Faculty
John A. T. Young
Professor
Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory

John A. T. Young, a Professor in the Infectious Disease Laboratory, studies the cell biology of virus infection and anthrax intoxication. His laboratory is identifying and characterizing cellular factors that contribute to the early steps of infection by HIV and other retroviruses, influenza virus, and filoviruses such as Ebola virus. These studies are giving novel insights into virus-host interactions and are suggesting new therapeutic strategies for combating virus infection. The Young laboratory has also identified both known cellular receptors for anthrax toxin. Current research in the lab is aimed at understanding how these receptors, along with other cellular factors, regulate anthrax toxin entry into cells. Soluble versions of a cellular receptor are also being developed as receptor decoys to efficiently neutralize anthrax toxin.
Education
- B.Sc., Biochemistry, University of Dundee, United Kingdom
- Ph.D., Human Genetics, University College London and Imperial Cancer Research Fund, United Kingdom
- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California San Francisco
Awards and Honors
- Eli Lilly and Company Research Award in Microbiology and Immunology
- Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology
Selected Publications
- Bruce, J.W., Ahlquist P., and Young, J.A.T. (2008) The host cell sulfonation pathway contributes to retroviral infection at a step coincident with provirus establishment. PLoS Pathogens November; 4(11): e1000207.
- König, R., Zhou, Y., Elleder, D., Diamond, T.L., Bonamy, G. M.C., Irelan, J.T., Chiang, C., Tu, B.P., De Jesus, P.D., Lilley, C.E., Seidel, S., Opaluch, A.M., Caldwell, J.S., Weitzman, M.D., Kuhen, K.L., Bandyopadhyay, S., Ideker, T., Orth, A.P., Miraglia, L.J., Bushman, F.D., Young, J.A.T., Chanda, S.K. (2008) Global analysis of host-pathogen interactions that regulate early stage HIV-1 Replication. Cell. Volume 135, Issue 1, 49-60.
- Scobie, H.M., Marlett, J.M., Thomas, D., Rainey, G.J.A., Lacy, D.B., Collier, R.J. and Young, J.A.T. 2007. Anthrax toxin receptor 2 determinants that dictate the pH threshold of toxin pore formation. PLoS ONE. 2:e329.
- Scobie H.M., Wigelsworth D.J., Marlett J.M., Thomas D., Rainey, G.J.A., Lacy D.B., Manchester, M. and Young J.A.T. 2006. Anthrax Toxin Receptor 2-Dependent Lethal Toxin Killing in vivo. PLoS Pathogens. 2:e111.
- Rainey, G.J., Wigelsworth, D.J., Ryan, P.L., Scobie, H.M., Collier, R.J. and Young, J.A.T. 2005. Receptor- specific Requirements for Anthrax Toxin Delivery into Cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 102(37):13278-13283.
- Narayan, S. and Young, J.A.T. 2004. Reconstitution of Retroviral Fusion and Uncoating in a Cell-free System. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101:7721-7726.
- Scobie, H.M., Rainey, G.J.A., Bradley, K.A. and Young, J.A.T. 2003. Human Capillary Morphogenesis Protein 2 Functions as an Anthrax Toxin Receptor. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100:5170-5174.
- Bradley, K.A., Mogridge, J., Mourez, M., Collier, R.J. and Young, J.A.T. 2001. Identification of the Cellular Receptor for Anthrax Toxin. Nature. 414:225-229.
- Mothes, W., Boerger A.L., Narayan, S., Cunningham, J.M. and Young, J.A.T. 2000. Retroviral Entry Mediated by Receptor Priming and Low pH Triggering of an Envelope Glycoprotein. Cell. 103:679-689.
Links
Salk News Releases
- Novel regulatory step during HIV replication, November 13, 2008
- What HIV Needs, October 2, 2008
- Innovative dual action anthrax vaccine-antitoxin combination, October 5, 2007
- Unexpected features of anthrax toxin may lead to new types of therapies, August 29, 2005
- Several minute intermediate stage in virus-cell fusion discovered; possible window of opportunity for drug development, June 8, 2005
- A New View of HIV, June 7, 2004

