Structural biology of virus-host interactions

Group leader
Juan Fontana
Phone
+34 946 01 8053
Address

Biofisika Institute (CSIC-UPV/EHU)
Science Park of the UPV/EHU
Barrio Sarriena s/n. 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia (Spain)

Google Maps Get directions

Research goal

We use cryo-electron microscopy, combined with other structural and molecular biology approaches, to characterise macromolecular assemblies and viruses that are a current public health risk, like influenza, herpesviruses and bunyaviruses and their interactions with the host cell.

Group members
Postdoctoral Fellow
CSIC Scientist
Research Technician
Publications

Read the article

Beavan AJS, Thuburn V, Fatkhullin B, Cunningham J, Hopes TS, Dimascio E, Chan T, Zhao N, Norris K, Chau C, Vasconcelos EJR, Wood A, Whitehouse A, Actis P, Davies B, Fontana J, O'Connell MJ, Thomson E, Aspden JL

Specialized ribosomes: integrating new insights and current challenges
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2025 Mar 6;380(1921):20230377
doi: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0377

Read the article

Shah A, Zhang X, Snee M, Lockhart-Cairns MP, Levy CW, Jowitt TA, Birchenough HL, Dean L, Collins R, Dodd RJ, Roberts ARE, Enghild JJ, Mantovani A, Fontana J, Baldock C, Inforzato A, Richter RP, Day AJ

The structural organisation of pentraxin-3 and its interactions with heavy chains of inter-α-inhibitor regulate crosslinking of the hyaluronan matrix
Matrix Biol. 2025 Apr;136:52-68
doi: 10.1016/j.matbio.2025.01.002

Read the article

Byford O, Shaw AB, Tse HN, Moon-Walker A, Saphire EO, Whelan SPJ, Stacey M, Hewson R, Fontana J, Barr JN

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis arenavirus utilises intercellular connections for cell to cell spread
Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 22;14(1):28961
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-79397-w

Read the article

Hover S, Barr JN, Fontana J

Insights into the structure of RNPs from segmented negative-sense RNA viruses
Structure. 2024 Aug 8;32(8):1027-1028
doi: 10.1016/j.str.2024.07.008

Read the article

Debski-Antoniak O, Flynn A, Klebl DP, Rojas Rechy MH, Tiede C, Wilson IA, Muench SP, Tomlinson D, Fontana J

Exploiting the Affimer platform against influenza A virus
mBio. 2024 Aug 14;15(8):e0180424
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01804-24

Read the article

Shaw AB, Tse HN, Byford O, Plahe G, Moon-Walker A, Hover SE, Saphire EO, Whelan SPJ, Mankouri J, Fontana J, Barr JN

Cellular endosomal potassium ion flux regulates arenavirus uncoating during virus entry
mBio. 2024 Jul 17;15(7):e0168423
doi: 10.1128/mbio.01684-23

Read the article

Byford O, Shaw AB, Tse HN, Todd EJAA, Álvarez-Rodríguez B, Hewson R, Fontana J, Barr JN

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis arenavirus requires cellular COPI and AP-4 complexes for efficient virion production
J Virol. 2024 Mar 19;98(3):e0200623
doi: 10.1128/jvi.02006-23

Read the article

Hover S, Charlton FW, Hellert J, Swanson JJ, Mankouri J, Barr JN, Fontana J

Organisation of the orthobunyavirus tripodal spike and the structural changes induced by low pH and K+ during entry
Nat Commun. 2023 Sep 21;14(1):5885
doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-41205-w

Read the article

Hopkins FR, Álvarez-Rodríguez B, Heath GR, Panayi K, Hover S, Edwards TA, Barr JN, Fontana J

The Native Orthobunyavirus Ribonucleoprotein Possesses a Helical Architecture
mBio. 2022 Aug 30;13(4):e0140522
doi: 10.1128/mbio.01405-22