Subhash C. Verma, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology 320
School of Medicine
University of Nevada
Reno, NV 89557-0320

Office Phone: (775) 682-6743
Howard Medical Sciences, Room 208
Lab Phone: (775) 784-1383
Fax: (775) 327-2332
E-mail:scverma@medicine.nevada.edu

Research Interests:

Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus also referred; Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) is the causative agent of Kaposi sarcoma as well as lymphomas (a cancer of lymphocyte) called Primary Effusion Lymphomas (PELs) and Multicentric Castleman’s Disease (MCDs) in immuno-deficient patients. In North America, approximately 5-7% of the general population is infected with HHV8. The rates of HHV8 infection in general population of Mediterranean countries including Italy, Greece, and Israel are relatively higher and is close to 15%. HHV8 establishes lifelong latent infection in humans however only subsets of people who have weakened immune system develop tumors. HIV infected patients and the patients undergoing immune-suppressive drugs therapies are at major risk of showing clinical symptoms of HHV8 infection. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the persistence of HHV8 virus during latent infection. Viral DNA replicates along with the host cellular DNA in order to maintain constant copies of the viral genome in the divided tumor cells. Cellular as well as viral proteins are required for replication and persistence of the viral genome in the infected tumor cells. We are using various biochemical and recombinant virus approaches to establish the role of viral DNA elements and the protein components in the replication and persistence of the viral genome.

Lab Rotations: Available

The projects will be designed to investigate the mechanisms of latent viral DNA replication involving generation of recombinant HHV8 virus and evaluation of their replicative potential.  Biochemical approach will be used to identify proteins that are critical for the replication and tumorigenesis of HHV8. Biochemical processes include yeast-2-hybrid, tandem affinity purification, GST-pull down, immuno-localization and immunoprecipitation etc.

Selected Publications:

• Verma SC, Bajaj BG, Cai Q, Si H, Seelhammer T, et al. (2006) Latency-associated nuclear antigen of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus recruits uracil DNA glycosylase 2 at the terminal repeats and is important for latent persistence of the virus. J Virol 80: 11178-11190..
• Cai QL, Knight JS, Verma SC, Zald P, Robertson ES (2006) EC5S ubiquitin complex is recruited by KSHV latent antigen LANA for degradation of the VHL and p53 tumor suppressors. PLoS Pathog 2: e116.
• Verma SC, Lan K, Robertson E (2007) Structure and function of latency-associated nuclear antigen. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 312: 101-136.
• Choudhuri T, Verma SC, Lan K, Murakami M, Robertson ES (2007) The ATM/ATR signaling effector Chk2 is targeted by Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 3C to release the G2/M cell cycle block. J Virol 81: 6718-6730.
• Kaul R, Verma SC, Robertson ES (2007) Protein complexes associated with the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus-encoded LANA. Virology 364: 317-329.
• Lan K, Verma SC, Murakami M, Bajaj B, Kaul R, et al. (2007) Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus-encoded latency-associated nuclear antigen stabilizes intracellular activated Notch by targeting the Sel10 protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104: 16287-16292.
• Verma SC, Lan K, Choudhuri T, Cotter MA, Robertson ES (2007) An autonomous replicating element within the KSHV genome. Cell Host Microbe 2: 106-118.
• Si H, Verma SC, Lampson MA, Cai Q, Robertson ES (2008) Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus-encoded LANA can interact with the nuclear mitotic apparatus protein to regulate genome maintenance and segregation. J Virol 82: 6734-6746.
• Lu J, Verma SC, Murakami M, Cai Q, Kumar P, et al. (2009) Latency-associated nuclear antigen of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) upregulates survivin expression in KSHV-Associated B-lymphoma cells and contributes to their proliferation. J Virol 83: 7129-7141.
• Halder S, Murakami M, Verma SC, Kumar P, Yi F, et al. (2009) Early events associated with infection of Epstein-Barr virus infection of primary B-cells. PLoS One 4: e7214.