Paul Digard

The biochemical composition of coronavirus Nucleocapsid proteins drives the bicistronic properties of their sub-genomic mRNAs

The paper identifies conserved overlapping accessory ORFs in coronavirus N genes and shows that nucleotide and codon biases drive their formation.

Identification of cis-Acting Elements that Regulate Influenza A Virus Segment 7 Differential mRNA Splicing

This study identifies cis-acting elements that regulate splicing balance between influenza A virus segment 7 mRNA1 and mRNA2, revealing key sequences that influence M1 and M2 protein expression.

Investigating the evolutionary plasticity of influenza virus splicing using influenza A virus segment 7 as a model system

This study investigates the evolutionary flexibility of influenza A virus splicing by testing mutations in SD and SA sites, finding that small changes can activate alternative splicing and produce viable variants with altered ion channel and M1 proteins.

Bovine H5N1 influenza viruses have adapted to more efficiently use receptors abundant in cattle

This study shows bovine H5N1 influenza viruses have adapted to efficiently use NeuGc receptors in cattle, enhancing replication without significantly altering zoonotic risk.

Synergy between HA cleavage site sequence and NA-mediated plasminogen recruitment as a virulence mechanism for low pathogenic avian influenza

This study identifies a virulence mechanism in low pathogenic avian influenza viruses where neuraminidase recruits plasminogen to cleave hemagglutinin, enhancing pathogenicity.

Polymerase mutations underlie early adaptation of H5N1 influenza virus to dairy cattle and other mammals.

Cattle B3.13 H5N1 polymerase gained PB2 M631L and PA K497R, boosting replication in bovine and human cells via better bovine ANP32A use; later PB2 E627K and D740N add activity.

Characterisation of the Tilapia Lake Virus proteome and identification of an 11th protein, S9-F3

This study identifies an 11th protein, S9-F3, in Tilapia Lake Virus through alternative reading frame translation and characterizes its nuclear export mechanism.

Identification of key host genes for influenza A virus in avian cells using a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen

This study identifies key host genes in chicken cells critical for influenza A virus replication using CRISPR-Cas9 screens, revealing conserved and species-specific factors.

The cow udder is a potential coinfection site for influenza A viruses

The study shows cow mammary gland cells can support replication of multiple IAV strains and are susceptible to co-infection with human and avian IAVs, suggesting the udder may act as a site for viral reassortment.

An emerging PB2-627 polymorphism increases the pandemic potential of avian influenza virus by breaking through ANP32 host restriction in mammalian and avian hosts

This paper identifies a PB2-627V mutation in avian influenza viruses that enhances pandemic potential by overcoming host restriction through ANP32A proteins in both avian and mammalian hosts.

Genetic reassortment and diversification of host specificity have driven evolutionary trajectories of lineages of panzootic H5N1 influenza

The Winners Take It All? Global Evolutionary Success ofH5Nx Reassortants in the 2020-2024 Panzootic

This study identifies 209 H5Nx reassortant strains of avian influenza viruses from 2020-2024, showing that reassortants from Europe had greater host range and persistence than those from Asia.

Functional redundancy in Oxa1-family insertases supports robust membrane insertion of influenza A virus M2 viroporin

This study shows that the influenza A virus M2 viroporin can use multiple membrane insertion pathways, including EMC and Oxa1-family translocons, ensuring robust viral infection.

TRIM25 inhibits Influenza A infection by destabilising its mRNA and is redundant for the RIG-I pathway.

This study shows TRIM25 inhibits Influenza A virus by destabilizing its mRNA and is not required for the RIG-I pathway.

Upstream translation initiation expands the coding capacity of segmented negative-strand RNA viruses

This study shows segmented negative-strand RNA viruses use upstream translation initiation to expand their coding capacity through non-AUG initiation and host mRNA leader sequence appropriation.