Linda Chelico

Our lab examines the host intrinsic immunity to HIV-1 infection and the origins of mutations in cancer cells. These seemingly disparate topics are unified by the enzyme family involved in both processes, the APOBEC family of deoxycytidine deaminases. APOBEC enzymes modify cytosine in single-stranded DNA to promutagenic uracil, which enables a variety of physiological functions (inhibiting HIV-1) and malfunctions (cancer mutagenesis). We have characterized the biochemical features that enable mutagenesis of HIV-1 and human DNA, which have implications in both the treatment of HIV-1 and cancer.