Diana Mojica

Mrs. Diana Mojica


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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6 September 2021 in Viruses
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
PHPaloma Hidalgo
Paloma Hidalgo
Jaime Arturo Pimentel CabreraJaime Arturo Pimentel Cabrera
Jaime Arturo Pimentel Cabrera
DMDiana Mojica
Diana Mojica
KSKonstantin von Stromberg
Konstantin von Stromberg
HHHelga Hofmann-Sieber
Helga Hofmann-Sieber
RGRamón A. González
Ramón A. González
A common viral replication strategy is characterized by the assembly of intracellular compartments that concentrate factors needed for viral replication and simultaneously conceal the viral genome from host-defense mechanisms. Recently, various membrane-less virus-induced compartments and cellular organelles have been shown to represent biomolecular condensates (BMCs) that assemble through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). In the present work, we analyze biophysical properties of intranuclear replication compartments (RCs) induced during human adenovirus (HAdV) infection. The viral ssDNA-binding protein (DBP) is a major component of RCs that contains intrinsically disordered and low complexity proline-rich regions, features shared with proteins that drive phase transitions. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and time-lapse studies in living HAdV-infected cells, we show that DBP-positive RCs display properties of liquid BMCs, which can fuse and divide, and eventually form an intranuclear mesh with less fluid-like features. Moreover, the transient expression of DBP recapitulates the assembly and liquid-like properties of RCs in HAdV-infected cells. These results are of relevance as they indicate that DBP may be a scaffold protein for the assembly of HAdV-RCs and should contribute to future studies on the role of BMCs in virus-host cell interactions.