# How polyomaviruses penetrate the ER membrane

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $390,000

## Abstract

Abstract
This application's goal is to probe how the non-enveloped polyomavirus (PyV) hijacks a
novel endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein complex called the EMC to
promote its ER-to-cytosol membrane penetration, a decisive infection step. To cause
infection, PyV undergoes receptor-mediated endocytosis, trafficking from the plasma
membrane to the ER where it subsequently penetrates the ER membrane to reach the
cytosol. From the cytosol, the virus mobilizes into the nucleus where transcription and
replication of the viral genome ensue, leading to lytic infection or cellular transformation.
While my laboratory and others have provided significant insights into ER luminal and
cytosolic events that drive PyV ER-to-cytosol membrane transport, what remains a
major gap in our understanding are events in the ER lipid bilayer that link the luminal
and cytosolic reactions. Accordingly, this proposal's objective is to clarify how the ER
membrane protein complex EMC facilitates PyV ER membrane penetration by
potentially coupling reactions in the ER lumen and in the cytosol.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9859293
- **Project number:** 5R01AI064296-14
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Billy Tsai
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $390,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2006-06-15 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9859293

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9859293, How polyomaviruses penetrate the ER membrane (5R01AI064296-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9859293. Licensed CC0.

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