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Investigation
Bacterial Genetics
Research Lines
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Research
The Molecular Virology group focuses its research on the study of HIV-1 genetic variation and viral evolution using both in vitro and ex vivo approaches, structured around the following research lines:
- Non-progressor patients. These patients maintain control of the disease in the absence of antiretroviral therapy and have therefore been proposed as a model of functional cure. Our objective is to study the contribution of viral factors to disease control through biological characterization and analysis of viral evolution in individuals with undetectable viral loads (elite controllers, EC), compared with individuals showing other patterns of viral control.
- Viral envelope. This viral protein is key in determining viral fitness. Therefore, its functionality significantly affects infection progression. In collaboration with Dr. Blanco and Dr. Valenzuela, we study which specific events (CD4 binding, fusogenicity, etc.) are associated with envelope functionality. To this end, we have analyzed envelopes from individuals with different patterns of disease progression. Some of these have been contributed to the AIDS Research Network envelope biobank for broader use.
- Dual infection. Infection with more than one viral variant (either through co-infection or superinfection) may have consequences for infection pathogenesis. Within our group, different aspects of DI have been analyzed, including its detection in non-progressor patients, its prevalence and incidence in Spain, and its influence on the neutralizing antibody response.
- Molecular Epidemiology. The group has analyzed viral evolution throughout the epidemic in Spain and in other countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Panama, Brazil, etc.).
- Role of amino acid residues in reverse transcriptase. We study the role of specific amino acid residues in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase in enzymatic function and replication capacity using an infectious molecular clone previously obtained by the group.
- “In vitro” variability. Serial passage studies have been used to detect the mechanisms responsible for the gain or loss of viral fitness.
- Antiviral studies. We have analyzed the selection of resistance mutations in vitro against different antivirals, as well as the effect of these mutations on viral fitness, and the activity of new antivirals such as ATR inhibitors.
Virological Diagnosis and Reference in HIV and HTLV Infections
The research group provides diagnostic and reference activities through the service portfolio of the National Center for Microbiology to the entire Spanish National Health System.
These services include:
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Diagnosis and reference of HIV infection (types 1 and 2) through detection of specific antibodies and detection of proviral DNA by PCR.
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Diagnosis and reference of HTLV-I/II infection through detection of specific antibodies and detection of proviral DNA by PCR. Quantification of HTLV-1 proviral load by real-time PCR.
European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) in the field of in vitro diagnostic medical devices for microbiological diagnosis (IVD) of HIV and HTLV (Regulation 2023/2713 of December 5th, 2023). Our role is to confirm the reliability and effectiveness of devices for detecting these pathogens and to ensure their specific performance requirements through laboratory testing before they can be marketed within the European Union.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
- Towards a functional cure: Implications of early antiretroviral therapy and hormonal changes on the HIV reservoir in perinatally infected adolescents. Health Research Fund (FIS) – Carlos III Health Institute (01/01/2026 – 31/12/2028). €72,000. PI: María Pernas, Concepción Casado.
- Determination of factors associated with protection against Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 reinfection: Identification of correlates of protection. 9th Gilead Fellowship Program for Biomedical Research, Gilead Sciences, S.L. (01/07/2023 – 30/06/2025). €16,330. PI: María Pernas.
- Impact of the envelope on HIV viral replication: New avenues for vaccine development. Health Research Fund (FIS) – Carlos III Health Institute (01/01/2020 – 31/12/2023). €53,000. PI: María Pernas, Concepción Casado.
- Study of HIV-1 virulence in recently infected patients and its contribution, together with clinical and epidemiological factors, to disease progression. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. State Program for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (30/12/2016 – 30/06/2021). €145,000. PI: Concepción Casado, Cecilio López-Galíndez.
-Contribution of HIV-1 dual infection to virological and clinical evolution in homo/bisexual men. Health Research Fund (FIS) – Carlos III Health Institute (01/01/2014 – 31/01/2016). €74,410. PI: Cecilio López-Galíndez.
- Characterization of non-pathogenic HIV variants obtained “ex vivo” and “in vitro” for the study of disease pathogenesis. Ministry of Science and Innovation (01/01/2011 – 31/01/2014). €169,400. PI: Cecilio López-Galíndez.
- Spanish AIDS Research Network (RIS-RETIC). Carlos III Health Institute (02/01/2017 – 02/01/2022). €195,212. PI: Cecilio López-Galíndez, Concepción Casado.
Publications
Mycobacterium mageritense meningitis in an immunocompetent patient with an intrathecal catheter.
