research overview
- The Sawyer lab studies viral immunity, viral evolution, and the transmission of viruses from animals to people.
- Contact Info
Sawyer, Sara
Positions
- Professor, Biofrontiers Institute
- Professor, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology (MCDB)
Research Areas
Research
keywords
- virology and evolution
Publications
selected publications
-
conference proceeding
- A glycan shield on chimpanzee CD4 protects against infection by primate lentiviruses (HIV/SIV). Journal of Medical Primatology. 222-223. 2020
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Two-stage ML Classifier for Identifying Host Protein Targets of the Dengue Protease.
Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing.
487-498.
2019
-
journal article
-
CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection in an immunocompetent monkey model..
Nature Communications.
2026
-
Reverse genetics rescue of sylvatic dengue viruses.
Journal of Virology.
2025
-
Future threats: Animal orthoflaviviruses that currently infect fewer than 100 people per year.
Cell reports.
2025
-
Adaptation of CD4 in gorillas and chimpanzees conveyed resistance to simian immunodeficiency viruses.
eLife.
2025
-
Regulation of human interferon signaling by transposon exonization.
Cell.
2024
-
Adaptation of CD4 in gorillas and chimpanzees conveyed resistance to simian immunodeficiency viruses.
2024
-
Macrophages derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) serve as a high-fidelity cellular model for investigating HIV-1, dengue, and influenza viruses.
Journal of Virology.
2024
-
Structurally divergent and recurrently mutated regions of primate genomes.
Cell.
2024
-
Human mRNA in saliva can correctly identify individuals harboring acute infection.
mBio.
2023
-
Quantification of virus-infected cells using RNA FISH-Flow.
STAR Protocols.
2023
-
How avian influenza viruses spill over to mammals.
eLife.
2023
-
Identifying animal viruses in humans.
Science.
982-983.
2023
-
High rates of observed face mask use at Colorado universities align with students' opinions about masking and support the safety and viability of in-person higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BMC Public Health.
2023
-
RNase L activation in the cytoplasm induces aberrant processing of mRNAs in the nucleus.
PLoS Pathogens.
2022
-
On the lookout for viruses that could leap from animals into humans.
Nature.
S41-S41.
2022
-
Primate hemorrhagic fever-causing arteriviruses are poised for spillover to humans.
Cell.
3980-+.
2022
-
Monkeypox emergency: Urgent questions and perspectives.
Cell.
3279-3281.
2022
-
Human ACE2 Polymorphisms from Different Human Populations Modulate SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
Viruses.
2022
-
Estimating the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions on US SARS-CoV-2 infections in the first year of the pandemic.
Royal Society Open Science.
2022
-
Just 2% of SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals carry 90% of the virus circulating in communities (vol 118, e2104547118, 2021).
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
2022
-
Nuku, a family of primate retrocopies derived from KU70.
G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics.
2021
-
RNase L limits host and viral protein synthesis via inhibition of mRNA export.
Science Advances.
2021
-
Just 2% of SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals carry 90% of the virus circulating in communities.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
2021
-
Positive natural selection in primate genes of the type I interferon response.
BMC Ecology and Evolution.
2021
-
Saliva TwoStep for rapid detection of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers.
eLife.
2021
-
Just 2% of SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals carry 90% of the virus circulating in communities.
2021
-
Saliva TwoStep for rapid detection of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers.
2021
- Two-stage ML Classifier for Identifying Host Protein Targets of the Dengue Protease. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. 487-498. 2020
-
dsRNA-Seq: Identification of Viral Infection by Purifying and Sequencing dsRNA.
Viruses.
2019
-
TRIM5α Restricts Flavivirus Replication by Targeting the Viral Protease for Proteasomal Degradation.
Cell reports.
3269-+.
2019
-
A glycan shield on chimpanzee CD4 protects against infection by primate lentiviruses (HIV/SIV).
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
11460-11469.
