Contact Information:
Elaine Eggleston
Veterinary Sciences Building, Room 239A
1971 Commonwealth Ave
St. Paul, MN 55108
Tel: 612-625-1913
Internet: eggl0010@umn.edu
Educational Background
B.S. Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota.
Currently a second-year at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
Research Interests
The project I am currently working on is the expression and characterization of 3 nonstructural proteins (nsps) in the first ORF of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). PRRSV is transmitted by the respiratory route and infects alveolar macrophages.
Symptoms include respiratory distress, diarrhea in young piglets, and induction of abortions in pregnant sows. PRRSV consists of seven open reading frames, the first containing the replicase and non-structural proteins. These nsps are autoproteolytically cleaved from the protein encoded by orf1a. Nsp1 consists of two papain-like cysteine proteases (PCPa and PCPb). Nsp2 is a cysteine protease and nsp4 is a serine protease. The immunogenicity of these proteases has not been fully elucidated. Recently, linear epitopes in the nsp2 protein have been found to bind to antibodies from the serum of PRRSV-infected pigs, however, the immunogenicity of nsp1 and nsp4 has not been tested. Currently, I am working on cloning the full-length nsps into a bacterial expression vector and consequently expressing the proteases.
Selected Publications
As morale officer, I have written a few words on:
"The meaning of life, death, and everything inbetween."
Honors and Awards
Summer Scholar Research Program (for 1st and 2nd year veterinary students)
Interests and Activities
Running is a metaphor for life..
I am a very active, outdoor individual and am currently training for triathalons and running races. During my spare time, I enjoy writing, philosophizing, and spending time with friends. Still, nothing beats curling up in a papasan chair with a blanket on a cold rainy day reliving Shakespearian theater.