9. Muñoz-Sanz A, Rodríguez Vidigal FF, Vera-Tome A, Jimenez MS. Mycobacterium mageritense meningitis in an immunocompetent patient with an intrathecal catheter. Enfer Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2013; 31:59-6
PUBMED DOIMeasles virus genotype D4 strains with non-standard length M-F non-coding region circulated during the major outbreaks of 2011-2012 in Spain.
2. Gil H, Fernández-García A*, Mosquera MM, Hübschen JM, Castellanos AM, de Ory F, Masa-Calles J, Echevarría JE.Measles virus genotype D4 strains with non-standard length M-F non-coding region circulated during the major outbreaks of 2011-2012 in Spain. PLoS One. 2018 Jul. 16;13(7):e0199975. * Corresponding author.
PUBMED DOIIsolation, antigenicity and immunogenicity of Lleida Bat Lyssavirus
3. Banyard AC, Selden D, Wu G; Thorne L, Jennings D, Marston D, Finke S, Freuling CM, Mueller T, Echevarria JE, Fooks AR. Isolation, antigenicity and immunogenicity of Lleida Bat Lyssavirus. Journal of General Virology, 2018. 99(12):1590-1599
PUBMED DOIShift within age-groups of mumps incidence, hospitalizations and severe complications in a highly vaccinated population
6. López-Perea N, Masa-Callesa J, Torres de Miera MV, Fernández-García A, Echevarría JE, de Ory F, Martínez de Aragón MV. Shift within age-groups of mumps incidence, hospitalizations and severe complications in a highly vaccinated population. Spain, 1998–2014. Vaccine, 2017, 35(34): 4339-4345.
PUBMED DOIThe Complexity of Antibody Responses Elicited against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Glycoproteins in Hospitalized Children Younger than 2 Years
2. Trento A, Rodriguez-Fernandez R, Gonzalez-Sanchez MI, Gonzalez-Martinez F, Mas V, Vazquez M, et al. The Complexity of Antibody Responses Elicited against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Glycoproteins in Hospitalized Children Younger than 2 Years. Front Microbiol. 2017;8:2301.
PUBMED DOIPotent single-domain antibodies that arrest respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein in its prefusion state.
3. Rossey I, Gilman MS, Kabeche SC, Sedeyn K, Wrapp D, Kanekiyo M, et al. Potent single-domain antibodies that arrest respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein in its prefusion state. Nat Commun. 2017;8:14158.
PUBMED DOIRapid profiling of RSV antibody repertoires from the memory B cells of naturally infected adult donors
6. Gilman MS, Castellanos CA, Chen M, Ngwuta JO, Goodwin E, Moin SM, et al. Rapid profiling of RSV antibody repertoires from the memory B cells of naturally infected adult donors. Sci Immunol. 2016;1(6).
PUBMED DOICharacterization of a Prefusion-Specific Antibody That Recognizes a Quaternary, Cleavage-Dependent Epitope on the RSV Fusion Glycoprotein.
8. Gilman MS, Moin SM, Mas V, Chen M, Patel NK, Kramer K, et al. Characterization of a Prefusion-Specific Antibody That Recognizes a Quaternary, Cleavage-Dependent Epitope on the RSV Fusion Glycoprotein. PLoS Pathog. 2015;11(7):e1005035.
PUBMED DOIPolyclonal and monoclonal antibodies specific for the six-helix bundle of the human respiratory syncytial virus fusion glycoprotein as probes of the protein post-fusion conformation.
9. Palomo C, Mas V, Vazquez M, Cano O, Luque D, Terron MC, et al. Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies specific for the six-helix bundle of the human respiratory syncytial virus fusion glycoprotein as probes of the protein post-fusion conformation. Virology. 2014;460-461:119-27.
PUBMED DOIBiophysical properties of single rotavirus particles account for the functions of protein shells in a multilayered virus
Jiménez-Zaragoza M., Yubero M.L., Martín-Forero E., Castón J.R., Reguera D., Luque D.*, de Pablo P.J., Rodríguez J.M. 2018. Biophysical properties of single rotavirus particles account for the functions of protein shells in a multilayered virus. eLife 7: e37295. *Corresponding author.
PUBMED DOIAcquisition of functions on the outer capsid surface during evolution of double-stranded RNA fungal viruses
Mata C.P., Luque D., Gómez-Blanco J., Rodríguez J.M., González J.M., Suzuki N., Ghabrial S.A., Carrascosa J.L., Trus B.L., Castón J.R. 2017. Acquisition of functions on the outer capsid surface during evolution of double-stranded RNA fungal viruses. PLoS Pathog. 13(12):e1006755.