2019
-
A metaanalysis of bat phylogenetics and positive selection based on genomes and transcriptomes from 18 species.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
11351-11360.
2019
-
Selective use of primate CD4 receptors by HIV-1.
PLoS Biology.
2019
-
How host genetics dictates successful viral zoonosis.
PLoS Biology.
2019
-
Species-Specific Deamidation of cGAS by Herpes Simplex Virus UL37 Protein Facilitates Viral Replication.
Cell Host and Microbe.
234-+.
2018
-
Control of yeast retrotransposons mediated through nucleoporin evolution.
PLoS Genetics.
2018
-
Dengue viruses cleave STING in humans but not in nonhuman primates, their presumed natural reservoir.
eLife.
2018
-
Species-specific vulnerability of RanBP2 shaped the evolution of SIV as it transmitted in African apes.
PLoS Pathogens.
2018
-
Owl monkey CCR5 reveals synergism between CD4 and CCR5 in HIV-1 entry.
Virology.
180-186.
2017
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Nuclear TRIM25 Specifically Targets Influenza Virus Ribonucleoproteins to Block the Onset of RNA Chain Elongation.
Cell Host and Microbe.
627-+.
2017
-
Modulation of LINE-1 Retrotransposition by a Human SAMHD1 Polymorphism..
Virology Reports.
53-60.
2016
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Non-human Primate Schlafen11 Inhibits Production of Both Host and Viral Proteins.
PLoS Pathogens.
2016
-
XRN1 Is a Species-Specific Virus Restriction Factor in Yeasts.
PLoS Pathogens.
2016
-
An Intrinsically Disordered Region of the DNA Repair Protein Nbs1 Is a Species-Specific Barrier to Herpes Simplex Virus 1 in Primates.
Cell Host and Microbe.
178-188.
2016
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ADAPTIVE EVOLUTION At the mercy of viruses.
eLife.
2016
-
A putative SUMO interacting motif in the B30.2/SPRY domain of rhesus macaque TRIM5 alpha important for NF-kappa B/AP-1 signaling and HIV-1 restriction.
Heliyon.
2016
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Filovirus receptor NPC1 contributes to species-specific patterns of ebolavirus susceptibility in bats.
eLife.
2015
-
Understanding Biases in Ribosome Profiling Experiments Reveals Signatures of Translation Dynamics in Yeast.
PLoS Genetics.
2015
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Computational and Functional Analysis of the Virus-Receptor Interface Reveals Host Range Trade-Offs in New World Arenaviruses.
Journal of Virology.
11643-11653.
2015
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Identification of Owl Monkey CD4 Receptors Broadly Compatible with Early-Stage HIV-1 Isolates.
Journal of Virology.
8611-8622.
2015
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The Effect of Species Representation on the Detection of Positive Selection in Primate Gene Data Sets.
Molecular Biology and Evolution (MBE).
1091-1096.
2015
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Rapid evolution of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in humans and other primates.
BMC Evolutionary Biology.
2014
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Effects of human SAMHD1 polymorphisms on HIV-1 susceptibility.
Virology.
34-44.
2014
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Widespread Sequence Variations in VAMP1 across Vertebrates Suggest a Potential Selective Pressure from Botulinum Neurotoxins.
PLoS Pathogens.
2014
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Reply to Schmitt et al.: Data-filtering schemes for avoiding double-counting in circle sequencing.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
E1561-E1561.
2014
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Positive selection of primate genes that promote HIV-1 replication.
Virology.
291-298.
2014
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Analyzing machupo virus-receptor binding by molecular dynamics simulations.
PeerJ.
2014
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High-throughput DNA sequencing errors are reduced by orders of magnitude using circle sequencing.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
19872-19877.
2013
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Recent host-shifts in ranaviruses: signatures of positive selection in the viral genome.
Journal of General Virology.
2082-2093.
