Ali Amara

Website: https://gencelldis.fr/a-amara-team/
ORCID: 0000-0002-0283-1815
Twitter: @amara_lab

1. The research in our laboratory focuses on the identification of the host cellular pathways that determine the susceptibility of humans to viral disease. We are mainly interested in medically important RNA viruses (arboviruses, coronaviruses, respiratory viruses) causing emerging life-threatening infections in humans. Our major goal is to decipher the mechanisms by which these viruses manipulate host cell functions to facilitate their life cycle and to escape immune responses. Understanding the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms may help to reveal new targets for the design of antiviral strategies.

2. We are using a number of cellular, molecular and virological techniques with state-of-the-art technologies such as loss & gain of function studies (CRISPR Cas9 and expression cloning screens), advanced proteomics, CHIRP M/S experiments, gene expression analysis and live cell microscopy.  We have also a collection of viral strains, plasmids, home-made antibodies, human cells that we could share with the MicrobUP community.

Top 5 publications

1- Hafirassou ML, Meertens L, Umaña-Diaz C, Labeau A, Dejarnac O, Bonnet-Madin L, Kümmerer BM, Delaugerre C, Roingeard P, Vidalain P-O, Amara A (2017) A Global Interactome Map of the Dengue Virus NS1 Identifies Virus Restriction and Dependency Host Factors. Cell Rep 21:3900–3913 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.094

2- Meertens L, Labeau A, Dejarnac O, Cipriani S, Sinigaglia L, Bonnet-Madin L, Le Charpentier T, Hafirassou ML, Zamborlini A, Cao-Lormeau V-M, Coulpier M, Missé D, Jouvenet N, Tabibiazar R, Gressens P, Schwartz O, Amara A (2017) Axl Mediates ZIKA Virus Entry in Human Glial Cells and Modulates Innate Immune Responses. Cell Rep 18:324–333 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.12.045

3- Dejarnac O, Hafirassou ML, Chazal M, Versapuech M, Gaillard J, Perera-Lecoin M, Umana-Diaz C, Bonnet-Madin L, Carnec X, Tinevez J-Y, Delaugerre C, Schwartz O, Roingeard P, Jouvenet N, Berlioz-Torrent C, Meertens L, Amara A (2018) TIM-1 Ubiquitination Mediates Dengue Virus Entry. Cell Rep 23:1779–1793 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.013

4- Meertens L, Hafirassou ML, Couderc T, Bonnet-Madin L, Kril V, Kümmerer BM, Labeau A, Brugier A, Simon-Loriere E, Burlaud-Gaillard J, Doyen C, Pezzi L, Goupil T, Rafasse S, Vidalain P-O, Bertrand-Legout A, Gueneau L, Juntas-Morales R, Ben Yaou R, Bonne G, de Lamballerie X, Benkirane M, Roingeard P, Delaugerre C, Lecuit M, Amara A (2019) FHL1 is a major host factor for chikungunya virus infection. Nature 574:259–263 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1578-4

5- Onodi F., Bonnet-Madin L.,  Meertens L.  Karpf L.,  Poirot J.,  Zhang SY., Picard C.,  Puel A.,  Jouanguy E,  Zhang Q., Le Goff J.,  Molina J.M,  Delaugerre C., Casanova J.L, Amara A ^#, and Soumelis V. ^# (2021) SARS-CoV-2 induces human plasmacytoid pre-dendritic cell diversification via UNC93B and IRAK4 . J.Exp.Med  Apr 5;218(4):e20201387. doi: 10.1084/jem.20201387. # corresponding author

Dernières publications HAL