# Core A: Gene Expression Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2020 · $335,632

## Abstract

Summary/Abstract – Gene Expression Core
The long-term objectives of this Program Project are to elucidate host and viral
mechanisms that tilt the interaction of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and neurons either
towards lytic infection or towards latency. HSV latency is the most fascinating biological
property of the virus and its most important clinical feature, and understanding HSV
latency may lead to new therapies or even a cure for this widespread pathogen. The
three projects that are central to the Program Project all assess the effects of viral and
host mutants or certain treatments on viral gene expression and chromatin status during
establishment, maintenance, and reactivation of latency, either in mice or in vitro. The
assays used for these measurements require specialized equipment, training, attention
to detail, and careful analysis (including statistical analysis) to guarantee that they are
sensitive and truly quantitative. Thus, to ensure standardization and quality and to allow
comparisons of results across all three projects, it is highly desirable to have these
assays performed by a core. A specific aim of this core then is to isolate nucleic acids
and perform technically challenging yet standardized measurements of 1) viral DNA,
which is normalized by measuring host DNA; 2) viral mRNAs, which are normalized by
measuring a host mRNA; 3) viral miRNAs, which are normalized by measuring a host
miRNA; and 4) occupancies by particular chromatin proteins on particular regions of viral
DNA (chromatin immunoprecipitation, ChIP), which are normalized to occupancy on a
host gene. These four assays use real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based
methods. A second aim is to adapt, develop, standardize, and perform new assays of
gene expression and related parameters that have not been extensively applied to HSV
latency. These assays include development of additional PCR-based assays of gene
expression, but also ones that use deep sequencing methods to assess the
transcriptome (RNA-Seq) and chromatin occupancy and accessibility (ChIP-Seq and
ATAC-Seq). A third aim is to maintain real-time PCR equipment needed to conduct the
assays.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9987477
- **Project number:** 5P01AI098681-07
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** JEAN M PESOLA
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $335,632
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-07-02 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9987477

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9987477, Core A: Gene Expression Core (5P01AI098681-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9987477. Licensed CC0.

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