2013
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D316 is critical for the enzymatic activity and HIV-1 restriction potential of human and rhesus APOBEC3B.
Virology.
31-39.
2013
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D316 is critical for the enzymatic activity and HIV-1 restriction potential of human and rhesus APOBEC3B.
Virology.
31-39.
2013
-
Dual Host-Virus Arms Races Shape an Essential Housekeeping Protein.
PLoS Biology.
2013
-
Generation of an HIV Resistant T-cell Line by Targeted "Stacking" of Restriction Factors.
Molecular Therapy.
786-795.
2013
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An Evolutionary Screen Highlights Canonical and Noncanonical Candidate Antiviral Genes within the Primate TRIM Gene Family.
Genome Biology and Evolution.
2141-2154.
2013
-
A cross-species view on viruses.
Current Opinion in Virology.
561-568.
2012
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Evidence for ACE2-Utilizing Coronaviruses (CoVs) Related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV in Bats.
Journal of Virology.
6350-6353.
2012
-
Evolutionary Reconstructions of the Transferrin Receptor of Caniforms Supports Canine Parvovirus Being a Re-emerged and Not a Novel Pathogen in Dogs.
PLoS Pathogens.
2012
-
HIV-1 Capsid-Targeting Domain of Cleavage and Polyadenylation Specificity Factor 6.
Journal of Virology.
3851-3860.
2012
-
Species-Specific Features of DARC, the Primate Receptor for Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi.
Molecular Biology and Evolution (MBE).
445-449.
2012
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Identification of a Genomic Reservoir for New TRIM Genes in Primate Genomes.
PLoS Genetics.
2011
-
Two-stepping through time: mammals and viruses.
Trends in Microbiology.
286-294.
2011
-
Ancient and Recent Adaptive Evolution of Primate Non-Homologous End Joining Genes.
PLoS Genetics.
2010
-
An expanded clade of rodent Trim5 genes.
Virology.
473-483.
2009
-
Molecular evolution of the antiretroviral TRIM5 gene.
Immunogenetics.
163-176.
2009
-
Discordant evolution of the adjacent antiretroviral genes TRIM22 and TRIM5 in mammals.
PLoS Pathogens.
1918-1929.
2007
-
Positive selection of yeast nonhomologous end-joining genes and a retrotransposon conflict hypothesis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
17614-17619.
2006
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High-frequency persistence of an impaired allele of the retroviral defense gene TRIM5α in humans.
Current Biology.
95-100.
2006
-
High-frequency persistence of an impaired allele of the retroviral defense gene TRIM5alpha in humans..
Current Biology.
95-100.
2006
-
Positive selection of primate TRIM5α identifies a critical species-specific retroviral restriction domain.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
2832-2837.
2005
-
Ancient adaptive evolution of the primate antiviral DNA-editing enzyme APOBEC3G.
PLoS Biology.
1278-1285.
2004
-
Mcm10 and Cdc45 cooperate in origin activation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Journal of Molecular Biology.
195-202.
2004
-
Mcm10 and Cdc45 Cooperate in Origin Activation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Journal of Molecular Biology.
195-202.
2004
-
The hexameric eukaryotic MCM helicase: Building symmetry from nonidentical parts.
Journal of Biological Chemistry.
34833-34836.
2000
- Mcm10 and the MCM2-7 complex interact to initiate DNA synthesis and to release replication factors from origins. Genes & Development. 913-926. 2000
- 2ND OPINIONS. Veterinary Record. 56-56. 1986
- FACILITATION OF INDIVIDUAL FORELIMB MOTOR UNITS BY SINGLE INTRACORTICAL MICROSTIMULI IN BEHAVING MONKEYS. Journal of Physiology. P19-P20. 1983
- DR OR MR. Veterinary Record. 22-22. 1978
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CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection in an immunocompetent monkey model..
Nature Communications.
2026
Background
education and training
- Ph.D., Cornell University 2003
- B.S., University of Kansas 1996