Dr David Bhella

Profile
Publications

Programme Leader (Centre for Virus Research)

telephone: 01413303685
email: David.Bhella@glasgow.ac.uk

The structural components of viruses represent an intriguing area of study for the structural biologist. In their replication cycle, viruses must generate a protective shell (or capsid) to ferry their genome between hosts. These structural proteins may also be required to facilitate entry to and exit from the host cell, as well as packaging the genome and the necessary functional proteins. In many cases structural proteins are also involved in replication and integration of the viral genome.

The fact that many viruses generate large capsids from only one or two protein species makes them all the more remarkable. Viruses attain this level of economy by assembling their capsids in a highly symmetrical manner making these structures not only scientifically interesting but also beautiful.

My role within the CVR is to apply the techniques of electron-cryomicroscopy and image analysis to the study of viruses. We are equipped with a high-performance JEOL 2200 cryo-microscope suitable both for high-resolution analysis of symmetrical entities e.g. icosahedral and helical viruses, and for tomographic reconstruction of asymmetrical objects such as enveloped viruses and virus-infected cells. We also have facilities for correlative cryo-fluorescence imaging, high-pressure freezing, automated freeze substitution and cryo-ultramicrotomy. The establishment of these capabilities within a dedicated virus research laboratory gives us an exciting opportunity to visualise the process of virus infection at cellular scale and macromolecular resolution.

We are currently engaged in research into caliciviruses, hepatitis B and C viruses, influenzaviruses and paramyxoviruses (Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Measles Virus).

MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research

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Number of items: 28.

2013

Bakker, S. E., Duquerroy, S., Galloux, M., Loney, C., Conner, E., Eleouet, J.-F., Rey, F. A., and Bhella, D. (2013) The Respiratory Syncytial Virus nucleoprotein-RNA complex forms a left-handed helical nucleocapsid. Journal of General Virology . ISSN 0022-1317 (doi:10.1099/vir.0.053025-0) (In Press)

Rihn, S.J., Wilson, S.J., Loman, N.J., Alim, M., Bakker, S.E., Bhella, D., Gifford, R.J., Rixon, F.J., and Bieniasz, P.D. (2013) Extreme genetic fragility of the HIV-1 capsid. PLoS Pathogens . ISSN 1553-7366 (In Press)

Vijayakrishnan, S., Loney, C., Jackson, D., Suphamungmee, W., Rixon, F.J., and Bhella, D. (2013) Cryotomography of budding influenza a virus reveals filaments with diverse morphologies that mostly do not bear a genome at their distal end. PLoS Pathogens, 9 (6). e1003413. ISSN 1553-7366 (doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003413)

2012

Baines, J.D., Schmid, M.F., Hecksel, C.W., Rochat, R.H., Bhella, D., Chiu, W., and Rixon, F.J. (2012) A tail-like assembly at the portal vertex in intact herpes simplex type-1 virions. PLoS Pathogens, 8 (10). e1002961. ISSN 1553-7366 (doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1002961)

2011

Bhella, D., and Goodfellow, I.G. (2011) The cryo-electron microscopy structure of feline calicivirus bound to junctional adhesion molecule A at 9-angstrom resolution reveals receptor-induced flexibility and two distinct conformational changes in the capsid protein VP1. Journal of Virology, 85 (21). pp. 11381-11390. ISSN 0022-538X (doi:10.1128/JVI.05621-11)

Neuman, B.W., Kiss, G., Kunding, A.H., Bhella, D., Baksh, M.F., Connelly, S., Droese, Ben, Klaus, J.P., Makino, S., and Sawicki, S.G. (2011) A structural analysis of M protein in coronavirus assembly and morphology. Journal of Structural Biology, 174 (1). pp. 11-22. ISSN 1047-8477 (doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2010.11.021)

2010

Vijayakrishnan, S., Kelly, S.M., Gilbert, R.J.C., Callow, P., Bhella, D., Forsyth, T., Lindsay, J.G., and Byron, O. (2010) Solution structure and characterisation of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex core assembly. Journal of Molecular Biology, 399 (1). pp. 71-93. ISSN 0022-2836 (doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2010.03.043)

