# The role of SERINC5 during retrovirus infection in vivo

> **NIH NIH R21** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · 2020 · $236,275

## Abstract

Project summary
Retroviruses are enveloped RNA viruses that can infect a variety of species, including humans, and result in
chronic infection by integrating the retroviral DNA into the host’s genome. Because of the constant attack of the
cellular genome by retroviruses, mammalian cells have developed restriction factors that can prohibit their
infection. One of these factors, Serin incorporator 5 (SERINC5) blocks infection of cells by retroviruses by being
incorporated in the envelope of the budding virions and preventing the step of the envelope fusion and pore
formation with the target cell’s membrane early during infection; thus, rendering the virions incapable of infection.
SERINC5 is restrictive to a variety of retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), murine leukemia
virus (MLV) and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). Previous work showed that Nef and glycoGag, an HIV
and an MLV protein respectively, inhibit SERINC5 by sequestering it from the plasma membrane and thus
blocking SERINC5 incorporation inside the budding virions -rendering them fully infectious. While a lot of
information is known about the function of SERINC5 in vitro, little is known about its function in vivo. Here we
propose to examine the in vivo function of SERINC5 during retrovirus infection, something that has not been
hitherto done. We plan to do that by using two approaches: a) by utilizing SERINC5 KO mice and b) using a
glycoGag mutant virus or a Nef-expressing- MLV virus. In this work we propose to examine the role of SERINC5
in restricting retrovirus infection in vivo and its role in milk borne transmission of retroviruses. Furthermore, by
using a Nef-expressing MLV virus, we intend to examine the interplay of Nef-SERINC5 in vivo and the importance
of this interaction during in vivo infection. This study will provide much needed insight into the role of SERINC5
during retrovirus infection in vivo, and also has the potential to create new models for testing therapeutic
strategies for treating retroviral infections in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9887341
- **Project number:** 1R21AI144147-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO
- **Principal Investigator:** Spyridon Stavrou
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $236,275
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-01-07 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9887341

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9887341, The role of SERINC5 during retrovirus infection in vivo (1R21AI144147-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9887341. Licensed CC0.

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