Linda Guarino

Title: Professor of Entomology, of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and of Biology, Faculty of Genetics

Education:

• B.A. University of Colorado (1973)
• Ph.D. University of Colorado Medical Center (1979)
• Postdoc. University of Wisconsin (1979-83)

Research Emphasis: Baculovirus molecular biology with an emphasis on the temporal regulation of viral gene expression

Program Description: Research in my lab is focused on mechanisms used by viruses to overcome host cell defenses and divert host macromolecular synthesis from cellular to viral DNA and proteins. One model system involves the baculovirus RNA polymerase. This is a remarkable enzyme in that it is a simple foursubunit enzyme complex, yet has the ability to recognizes viral promoters, transcribe linked genes, cap RNAs at their 5’ ends, and polyadenylate their 3’ ends. Current research is exploring the functions of individual polymerase subunits and additional late transcription factors and their interactions with the viral RNA polymerase.

My goal in teaching is to give students the knowledge and power to solve problems in Entomology using current techniques in molecular biology. I have taught lecture and lab courses in molecular biology and biotechnology for over 16 years, most recently developing a new course in Insect Biotechnology. Furthermore, I am writing a textbook for the Entomology course because I could not find a book that was appropriate for my students.

Significant departmental service activities include serving as chair of the promotion and tenure committee and the education committee. At the federal level, I have tried to use service assignments to increase my knowledge of the grants process, including being a panel manager at USDA and involvement in the Federal Demonstration Partnership.

Teaching Activities:

ENTO 428 Insect Biotechnology. Fall. 2003-2005
GENE 450 Recombinant DNA and Biotechnology. Spring. 2003-2006.
VTMI 689 Viral Vectors and Gene Therapy. Spring. 2005.

Selected Publications:
McDougal, V.V., and L.A. Guarino. 2001. DNA and ATP Binding Activities of the Baculovirus DNA Helicase P143. J. Virol. 75:7206-7209.

Khademi, S. L.A. Guarino, H. Watanabe, G. Tokuda, E. F. Meyer. 2002. Structure of an endoglucanase from termite, Nasutitermes takasagoensis. Acta Cryst. D58: 653-659.

Guarino, L.A., T. Mistretta, W. Dong. 2002. DNA binding activity of the late transcription factor PP31. Virus Research 90:187-195.

Guarino, L.A., T. Mistretta, W. Dong. 2002. Baculovirus LEF-12 is not required for viral replication. J. Virol. 76:12032-12043.

Guarino, L.A., W. Dong, and J. Jin. 2002. In vitro activity of baculovirus LEF-5. J. Virol. 76:12663- 12675.

Wu, X. and L.A. Guarino. 2003. Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus orf-69 encodes a RNA cap (nucleoside-2’-O)-methyltransferase. J. Virol 77: 3430-3440.

Guarino, L.A. 2004. The baculoviruses. Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. In press.

Bardwaj, K., Guarino, L.A., and Kao, C. 2004. The SARS Coronavirus nsp15 protein is an endoribonuclease that prefers manganese as cofactor. J. Virol. 78: 12218-24.

Mistretta, T.-A. and Guarino, L.A. 2005. Transcriptional activity of baculovirus very late factor-1. J. Virol. 79;1958-1960.

Guarino, L. A., Bhardwaj, K., Dong, W., Sun, J., Holzenburg, A., Kao, C. 2005. Mutational Analysis of the SARS Virus Nsp15 Endoribonuclease: Identification of Residues Affecting Hexamer Formation. J. Mol. Biol. 353: 1106-1117.

Knebel-Mörsdorf, D. I. Quadt, Y. Li, L. Montier, and L. A. Guarino. 2006. Expression of baculovirus late/very late genes depends on LEF-4, a component of the viral RNA polymerase whose guanyltransferase function is essential. J. Virol. 80:4168-73.

Bhardwaj, K., Sun, J., Holzenburg, A., Guarino, L. A., Kao, C. C. 2006. RNA recognition and cleavage by the SARS coronavirus endoribonuclease. J. Mol. Biol. 361: 243-56