PUBMED DOIStructural Insights into the Assembly and Regulation of Distinct Viral Capsid Complexes
Sarker S., C. Terrón M., Khandokar Y., Aragão D., Hardy J.M., Radjainia M., Jiménez-Zaragoza M., de Pablo P.J., Coulibaly F., Luque D., Raidal D.R., Forwood J.K. 2016. Structural Insights into the Assembly and Regulation of Distinct Viral Capsid Complexes. Nat. Commun. 7:13014. IF: 12.124; D1.
PUBMED DOIHeterodimers as the structural unit of the T=1 capsid of the fungal dsRNA Rosellinia necatrix quadrivirus 1
Luque D., Mata C.P., González-Camacho F., González J.M., Gómez-Blanco J., Alfonso C., Rivas G., Havens W.M., Kanematsu S., Suzuki N., Ghabrial S.A., Trus B.L., Castón J.R. 2016. Heterodimers as the structural unit of the T=1 capsid of the fungal dsRNA Rosellinia necatrix quadrivirus 1. J Virol. 90(24):11220-11230. IF: 4.666, Q1.
PUBMED DOISelf-assembly and characterization of small and monodisperse dye nanospheres in a protein cage
Luque D., de la Escosura A., Snijder J., Brasch M., Burnley R.J, Koay M.S.T., Carrascosa J.L., Wuite G.J.L., Roos W.H., Heck A.J.R., J.J.L.M Cornelissen, Torres T., Castón J.R. 2014. Self-assembly and characterization of small and monodisperse dye nanospheres in a protein cage. Chem. Sci.,5, 575-581. IF: 9.211, D1.
DOICryo-EM near-atomic structure of a dsRNA fungal virus shows ancient structural motifs preserved in the dsRNA viral lineage.
Luque D., Gómez-Blanco J., Garriga D., Brilot A.F., González J.M., Havens W.M., Carrascosa J.L., Trus B.L., Verdaguer N., Ghabrial S.A., Castón J.R. 2014. Cryo-EM near-atomic structure of a dsRNA fungal virus shows ancient structural motifs preserved in the dsRNA viral lineage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111(21):7641-7646. IF: 9.674, D1
PUBMED DOINew insights into rotavirus entry machinery: stabilization of rotavirus spike conformation is independent of trypsin cleavage
Rodríguez J.M., Chichón F.J., Martín-Forero E., González-Camacho F., Carrascosa J.L., Castón J.R., Luque D*. 2014. New insights into rotavirus entry machinery: stabilization of rotavirus spike conformation is independent of trypsin cleavage. PLoS Pathog. 10(5):e1004157. IF: 7.562, D1. * Corresponding autor.
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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María Cabrerizo Sanz
Tenure Scientist and Group Leader
ORCID code: 0000-0001-7054-5696
Doctor in Chemistry, specializing in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (2000). Except for a postdoctoral period of 2 years at the Hospital de La Princesa, in which her research was related to onco-hematological diseases, the rest of her scientific career has focused on the study of infectious diseases caused by viruses and their surveillance. She joined the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in 2003, first in the Laboratory of Arbovirus and Imported Viral Diseases, then in the Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis and finally, in the Laboratory of Enterovirus (which is accredited as a National Polio Laboratory -LNP- for the WHO since 1998). She obtained the position of Tenure Scientist in 2016, at the same time she assumed the responsibility of the laboratory, currently of Enteric Viruses: Poliovirus/Enterovirus, Parechovirus and Gastroenteritis-producing Viruses, of the CNM. She has 4 scientific sexennials and 4 quinquennials recognized.
She has been and is PI of 4 consecutive research projects and 3 service contracts, from 2012 to the present, participating, in addition, in other 20 projects. As head of the LNP, she is part of the Working Group of the National Plan for the Eradication of Poliomyelitis and of the WHO European Polio Laboratory Network. She is also a member of the European Non-Polio Enterovirus Network (ENPEN), and of the national cooperation networks CIBERESP and RITIP (IdiPAZ). Since 2023 she is a Council Member from Spain of the European Society.
In total she has published 98 articles in WoS indexed journals (23 Q1 and 22 D1), being first author, senior author or correspondence author in 43 of them (H=27). She has supervised 1 PhD Thesis (2017) and 12 TFM. She is currently supervising another doctoral thesis (IMIENS-UNED). She participates as a teacher in three university masters (UCM, UAH and UV), being coordinator of the subject H2 of the Master of Virology at UCM.
