Sandra L. Quackenbush
Associate Professor, Associate Department Head

Phone: 491-3545
Fax: 491-0603
Email: Sandra.Quackenbush@colostate.edu
Office: 315 Pathology Building
Lab: 317 Pathology Building

Degrees

B.S., The Ohio State University
M.S., Colorado State University
Ph.D., Colorado State University

Research Interests

The research interests of the Quackenbush lab are in the area of viral pathogenesis, particularly viral-induced oncogenesis. Our current investigations are focused on a newly defined group of retroviruses from fish. These viruses and their associated neoplasias provide a model system of both oncogenesis and tumor regression. Of the piscine retroviruses, walleye dermal sarcoma virus (WDSV) is the best characterized. WDSV is a complex retrovirus that encodes three viral accessory/regulatory proteins and is the causative agent of walleye dermal sarcoma (WDS). These sarcomas develop and regress on a seasonal basis and are associated with significant differences in the expression of viral transcripts and presence of infectious virus. We are concentrating on determining the mechanisms with which the viral accessory/regulatory proteins control transcription, signal transduction, and apoptosis in mammalian and piscine cell culture systems.

Expression of WDSV accessory proteins in tumor explant cells

Selected Publications

Pub Med for Quackenbush SL.

Quackenbush, SL, Linton, A, Brewster, CD, Rovnak, J. Walleye dermal sarcoma virus rv-cyclin inhibits NF-kB-dependent transcription. Virology 386:55-60, 2009

Daniels, CC, Rovnak, J, and Quackenbush, SL. Walleye dermal sarcoma virus Orf B functions through receptor for activated C kinase (RACK1) and protein kinase C. Virology 375:550-560, 2008.

Rovnak, J, Casey, RN, Brewster, CD, Casey, JW, and Quackenbush, SL. Establishment of productively infected walleye dermal sarcoma explant cells. Journal of General Virology 88:2583-2589, 2007.

Rovnak, J, and Quackenbush, SL. Walleye dermal sarcoma virus retroviral cyclin directly contacts TAF9. Journal of Virology 80:12041-12048, 2006.

Paul, TA, Quackenbush, SL, Sutton, CA, Casey, RN, Bowser, PR, and JW Casey. Identification and characterization of an exogenous retrovirus from Atlantic salmon swim bladder sarcomas. J. Virol. 80:2941-2948, 2006.

Rovnak, J, Hronek, B, Ryan, SO, Cai, S, and Quackenbush, SL. An activation domain within the walleye dermal sarcoma virus retroviral cyclin protein is essential for inhibition of the viral promoter. Virology 342:240-251, 2005.

Hronek, B, Meagher, A, Rovnak, J, and Quackenbush, SL. Identification and characterization of cis-acting elements residing in the walleye dermal sarcoma virus promoter. Journal of Virology 78:7590-7601, 2004.

Nudson, WA, Rovnak, J, Buechner, M., and Quackenbush, SL. Walleye dermal sarcoma virus Orf C is targeted to the mitochondria. Journal of General Virology 84:375-381, 2003.

Rovnak, J. and Quackenbush SL. Walleye dermal sarcoma virus cyclin interacts with components of the Mediator complex and the RNA polymerase II holoenzyme. Journal of Virology 76:8031-8039, 2002.

Rovnak, J, Casey, JW, and Quackenbush, SL. Intracellular targeting of walleye dermal sarcoma virus Orf A (rv-cyclin). Virology 280:31-40, 2001.

Quackenbush, SL, Rovnak, J, Casey, RN, Paul, TA, Bowser, PR, Sutton, CA, and Casey, JW. Genetic relationship of tumor-associated piscine retroviruses. Marine Biotechnology 3:S88-S99, 2001.