Van G. Wilson, PhD
Professor
Contact
Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology
8447 Riverside Pkwy
Medical Research & Education Building I (MREB I), Room 4004
Bryan,
TX
77807-3260
v-wilson@tamu.edu
Phone: 979.436.0801
Fax: 979.436.9038
Education and Training
- Georgia Institute of Technology, BS, 1975
- Case Western Reserve University, PhD, 1980
- State University of New York , Postdoc, 1980-1983
Research Interests
- My area of specialization is the molecular biology of papovaviruses, with a primary focus on how viral proteins modify the host cell environment. Recently, we determined that the viral replication proteins, E1 and E2, are post-translationally modified by addition of 1 or more SUMO moieties. Sumoylation is a widespread modification whose biological functions are only recently becoming understood. Studies are in progress to 1) determine the role of sumoylation in the viral life cycle, 2) evaluate the effect of sumoylation on the structure and activity of the E1 helicase, 3) understand the mechanism by which sumoylation influences E2 stability and transcriptional activity, and 4) determine how sumoylation is modulated by the viral E6 oncoprotein. In addition to the role of sumoylation in the viral life cycle, we are also exploring how sumoylation participates in normal keratinocyte differentiation. We have developed a keratinocyte cell line inducibly expressing a tagged SUMO moiety to facilitate proteomics studies of sumoylation changes and regulation during controlled differentiation.
Representative Publications
- The Conquest of Viruses: A History of Viral Vaccines. Springer Nature. 2025 (In Press). Author: V.G. Wilson
- Viruses: Intimate Invaders. Springer Nature. 2022. Author: V. G Wilson.
- Wilson, V.G. Ubiquitin and SUMO in Antiviral Defence. In SUMOylation and Ubiquitination: Current and Emerging Concepts. 2019. Caister Academic Press. Ed. V.G. Wilson
- Wilson, V.G. The Rise of the Ubiquitin Super Family. In SUMOylation and Ubiquitination: Current and Emerging Concepts. 2019. Caister Academic Press. Ed. V. G. Wilson.
- Deyrieux, A.F. and V.G. Wilson. 2017. Sumoylation in Development and Differentiation. In SUMO Regulation of Cellular Processes. Springer Press, Ed. V.G. Wilson. 2017. Volume 963 of the series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology pp 197-214.
- Deyrieux, A.F. and V.G. Wilson. 2017. Viral Interplay with the Host Sumoylation System. In SUMO Regulation of Cellular Processes. Springer Press, Ed. V.G. Wilson. 2017. Volume 963 of the series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology pp 359-388.
- Wilson, V.G. 2017. Introduction to Sumoylation. In SUMO Regulation of Cellular Processes. Springer Press, Ed. V.G. Wilson. 2017. Volume 963 of the series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology pp 1-12.
- Wilson, V.G. 2014. The Role of Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-Like Modification Systems in Papillomavirus Biology. Viruses. 2014; 6(9):3584-3611. PMC4189040