UNamur and UCLouvain
" The project will aim at deciphering the molecular mechanisms of coronavirus endocytosis. Although Covid-19 and SARS are known to bind to ACE2 receptor at the surface of various epithelial cells, little is known about the molecular details of the endocytic mechanism of these viruses. One of our hypotheses is that the Spike protein of beta-coronaviruses are able to interact with glycosylated molecules at cell surface (lipids, proteins), induce a clustering mechanism and deformation of cell membrane for endocytosis. This mechanism could be similar to the previously described endocytic mechanism of other lectins (mammalian galectins, bacterial lectins such as Shiga toxin,...), as Spike proteins often contain a galectin-fold. The project has three objectives: 1°) Explore the ability of Covid-19 and other beta-coronaviruses to bind sugars; 2°) Explore the ability of coronaviruses' Spike proteins to induce receptor clustering at the host cell surface and endocytic invagination formation; 3°) Explore the function of BAR domain proteins acting as membrane curvature sensors in endocytosis. The molecular understanding of how the viruses interact with cell surface molecules and how it induces endocytosis is crucial to design future innovative therapeutic strategies. My expertise field is mammalian cell biology and membrane trafficking mechanisms. "I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches (cell biology, advanced microscopy techniques, biophysics,...). I am involved in a solid collaborative network established between UNamur, UCLouvain and Institut Curie (Paris, France). I am actively working at understanding endocytic mechanisms for 10 years. I worked and published on bacterial toxin endocytosis (Renard et al. Nature. 2015). Recently, together with collaborators at UCLouvain, UMons and Institut Curie, we discovered a novel endocytic modality driven by a human lectin, Galectin-8, and controlled by a BAR domain protein, Endophilin-A3 "
Funding: Project currently submitted to FNRS CORONAVIRUS call (application ID : 40002632).
Publication References: Renard, H.F.*, et al. 2020. Nat Commun. 11(1):1457. (* corresponding author) Forrester, A., Rathjen, S.J., Garcia-Castillo, M.D., Bachert, C., Couhert, A., Tepshi, L., Pichard, S., Martinez, J., Munier, M., Sierocki, R., Renard, H.F., et al. 2020. Nat Chem Biol. 16, 327-336. Savocco, J., Nootens, S., Afokpa, W., Bausart, M., Chen, X., Villers, J., Renard, H.F., et al. 2019. PLoS Biol. 17(10):e3000512. Renard, H.F.*, et al. 2018. Trends Cell Biol. 28(4):274-286. (* corresponding author) Simunovic, M., Manneville, J.-B.*, Renard, H.F.*, et al. 2017. Cell. 170(1):172-184. (* equal contributors) Simunovic, M., Evergren, E., Golushko, I., Prévost, C., Renard, H.F., et al. 2016. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 113(40):11226-11231. Renard, H.F., et al. 2015. J Cell Sci. 128(15):2891-2902. Garcia-Castillo, M.D., Tran, T., Bobard, A., Renard, H.F., et al. 2015. J Cell Sci. 128(13): 2373-2387. Renard, H.F., et al. 2015. Nature. 517(7535):493-496. Rydell, G.E., Renard, H.F., et al. 2014. Traffic. 15(7):772-787. Renard, H.F., et al. 2010. Traffic. 11(7):931-946.
Contact: Henri-François RENARD Professeur URBC - NARILIS T. +32 (0)81 724 124 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://henrifran.wixsite.com/renardhf Université de Namur ASBL Rue de Bruxelles 61 - 5000 Namur Belgique