Donald N. Downer
		Professor and Former Chair
		Education B.S. Biology, University of Mississippi Ph.D. Microbiology, Univ. of Mississippi School of Medicine
		Statement of Research Interests		Contact Information
		Some Picornaviruses are sensitive to Cl- at low pH. The capsid polyproteins fall apart to form a homogeneous suspension of 14S subunits. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis yields not only the structural polypeptides, but also nonstructural proteins which may, in some cases, be precursors of final capsid proteins. Pulse chase experiments have been carried out to monitor profile variations early and late in the infectious cycle. By using analogs of amino acids, one might be able to isolate stable polyprotein precursors, and provide an immunogenic complex which would not be capable of growing in vivo. These could induce antibodies for specific polyribosome precipitation during genetic engineering studies.		226 Harned Hall 662.325.7587 662.325.7939 Fax downer@biology.msstate.edu Lab Web Page
		Selected Publications
		Abghari, S. Z., Stulting, R. D., Nigada, S. M., Downer, D. N., and A. J. Nahmias. 1986. Comparative replication of HSU-1 in Balb/c and C57BL/6 mouse embryo fibroblasts in vitro. Inv. Opthal. and Vis. Science. 27:909-920.
		Abghari, S. Z., Stulting, R. D., Nigada, S. M., Downer, D. N., and A. J. Nahmias. 1986. Spread of Herpes simplex and establishment of latency after infection in inbred mice. Inv. Opthal. and Vis. Science. 27:77-82.
		Burrington, M. G., J. Seehafer, D. N. Downer, and J. S. Colter. Rescue of BKV from BKV-transformed cells: Correlation with levels of nonintegrated viral DNA. Virology. 138:1984, 162-168.
		Burrington, M. G., J. Seehafer, D. N. Downer, and J. G. Colter. 1984. Rescue of BKV from BKV- transformed Hamster, Rat, and Mouse Cells: Correlation with levels of nonintegrated viral DNA. Virol. 138: 168-173.
Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, 130 Harned Hall, Lee Blvd., Mississippi State, MS 39762