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Biography

The goal of my research over the past 12 years has been to investigate in depth the molecular mechanism underlying the early steps of HIV-1 infection. In my early work, I contributed to lay the fundaments for the optimization of gene transfer strategies in human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and stem cells of the skin by lentiviral vectors (LVs) (Di Nunzio Hum. Gene Ther. 2007; Di Nunzio Mol. Ther. 2008). During my thesis I participated to the first successful gene therapy trial to treat the Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa (JEB) (Mavilio et al., 2006 Nature Medicine). Lentiviral vectors derived from HIV-1 genome integrate into the host genome. This viral feature is important for efficient expression of the therapeutic transgene but in the other hand the integration step can give genotoxicity. The underlying mechanism and cellular factor that determine integration sites distribution of the proviral DNA are still under investigation, importantly this step is also connected to HIV-1 latency. So I decided to join the Engelman group at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, this is one of the most experienced team in the world on viral integration. In Engelman’s lab I identified critical amino acids for the tetramerization and functionality of the IN of HIV-1 in collaboration with the crystallography team headed by Peter Cherepanov at UCL, UK (Hare, Di Nunzio Plos Pathogens 2009). Then, I moved to the Charneau lab because I realized that the viral nuclear entrance could be linked to the successive integration step and that is what I then demonstrated during the 5 years of post-doctorate at the Institut Pasteur (IP) in Paris. At that time I published 13 articles, including one of them as a senior author, the latter showing that particular Nups work in concert to allow viral translocation and integration into the host chromatin near the NPC (Lelek Nature Communications, 2015). Recently, I was appointed group leader at the IP in molecular virology to deepen my studies on the first steps of HIV-1 infection starting from the molecular point of view, host-pathogen interactions using sophisticated microscopy tools (super resolution microscopy, electron microscopy, CLEM, live imaging).

Organization chart of Di Nunzio’s group Institut Pasteur (IP):
G. Blanco-Rodriguez,PhD student, ANRS (2016-2019); S. Frabetti, technicien, Sidaction (2018-2019); P. Souque, technicien, IP (50%); E. Rensen, post doctorate ANRS (2018-2019); V. Scoca, PhD student ANRS (2020-2022);

Activities

Employment (1)

Institut Pasteur: Paris, Île-de-France, FR

2018-01-01 to present | Group Leader (Virology)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Education and qualifications (5)

Institut Pasteur Montevideo: Montevideo, Montevideo, UY

2015-09-20 to 2015-12-20 | visiting scientist (Laboratory of Molecular & Structural Microbiology)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Institut Pasteur: Paris, Île-de-France, FR

2009-10-01 to 2014-10-31 | Post-doctorate (Virology)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: The Bronx, New York, US

2011-10-01 to 2011-10-31 | visiting scientist (Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology )
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Boston, MA, US

2006-09-01 to 2009-06-30 | post-doctorate (Virology)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

University of Verona: Verona, Veneto, IT

2003-01-01 to 2006-05-18 | PhD in Medical Biotechnology
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Professional activities (2)

Institut Pasteur: Paris, Île-de-France, FR

2018-01-01 to present | Member of the selection committee (COMESP) for the permanent position for researchers at the Institut Pasteur, France
Invited position
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le SIDA et les Hépatites Virales: Paris, Île-de-France, FR

2016-01-01 to present | expert (CSS11committee (evaluation grants))
Invited position
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Funding (3)

Study of the interplay between viral pre-integration complex and host-chromatin factors during HIV infection in live cells.

2019-04 to 2022-03 | Grant
Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites Virales (Paris, Select..., FR)
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Study of the interplay between nucleoporins and chromatin factors to orchestrate HIV-1 replication

2018 to 2019 | Grant
Sidaction (Paris, Select..., FR)
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

The Nuclear Pore gateway for HIV-1 replication: Study of viral functional complexes at the inner and outer sides of the pore

2016 to 2019 | Grant
Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites Virales (Paris, Select..., FR)
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio

Works (30)

HIV-induced membraneless organelles orchestrate post-nuclear entry steps

Journal of Molecular Cell Biology
2023-04-06 | Journal article
Contributors: Viviana Scoca; Renaud Morin; Maxence Collard; Jean-Yves Tinevez; Francesca Di Nunzio; Xuebiao Yao
Source: check_circle
Crossref

Membraneless organelles restructured and built by pandemic viruses: HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2

Journal of Molecular Cell Biology
2021-08-04 | Journal article
Contributors: Viviana Scoca; Francesca Di Nunzio; Xuebiao Yao
Source: check_circle
Crossref

The Viral Capsid: A Master Key to Access the Host Nucleus

Viruses
2021-06-20 | Journal article
Contributors: Guillermo Blanco-Rodriguez; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: check_circle
Crossref
grade
Preferred source (of 2)‎

