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Parvoviruses are small single-stranded DNA containing viruses that are highly dependent on the host cell's functions. Parvoviruses infect a wide range of hosts, including humans and other mammals. Parvoviruses have been studied mainly for their oncolytic properties that can be harnessed to destroy cancer tissue and to develop gene therapy applications. In this PhD thesis, canine parvovirus was used as a model virus to study virus-host interactions in the nucleus of the host cell.

“During infection viruses interact with host cells mainly via viral proteins produced during infection. In this PhD thesis, the previously largely unknown nonstructural protein of canine parvovirus, NS2, was observed to interact with chromatin remodeling and DNA damage response related proteins. In addition, NS2 was linked to changes in important nuclear structures like nucleoli during infection. Moreover, the association of NS2 with chromatin-modifying proteins indicates a much more important role of NS2 in viral replication than previously anticipated,” Doctoral researcher Salla Mattola explains.

The transport of progeny capsids out of the nucleus limits the progression of infection and is thus essential for the development of oncolytic virus therapies. Previous studies with other parvoviruses have shown that parvovirus capsids are transported actively out of the nucleus via nuclear pore complexes. In this dissertation, the nuclear egress of capsids was facilitated by cell cycle progression and apoptosis-induced increase in the nuclear envelope permeability.

Besides answering questions related to parvovirus infection, and the role of NS2 in infection, the results generated new research questions: The interactome of NS2 revealed multiple cellular processes where NS2 might be involved. These possible roles of NS2 in other processes and cellular egress of viruses need further studies. Thus, doctoral researcher Salla Mattola will continue her research of NS2-related questions after the dissertation in Maija Vihinen-Ranta’s virus-nucleus interactions -research group.

This thesis has been funded by the Department of Biological and Environmental Science of the Ģ��ֱ�� and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.

MSc Salla Mattola graduated from the University of Eastern Finland in 2016. After her graduation, Mattola worked as a research assistant at the University of Eastern Finland in the school of pharmacy and as a research assistant as well as a doctoral researcher in the department of biological and environmental science at the Ģ��ֱ��.

The dissertation is published in JYU Dissertations series, number 530, Jyväskylä 2022. ISBN 978-951-39-9177-7 (PDF), URN:ISBN:978-951-39-9177-7, ISSN 2489-9003. Link to publication:

M.Sc. Salla Mattola defends her doctoral dissertation ”Virus-host interactions during nuclear egress of parvoviruses” on 3 June 2022 at 12 noon. Opponent Professor Jose Almendral (Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain) and Custos Docent Maija Vihinen-Ranta (Ģ��ֱ��). The doctoral dissertation is held in English.