐Rooke J, Rey FA*, Heinz FX*, Stiasny K*. Extensive flavivirus E trimer breathing accompanies stem zippering of the post‐fusion hairpin. EMBO Rep, 2020, 21(8):e50069.

3. Belotserkovsky I, Brunner K, Pinaud L, Rouvinski A, Dellarole M, Baron B, Dubey G, Samassa F, Parsot C, Sansonetti P, Phalipon A*. Glycan-glycan interaction determines shigella tropism toward human t lymphocytes. MBio, 2018, 9(1): e02309-17.

4. Rouvinski A#, Dejnirattisai W#, Guardado-Calvo P#, Vaney MC, Sharma A, Duquerroy S, Supasa P, Wongwiwat W, Haouz A, Barba-Spaeth G, Mongkolsapaya J*, Rey FA*, Screaton GR*. Covalently linked dengue virus envelope glycoprotein dimers reduce exposure of the immunodominant fusion loop epitope. Nature Commun, 2017, 8:15411.

5. Dejnirattisai W, Supasa P, Wongwiwat W, Rouvinski A, Barba-Spaeth G, Duangchinda T, Sakuntabhai A, Cao-Lormeau VM, Malasit P, Rey FA, Mongkolsapaya J*, Screaton GR*. Dengue virus sero-cross-reactivity drives antibody-dependent enhancement of infection with zika virus. Nature Immunol, 2016, 17(9): 1102-1108.

6. Barba-Spaeth G#, Dejnirattisai W#, Rouvinski A#, Vaney MC#, Medits I, Sharma A, Simon-Lorière E, Sakuntabhai A, CaoLormeau VM, Haouz A, England P, Stiasny K, Mongkolsapaya J, Heinz FX, Screaton GR, Rey FA*. Structural basis of potent Zika-dengue virus antibody cross-neutralization. Nature, 2016, 536(7614): 48-53.

7. Mamou G, Malli Mohan GB, Rouvinski A, Rosenberg A, Ben-Yehuda*. Early developmental program shapes colony morphology in bacteria. Cell Rep, 2016, 14(8): 1850-1857.

8. Rouvinski A#, Guardado-Calvo P#, Barba-Spaeth G#, Duquerroy S, Vaney M.C, Kikuti C.M, Navarro Sanchez M.E, Dejnirattisai W, Wongwiwat W, Haouz A, Girard-Blanc C, Petres S, Shepard W.E, Desprès P, Arenzana-Seisdedos F, Dussart P, Mongkolsapaya J*, Screaton G.R*, Rey F.A*. Recognition determinants of broadly neutralizinghuman antibodies against dengue viruses. Nature, 2015, 520(7545): 109-113.

9. Rouvinski A#, Karniely S#, Kounina M, Moussa S, Goldberg M.D, Warburg G, Lyakhovetsky R, Papy-Garcia D, Kutzsche J, Korth C, Carlson G.A,. Godsave S.F, Peters P.J, Luhr K, Kristensson K, A. Taraboulos*. Live imaging of prions: nascent PrPSc in cell surface, raft-associated amyloid strings and webs. J Cell Biol, 2014, 204(3): 423-441.

10. Bejerano-Sagie M#, Oppenheimer-Shaanan Y#, Berlatzky I, Rouvinski A, Meyerovich M, Ben-Yehuda S*. A checkpoint protein that scans the chromosome for damage at the start of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Cell, 2006, 1