Leonard C. Norkin

Professor Emeritus

Phone: 413-545-2009
Fax: 413-545-1578
Email: lnorkin@microbio.umass.edu
Mailing address

Ph.D.:Columbia University, New York, NY, 1969

Research Interests

Virology:
My main research interest has been the interaction of simian virus 40 (SV40) with its host cells. In particular, my laboratory has been characterizing the entry pathway by which this virus invades cells. Earlier, we identified major histocompatibility class 1 proteins as a binding receptor for SV40. Later, we found that SV40 enters cells via caveole. Indeed, this was the first demonstration that an intracellular microbial pathogen might invade cells via this route. The atypical caveola-mediated SV40 entry pathway then delivers the virus to the endoplasmic reticulum; a rather unusual site for cargo taken up by endocytosis. We next established that the virus begins to disassemble in the ER, as shown by our finding that its internal capsid proteins become accessible to antibodies in that organelle. The virus is then released from the ER into the cytoplasm, where it undergoes further disassembly that exposes its genomic DNA to antibodies.

recently authored a virology textbook
(Virology: Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis
by Leonard C. Norkin, ASM Press, 2010) and
served as Chairperson of the Polyomavirus
Study Group of the International Committee
on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).

Selected Publications

Kuksin, D. and Norkin, L.C. (2011). SV40 Disassembly during passage through the Endoplasmic Reticulum and in the Cytoplasm. Journal of Virology, In Press.

Dan, T., Armstrong, D.A., Kuksin, D., Oppenheim, A., Norkin, L., and Stan, R.V. (2011). Plasmalemmal vesicle associated protein (PV1) modulates SV40 virus infectivity in CV-1 cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 412:220-225.

Johne R., Buck, C.B., Allander, T., Atwood, W.J., Garcea, R.L., Imperiale, M.J., Major, E.O., Ramqvist, T., Norkin, L.C. (2011). Taxonomical developments in the family Polyomaviridae. Archives of Virolology. 156:1627-1634.

Norkin, L.C., Allander, T., Atwood, W.J., Buck, C.B., Garcea, R.L., Imperiale, M.J., Johne, R., Major, E.O., Pipas, J.M. and Ramqvist, T. (2011) Family Polyomaviridae. In Virus Taxonomy. pp 249-260. Elsevier Limited, Oxford, United Kingdom

Daniels, R., Rusan, N.M., Wilbuer, A-K, Norkin, L.C., Wadsworth, P., and Hebert, D.N. (2006). SV40 late proteins posses lytic properties capable of permeabilizing membranes. Journal of Virology 80:6575-6587.

Webley, W.C., Norkin, L.C., and Stuart, E.S. (2004). Caveolin-2 associates with intracellular chlamydial inclusions independently of caveolin-1. BMC Infectious Diseases 4:23

Stuart, E. S., Webley, W. C., and Norkin, L. C. (2003). Lipid rafts, caveolae, caveolin-1, and entry by Chlamydiae into host cells. Experimental Cell Research, 287:67-78.

Norkin, L. C., Anderson, H. A., Wolfrom, S. A., and Oppenheim, A. (2002). Caveolar endocytosis of simian virus 40 is followed by brefeldin A-sensitive transport to the endoplasmic reticulum, where the virus disassembles. Journal of Virology, 76:5156-5166.

Norkin, L. C. (2001). Caveolae in the uptake and targeting of infectious agents and secreted toxins. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. 49:301-315.

Norkin, L. C., Wolfrom, S. A., and Stuart, E. A. (2001).  Association of caveolin with Chlamydia trachomatis inclusions at early and late stages of infection. Experimental Cell Research 266:229-238.

Chen, Y., and Norkin, L.C. (1999).  Extracellular simian virus 40 transmits a signal that promotes virus enclosure within caveolae.  Experimental Cell Research 246: 83-90.

Anderson, H.A., Chen, Y., and Norkin, L.C. (1998). MHC class I molecules are enriched in caveolae but do not enter with simian virus 40. Journal of General Virology 79:1469-1477.

Anderson, H.A., Chen, Y., and Norkin, L.C. (1996). Bound simian virus 40 translocates to caveolin-enriched membrane domains and its entry is inhibited by drugs that selectively disrupt caveolae. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 7:1825-1834.

Dangoria, N.S., Breau, W.C., Cishek, D.M., Anderson, H.A., and Norkin, L.C. (1996). Extracellular simian virus 40 induces an ERK/MAPK-independent signaling pathway that activates primary response genes and promotes virus entry. Journal of General Virology, 77:2172-2182.

Norkin, L.C. (1995). Virus receptors: implications for pathogenesis and the design of antiviral agents. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 8:293-315.

Breau, W.C., W.J. Atwood, and Norkin, L.C. (1992). Class I major histocompatibility proteins are an essential component of the simian virus 40 receptor. Journal of Virology 66:2037-2045.

Department of Microbiology
College of Natural Sciences
203 Morrill Science Center IVN
University of Massachusetts
639 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003

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