Activation of NF-kB by the viral oncoprotein vFLIP.

The activity of NF-kB is tightly controlled in cells as it is the main controller of the transcription of genes that promote cellular survival and prevent programmed cell death. The cancer-causing Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) constitutively activates NFkB in order to promote its own survival. This project aims to understand the mechanisms by which vFLIP, an essential virally encoded protein, is able to achieve persistent NF-kB activation . Concurrently, we will use computational and biophysical approaches to develop potent anti-virals and tool compounds to disrupt the protein-protein interactions shown to be crucial for viral proliferation and survival.