Parsons, J.B., Frank, S., Bhella, D., Liang, M., Prentice, M.B., Mulvihill, D.P., and Warren, M. (2010) Synthesis of Empty Bacterial Microcompartments, Directed Organelle Protein Incorporation, and Evidence of Filament-Associated Organelle Movement. Molecular Cell, 38 (2). pp. 305-315. ISSN 1097-2765 (doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2010.04.008)

Parsons, Joshua B., Frank, Stefanie, Bhella, D., Liang, Mingzhi, Prentice, Michael B., Mulvihill, Daniel P., and Warren, Martin J. (2010) Synthesis of Empty Bacterial Microcompartments, Directed Organelle Protein Incorporation, and Evidence of Filament-Associated Organelle Movement. Molecular Cell, 38 (2). pp. 305-315. ISSN 10972765 (doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2010.04.008)

2009

Tawar, R.G. et al. (2009) Crystal structure of a nucleocapsid-like nucleoprotein-RNA complex of respiratory syncytial virus. Science, 326 (5957). pp. 1279-83. ISSN 1095-9203 (doi:10.1126/science.1177634)

Loney, C., Mottet-Osman, G., Roux, L., and Bhella, D. (2009) Paramyxovirus ultrastructure and genome packaging: cryo-electron tomography of Sendai virus. Journal of Virology, 83 (16). pp. 8191-8197. ISSN 0022-538X (doi:10.1128/JVI.00693-09)

Greig, J.A. et al. (2009) Influence of Coagulation Factor X on In Vitro and In Vivo Gene Delivery by Adenovirus (Ad) 5, Ad35, and Chimeric Ad5/Ad35 Vectors. Molecular Therapy, 17 (10). pp. 1683-1691. ISSN 1525-0016 (doi:10.1038/mt.2009.152)

2008

Bhella, D., Gatherer, D., Chaudhry, Y., Pink, R., and Goodfellow, I.G. (2008) Structural insights into calicivirus attachment and uncoating. Journal of Virology, 82 (16). pp. 8051-8058. ISSN 0022-538X (doi:10.1128/JVI.00550-08)

Waddington, S. et al. (2008) Adenovirus serotype 5 hexon mediates liver gene transfer. Cell, 132 (3). pp. 397-409. ISSN 0092-8674 (doi:10.1016/j.cell.2008.01.016 )

2007

Maclellan, K., Loney, C., Yeo, R.P., and Bhella, D. (2007) The 24-angstrom structure of respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsid protein-RNA decameric rings. Journal of Virology, 81 (17). pp. 9519-9524. ISSN 0022-538X (doi:10.1128/JVI.00526-07)

Tran, T. et al. (2007) The nine C-terminal amino acids of the respiratory syncytial virus protein P are necessary and sufficient for binding to ribonucleoprotein complexes in which six ribonucleotides are contacted per N protein protomer. Journal of general virology, 88 (1). pp. 196-206. ISSN 0022-1317 (doi:10.1099/vir.0.82282-0)

Bhella, D. (2007) Measles virus nucleocapsid structure, conformational flexibility and the rule of six. In: Longhi, S. (ed.) Measles Virus Nucleoprotein. Series: Intrinsically disordered proteins . Nova Publishers, pp. 37-50. ISBN 9781606925218

Cao, Z., Bhella, D., and Lindsay, J.G. (2007) Reconstitution of the mitochondrial PrxII antioxidant defence pathway: General properties and factors affecting PrxII activity and oligomeric state. Journal of Molecular Biology, 372 . pp. 1022-1033. (doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2007.07.018)

Davidson, A.J., and Bhella, D. (2007) Comparative genome and virion structure. In: Arvin, A., Campadelli-Fiume, G. and Mocarski, E. (eds.) Human Herpesviruses: Biology, Therapy, and Immunoprophylaxis. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521827140