The HIV-1 Capsid: From Structural Component to Key Factor for Host Nuclear Invasion

Viruses
2021-02-10 | Journal article
Contributors: Viviana Scoca; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: check_circle
Crossref
grade
Preferred source (of 2)‎

Clustering and reverse transcription of HIV‐1 genomes in nuclear niches of macrophages

The EMBO Journal
2021-01-04 | Journal article
Contributors: Elena Rensen; Florian Mueller; Viviana Scoca; Jyotsana J Parmar; Philippe Souque; Christophe Zimmer; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: check_circle
Crossref

HIV-induced membraneless organelles orchestrate post-nuclear entry steps

2020-11-17 | Preprint
Contributors: Viviana Scoca; Renaud Morin; Maxence Collard; Jean-Yves Tinevez; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: check_circle
Crossref

Remodeling of the Core Leads HIV-1 Preintegration Complex into the Nucleus of Human Lymphocytes

Journal of Virology
2020-05-18 | Journal article
Contributors: Guillermo Blanco-Rodriguez; Anastasia Gazi; Blandine Monel; Stella Frabetti; Viviana Scoca; Florian Mueller; Olivier Schwartz; Jacomine Krijnse-Locker; Pierre Charneau; Francesca Di Nunzio et al.
Source: check_circle
Crossref

Clustering and reverse transcription of HIV-1 genomes in nuclear niches of macrophages

2020-04-13 | Preprint
Contributors: Elena Rensen; Florian Mueller; Viviana Scoca; Jyotsana J. Parmar; Philippe Souque; Christophe Zimmer; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: check_circle
Crossref

Cyclophilin A Prevents HIV-1 Restriction in Lymphocytes by Blocking Human TRIM5α Binding to the Viral Core

Cell Reports
2020-03 | Journal article
Contributors: Anastasia Selyutina; Mirjana Persaud; Lacy Simons; Angel Bulnes-Ramos; Cindy Buffone; Alicia Martinez-Lopez; Viviana Scoca; Francesca Di Nunzio; Joseph Hiatt; Alexander Marson et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Remodeling of the core leads HIV-1 pre-integration complex in the nucleus of human lymphocytes

2020-01-25 | Preprint
Contributors: Guillermo Blanco-Rodriguez; Anastasia Gazi; Blandine Monel; Stella Frabetti; Viviana Scoca; Florian Mueller; Olivier Schwartz; Jacomine Krijnse-Locker; Pierre Charneau; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: check_circle
Crossref

Nup153 Unlocks the Nuclear Pore Complex for HIV-1 Nuclear Translocation in Nondividing Cells

Journal of Virology
2018-10-01 | Journal article
Contributors: Cindy Buffone; Alicia Martinez-Lopez; Thomas Fricke; Silvana Opp; Marco Severgnini; Ingrid Cifola; Luca Petiti; Stella Frabetti; Katarzyna Skorupka; Kaneil Zadrozny et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Host nuclear pore factors: team players of HIV-1 nuclear translocation and integration

médecine/sciences
2018-06 | Journal article
Contributors: François Berry; Pierre Khalfi; Florra Maillot; Paul Seigneres; Samy Sid Ahmed; Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Nuclear Pore Complexes, Genome Organization and HIV-1 Infection

2018-02-03 | Book chapter
Contributors: Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Restriction of HIV-1 Requires the N-Terminal Region of MxB as a Capsid-Binding Motif but Not as a Nuclear Localization Signal

Journal of Virology
2015-08 | Journal article
Contributors: Bianca Schulte; Cindy Buffone; Silvana Opp; Francesca Di Nunzio; Daniel Augusto de Souza Aranha Vieira; Alberto Brandariz-Nunez; Felipe Diaz-Griffero
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Chromatin organization at the nuclear pore favours HIV replication.

Nature Communications
2015-03-06 | Journal article
Contributors: Mickaël Lelek; Nicoletta Casartelli; Danilo Pellin; Ermanno Rizzi; Philippe Souque; Marco Severgnini; Clelia Di Serio; Thomas Fricke; Felipe Diaz-Griffero; Christophe Zimmer et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

FlAsH-PALM: super-resolution pointillist imaging with FlAsH-tetracysteine labeling.

2014-06-07 | Book chapter
Contributors: Mickaël Lelek; Francesca Di Nunzio; Christophe Zimmer
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Efficient Transduction of LEDGF/p75 Mutant Cells by Gain-of-Function HIV-1 Integrase Mutant Viruses.

Molecular Therapy - Methods and Clinical Development
2014-01-08 | Journal article
Contributors: Hao Wang; Ming-Chieh Shun; Xiang Li; Francesca Di Nunzio; Stephen Hare; Peter Cherepanov; Alan Engelman
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

New insights in the role of nucleoporins: a bridge leading to concerted steps from HIV-1 nuclear entry until integration.