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Mª Dolores Fernández García
Tenure Scientist
ORCID code: 0000-0003-0336-6596
Degree in Pharmacy (2005) and PhD from the University VII Paris Diderot in Microbiology (2010). She completed her doctoral thesis at the Pasteur Institute in Paris characterizing the molecular and cellular basis of flavivirus entry into cells. Specialist in Public Health Microbiology (European Program EUPHEM coordinated by ECDC). She has worked 3 years for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar (Senegal) carrying out microbiological surveillance activities and research on polioviruses and non-polio enteroviruses in West Africa. She has obtained two Miguel Servet contracts: one to work at IMIBIC in Cordoba (2019) and an intramural one to work at CNM (2020). Both were awarded for the study of neurotropic viruses applying massive sequencing for their diagnosis. In 2021 he joined the CNM-ISCIII as a Tenure Research Scientist at the Enterovirus and Viral Gastroenteritis Unit of the CNM-ISCIII. Since then, she combines her scientific activity with the assistance to the National Health System in the microbiological research of outbreaks and in the Genomic Surveillance of Enteroviruses and Gastroenteritis-producing Viruses.
She is a researcher in the Epidemiology and Public Health Area of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBERESP-ISCIII). In addition, she is an evaluator and panelist for the HORIZON health program projects of the European Commission, the French National Agency ANRS-Emerging Infectious Diseases, R&D&I in HEALTH of the Strategic Action in Health (ISCIII) and the Andalusian Public Foundation Progreso y Salud. She has worked as scientific advisor to the Spanish Ministry of Health on Rotavirus and Polio. Since 2020 she has been teaching virology in different Spanish universities.
She has worked for WHO in the investigation of numerous outbreaks caused by viruses (Ebola, Zika, Yellow Fever, Dengue, etc.) in African and Asian countries strengthening laboratory capacities through technology transfer of diagnostic methods, training of laboratory personnel in these countries and scientific advisory tasks to the Ministries of Health. She has been the Health Coordinator of the START Project (Spanish Technical Aid Response Team) of the AECID, framed in the “Emergency Medical Teams” initiative of the WHO, participating in the establishment for Spain of a field hospital classified by the WHO as EMT Level 2 for interventions in humanitarian emergencies.
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Nerea García Ibáñez
Ayudante de Investigación de OPI. Técnico de laboratorio
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Vanesa Recio Huertas
Ayudante de Investigación de OPI. Técnico de laboratorio (apoyo)
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Ana Donoso Almenara
Contratada predoctoral pFIS
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Rubén González Sanz
Técnico Superior Especializado OPI
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Juan Camacho Padilla
Investigador predoctoral (PFIS)
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Clara Martín Martín
Investigador predoctoral (PFIS)
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Nazaret Díaz Sánchez
Técnico Superior Especializado OPI (apoyo)
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Carmen Serrano Risquez
Investigador predoctoral (CAM)
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Yasmin Biya Assiry
Técnico de laboratorio en formación (PEJ-CAM)
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Estrella Ruiz de Pedro
Técnico de laboratorio (PTA para Infraestructuras de I+D+I)
List of staff
Additional Information
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human pathogen that, despite the development of vaccines, continues to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity. We investigate the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in this bacterium. On the one hand by identifying new therapeutic targets and on the other hand by investigating the molecular basis of the action of antibiotics already used in clinical practice (the fluoroquinolones levofloxacin and moxifloxacin) or not yet used (seconeolitsine). For this purpose, we used a multidisciplinary analysis involving genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to understand the organization of the S. pneumoniae chromosome and the identification of the factors that stabilize this organization, including ncRNAs. Changes in the level of global supercoiling, either by inhibition of gyrase (decrease) or by inhibition of topoisomerase I (increase) alter the transcriptome. The modulated genes are located in domains, whose genes show specific functional characteristics. The aim is to identify new factors essential for S. pneumoniae physiology and to characterize transcriptional regulation in response to topological stress. In addition, RNA interference technology and CRISPR systems will be used as novel antibacterials. These studies will establish the bases for translational research aimed at the development of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of pneumococcal diseases.
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a human pathogen that, despite the development of vaccines, continues to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity. We investigate the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in this bacterium. On the one hand by identifying new therapeutic targets and on the other hand by investigating the molecular basis of the action of antibiotics already used in clinical practice (the fluoroquinolones levofloxacin and moxifloxacin) or not yet used (seconeolitsine). For this purpose, we used a multidisciplinary analysis involving genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to understand the organization of the S. pneumoniae chromosome and the identification of the factors that stabilize this organization, including ncRNAs. Changes in the level of global supercoiling, either by inhibition of gyrase (decrease) or by inhibition of topoisomerase I (increase) alter the transcriptome. The modulated genes are located in domains, whose genes show specific functional characteristics. The aim is to identify new factors essential for S. pneumoniae physiology and to characterize transcriptional regulation in response to topological stress. In addition, RNA interference technology and CRISPR systems will be used as novel antibacterials. These studies will establish the bases for translational research aimed at the development of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of pneumococcal diseases.