A. Pekosz

Clade-defining mutations in human H1N1 hemagglutinin protein from 2021-2023 have opposing effects on in vitro fitness and antigenic drift

This study identifies clade-defining mutations in H1N1 hemagglutinin that improve viral fitness but reduce neutralization by vaccine-induced antibodies, revealing an evolutionary trade-off between replication and immune evasion.

SARS-CoV-2 variants from long-term, persistently infected immunocompromised patients have altered syncytia formation, temperature-dependent replication, and serum neutralizing antibody escape

The paper studies SARS-CoV-2 variants from immunocompromised patients, finding altered syncytia formation, temperature-dependent replication, and antibody escape in some isolates.

ZFAND6 is a subunit of a TRAF2-cIAP E3 ubiquitin ligase complex essential for mitophagy

This study identifies ZFAND6 as a component of a TRAF2-cIAP E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that regulates mitophagy, maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and influencing immune responses to viral infection.

Variant mutation in SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid enhances viral infection via altered genomic encapsidation

The paper identifies a mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein that enhances viral infection by promoting dimer formation and altering virion structure.

Innate Immune Activation and Mitochondrial ROS Invoke Persistent Cardiac Conduction System Dysfunction after COVID-19

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes persistent cardiac conduction system dysfunction in hamsters, driven by innate immune activation and mitochondrial ROS, with potential implications for long COVID.

Antigen-display exosomes provide adjuvant-free protection against SARS-CoV-2 disease at nanogram levels of spike protein

This study demonstrates that antigen-display exosomes can induce strong neutralizing antibodies and protect against SARS-CoV-2 at nanogram levels of spike protein without adjuvant.

The Influenza B Virus Victoria and Yamagata Lineages Display Distinct Cell Tropism and Infection Induced Host Gene Expression in Human Nasal Epithelial Cell Cultures

Growth media affects susceptibility of air-lifted human nasal epithelial cell cultures to SARS-CoV2, but not Influenza A, virus infection.

This study shows that different growth media affect SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility in human nasal epithelial cultures but not Influenza A, with protease expression playing a role.

Integrated Drivers of Basal and Acute Immunity in Diverse Human Populations

The paper examines factors influencing immunity across diverse populations, finding ancestry and age significantly affect immune responses and disease severity.

Adverse outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant mice are gestational age-dependent and resolve with antiviral treatment

This study shows that SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant mice causes worse outcomes at later gestational ages, which can be improved with antiviral treatment.

Early transcriptional responses of human nasal epithelial cells to infection with Influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 virus differ and are influenced by physiological temperature

This study compares early transcriptional responses of human nasal epithelial cells to Influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 infections at different temperatures, finding temperature affects SCV2 but not IAV replicative fitness and host response dynamics.

Convergent Evolution of A-Lineage (Clade 19B) SARS-CoV-2 Spike Sequences with B-Lineage Variants of Concern Affects Virus Replication in a Temperature-Dependent Manner on Human Nasal Epithelial Cell Cultures

This study shows A-lineage SARS-CoV-2 variants evolved mutations similar to B-lineage VOCs, improving replication in human nasal cells and showing temperature-dependent growth advantages.

2019-20 H1N1 clade A5a.1 viruses have better in vitro replication compared with the co-circulating A5a.2 clade

The paper compares antigenic drift and viral fitness between two H1N1 clades, A5a.1 and A5a.2, finding that A5a.2 had reduced viral fitness despite similar or greater antigenic drift.

Pathogenesis of Breakthrough Infections with SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Syrian Hamsters

This study investigates SARS-CoV-2 variant pathogenesis in Syrian hamsters, finding that prior infection reduces disease severity upon reinfection with different variants.

Within-host evolutionary dynamics and tissue compartmentalization during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection

This study uses daily saliva and nasal samples to track SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants in infected individuals, revealing stochastic evolution, mutational hotspots, and compartmentalization between sample sites.

Greater breadth of vaccine-induced immunity in females than males is mediated by increased antibody diversity in germinal center B cells

This study shows that female mice have stronger and more diverse antibody responses to influenza vaccination, leading to better protection against mutant viruses due to increased germinal center B cell activity.

Antigenic characterization and pandemic risk assessment of North American H1 influenza A viruses circulating in swine

This study assesses the antigenic and genetic diversity of swine H1 influenza A viruses in North America to evaluate pandemic risk.

Characterization of enterovirus D68 infection in four nonhuman primate species

This study infects juvenile nonhuman primates with EV-D68 isolates and finds limited viral shedding and no neurological disease, suggesting the need for model refinements to study AFM.

Evolution of nasal and olfactory infection characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 variants

This study examines how SARS-CoV-2 variants infect nasal and olfactory tissues, showing differences in tropism, immune response, and regeneration across age groups.

Minimal cross-over between mutations associated with Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 and CD8+ T cell epitopes identified in COVID-19 convalescent individuals

The paper examines if CD8+ T-cell epitopes from 2020 SARS-CoV-2 convalescent individuals are mutated in the Omicron variant, finding only one epitope with a single amino acid change.

HA and M2 sequences alter the replication of 2013-16 H1 Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine Infection in Human Nasal Epithelial Cell cultures

The paper compares replication of H1 LAIVs with different HA and M2 sequences in human nasal epithelial cells, finding HA differences impact replication and immune response.

A bacterial extracellular vesicle-based intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 protects against disease and elicits neutralizing antibodies to wild-type virus and Delta variant

Progression and Resolution of SARS-1 CoV-2 Infection in Golden Syrian Hamsters

This study tracks SARS-CoV-2 infection progression in golden Syrian hamsters, showing weight loss, lung damage, and resolution over time.

Sex differences in lung imaging and SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in a COVID-19 golden Syrian hamster model

This study shows that male golden Syrian hamsters experience more severe lung disease and lower antiviral antibody responses compared to females after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The D614G Mutation Enhances the Lysosomal Trafficking of SARS-CoV-2 Spike

This study shows the D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 spike enhances lysosomal trafficking and accumulation, contributing to increased infectivity and transmission.

CD8+ T cell responses in convalescent COVID-19 individuals target epitopes from the entireSARS-CoV-2 proteome and show kinetics of early differentiation

The paper identifies CD8+ T cell epitopes across the SARS-CoV-2 proteome in convalescent individuals and shows their differentiation kinetics and correlation with immune markers.

Neuraminidase antigenic drift of influenza A virus H3N2 clade 3c.2a viruses alters virus replication, enzymatic activity and inhibitory antibody binding

This study examines how a novel N-linked glycosylation in the neuraminidase protein of H3N2 influenza viruses affects viral replication, enzymatic activity, and antibody binding.

Highly multiplexed oligonucleotide probe-ligation testing enables efficient extraction-free SARS-CoV-2 detection and viral genotyping

This paper introduces cRASL-seq, a method for sensitive and high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 detection and genotyping without nucleic acid extraction or reverse transcription.

Contemporary Enterovirus D68 strains show enhanced replication and translation at 37°C

This study shows contemporary EV-D68 strains replicate and translate more efficiently at 37°C compared to historic strains, suggesting increased pathogenicity.

Identification of H3N2 NA and PB1-F2 genetic variants and their association with disease symptoms in the 2014-15 influenza season

The paper identifies H3N2 NA and PB1-F2 genetic variants and links their presence to increased cough and shortness of breath in patients during the 2014-15 influenza season.