Virus Research
2013-12-26 | Journal article
Contributors: Francesca Di Nunzio
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

TOX4 and NOVA1 Proteins Are Partners of the LEDGF PWWP Domain and Affect HIV-1 Replication

PLoS ONE
2013-11-27 | Journal article
Contributors: Mehdi Morchikh; Monica Naughtin; Francesca Di Nunzio; Johan Xavier; Pierre Charneau; Yves Jacob; Marc Lavigne
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Nup153 and Nup98 bind the HIV-1 core and contribute to the early steps of HIV-1 replication.

Virology
2013-05-25 | Journal article
Contributors: Francesca Di Nunzio; Thomas Fricke; Annarita Miccio; Jose Carlos Valle-Casuso; Patricio Perez; Philippe Souque; Ermanno Rizzi; Marco Severgnini; Fulvio Mavilio; Pierre Charneau et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Human nucleoporins promote HIV-1 docking at the nuclear pore, nuclear import and integration.

PLoS ONE
2012-09-25 | Journal article
Contributors: Francesca Di Nunzio; Anne Danckaert; Thomas Fricke; Patricio Perez; Juliette Fernandez; Emmanuelle Perret; Pascal Roux; Spencer Shorte; Pierre Charneau; Felipe Diaz-Griffero et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

TNPO3 is required for HIV-1 replication after nuclear import but prior to integration and binds the HIV-1 core.

Journal of Virology
2012-05 | Journal article
Contributors: Jose Carlos Valle-Casuso; Francesca Di Nunzio; Yang Yang; Natalia Reszka; Maritza Lienlaf; Nathalie Arhel; Patricio Perez; Abraham L Brass; Felipe Diaz-Griffero
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Superresolution imaging of HIV in infected cells with FlAsH-PALM.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
2012-05-29 | Journal article
Contributors: Mickaël Lelek; Francesca Di Nunzio; Ricardo Henriques; Pierre Charneau; Nathalie Arhel; Christophe Zimmer
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Residual HIV-1 DNA Flap-independent nuclear import of cPPT/CTS double mutant viruses does not support spreading infection

Retrovirology
2011 | Journal article
Contributors: Candela Iglesias; Mathieu Ringeard; Francesca Di Nunzio; Juliette Fernandez; Raphael Gaudin; Philippe Souque; Pierre Charneau; Nathalie Arhel
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Biochemical and virological analysis of the 18-residue C-terminal tail of HIV-1 integrase.

Retrovirology
2009-10-19 | Journal article
Contributors: Mohd J Dar; Blandine Monel; Lavanya Krishnan; Ming-Chieh Shun; Francesca Di Nunzio; Dag E Helland; Alan Engelman
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Structural basis for functional tetramerization of lentiviral integrase.

PLoS Pathogens
2009-07-17 | Journal article
Contributors: Stephen Hare; Francesca Di Nunzio; Alfred Labeja; Jimin Wang; Alan Engelman; Peter Cherepanov
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Identification and characterization of PWWP domain residues critical for LEDGF/p75 chromatin binding and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infectivity.

Journal of Virology
2008-12 | Journal article
Contributors: Ming-Chieh Shun; Yaïr Botbol; Xiang Li; Francesca Di Nunzio; Janet E Daigle; Judy Lieberman; Nan Yan; Marc Lavigne; Alan Engelman
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Correction of laminin-5 deficiency in human epidermal stem cells by transcriptionally targeted lentiviral vectors.

Molecular Therapy
2008-09-23 | Journal article
Contributors: Francesca Di Nunzio; Giulietta Maruggi; Stefano Ferrari; Enzo Di Iorio; Valentina Poletti; Marta Garcia; Marcela del Rio; Michele de Luca; Fernando Larcher; Graziella Pellegrini et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Transduction of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells by Lentiviral Vectors Pseudotyped with the RD114-TR Chimeric Envelope Glycoprotein

Human Gene Therapy
2007-09 | Journal article
Contributors: Francesca Di Nunzio; B. Piovani; F.-L. Cosset; F. Mavilio; A. Stornaiuolo
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Correction of junctional epidermolysis bullosa by transplantation of genetically modified epidermal stem cells.

Nature Medicine
2006-11-19 | Journal article
Contributors: Fulvio Mavilio; Graziella Pellegrini; Stefano Ferrari; Francesca Di Nunzio; Enzo Di Iorio; Alessandra Recchia; Giulietta Maruggi; Giuliana Ferrari; Elena Provasi; Chiara Bonini et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Di Nunzio via HAL

Peer review (13 reviews for 6 publications/grants)

Review activity for Cell reports. (3)
Review activity for Cell. (5)
Review activity for EMBO reports. (1)
Review activity for Methods. (1)
Review activity for Nature communications (1)
Review activity for Trends in microbiology (2)