Mechanisms of innate antiviral immunity
The research group, headed by Prof. Dr. Daniel Sauter, investigates the interactions of HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and other viral pathogens with transposable elements and the immune responses of their respective hosts.

Welcome

We are fascinated by RNA viruses and the immune responses against them. That’s why we study how both of them interact with each other. Although RNA viruses, such as HIV or SARS-CoV-2, frequently encode only a small number of genes, they are probably the most successful pathogens on this planet. Their success depends on a plethora of sophisticated mechanisms to evade or counteract the immune responses of their hosts. Since the number of viral proteins encoded by each virus is limited, most viral proteins mediate an astonishing number of different functions. Although may functions have been described in principle, most underlying biochemical mechanisms are not completely understood. In addition, we are convinced that more viral evasion mechanisms remain to be discovered.  With our research, we thus aim to understand how viruses and their hosts co-evolve and to identify viral features that enable successful spread of viruses in the human population. 

Interestingly, some RNA viruses even got fixed in our genomes. These endogenous retroviruses represent about 8% of our DNA. Thus, all of us are partly viral! The fact that these viral remnants have not been lost over millions of years of evolution suggests that they may somehow benefit our health or even help us fight viral infections today. With our research, we aim to find out whether this is really the case. 

Sounds interesting? Just contact us!

Contact

Prof. Dr. Daniel Sauter

Prof. Dr. Daniel Sauter

Heisenberg-Professor

Phone number: +49 7071 29-80177

Fax number: 07071 29-5790

E-mail address: daniel.sauter@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Publications: Publications

Personenprofil: Mehr zur Person

Western blot

Research Projects

Cells are equipped with numerous antiviral factors that interfere with essentially all steps of the viral replication cycle. While they constitute an important first line of defense and protect us against many invading (emerging) viral pathogens, some viruses have evolved effective mechanisms to evade or counteract these antiviral factors. One main focus of our research is the identification and characterization of previously undescribed host proteins that suppress viral replication. For example, our lab recently identified guanylate-binding proteins 2 and 5 (GBP2/5) as two interferon-inducible proteins that exert broad antiviral activity by inhibiting the proteolytic maturation of viral glycoproteins (Braun et al., 2019). Since GBP2 and GBP5 do not directly target viral pathogens, but inhibit the cellular protease furin, we are currently investigating potential off-target effects of this antiviral mechanism in infected cells.

The main model organisms of our lab are retroviruses, such as human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV‑1, HIV-2, SIVs), as well as coronaviruses (e.g. SARS-CoV-2). Despite their limited genome sizes, they manage to replicate and spread efficiently in their hosts. This is partly because many viral proteins are multifunctional and target several components of the antiviral immune response. For example, research in our lab revealed that the viral protein U (Vpu) of HIV-1 and SIV not only increases virus release by counteracting the restriction factor tetherin, but exerts much broader immuno-suppressive effects by inhibiting the activation of the transcription factor NF-κB (Langer et al., 2019; Hotter et al., 2017). In the absence of Vpu, NF-κB drives the expression of interferons and other antiviral factors. Furthermore, Vpu proteins of different groups of HIV-1 and several SIV species decrease the amount of HLA-C at the surface of infected cells to evade killing by natural killer cells (Hopfensperger et al., 2020). Intriguingly, the second human immunodeficiency virus, HIV-2, that naturally lacks a vpu gene has evolved an independent mechanism to decrease HLA-C surface levels involving the viral infectivity factor Vif (Hopfensperger et al., 2020).
Despite the intense global research focus on SARS-CoV-2, our research also revealed the unexpected discovery of a previously unrecognized coronavirus protein, termed ORF3c (Müller et al., 2023). Encoded within the ORF3a subgenomic RNA, ORF3c had escaped detection despite the extensive characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. We were the first to demonstrate that this 41-amino-acid protein is stably expressed in infected cells and demonstrated that it functions as a potent antagonist of innate immune signaling. ORF3c inhibits interferon-β induction by binding the mitochondrial adaptor MAVS, interfering with its interaction with RIG-I, and triggering its proteolytic cleavage.

Due to the ongoing tug-of-war between viruses and their hosts, antiviral host factors are among the fastest evolving proteins. As a result, they are only poorly conserved, and many of them pose important barriers to successful cross-species transmission events of viral pathogens. For example, our research revealed that the host restriction factor tetherin constitutes an important barrier to zoonotic transmission of simian immunodeficiency viruses to humans (Sauter et al., 2009; Sauter et al., 2010; Heusinger et al., 2018; Sauter and Kirchhoff, 2019). Nevertheless, some immunodeficiency viruses managed to adapt to their new human host and evolved mechanisms to efficiently counteract the human orthologue of tetherin. These viruses spread efficiently in the human population, resulting in the current HIV/AIDS pandemic. Thus, our findings provide important insights into the determinants of successful viral spread of zoonotic viruses in humans.

Our laboratory has made significant contributions to elucidating the physiological functions of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), long regarded as genomic “junk DNA” or “dark matter of the genome”. In contrast to this outdated view, we have shown that many ERV sequences have been co-opted during evolution to fulfill important roles in human biology (Srinivasachar Badarinarayan et al., 2021). A key example is our discovery that endogenous retroviruses can act as regulatory elements in the innate immune response to infection (Srinivasachar Badarinarayan et al., 2020).

Furthermore, our work on antiviral immunity and endogenous retroviruses has uncovered a fascinating evolutionary conflict: innate immune factors that protect us from exogenous retroviruses can mistakenly target beneficial, co-opted retroviral elements in our own genome (Sauter et al., 2021). This misrecognition may underlie certain autoimmune disorders and contribute to the pathogenesis of non-infectious diseases, such as pregnancy complications. We found that placentas from women with preeclampsia exhibit elevated expression of interferon-stimulated genes, along with increased inflammation. Furthermore, our research identified a novel autoimmune-like mechanism, in which innate antiviral proteins misfire against domesticated retroviral elements critical for human physiology (Krchlikova et al., 2025).

Selected Publications

  1. Krchlikova V, Braun E, Weiss J, Stafl K, Jech L, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Lotke R, Travnicek M, Baur C, Stark P, Haussmann I, Lu Y, Petersen M, Cui W, Wang W, Fäger BM, Reisinger H, Tokunaga K, Cingöz O, Sparrer KMJ, Salker MS, Hejnar J, Kirchhoff F, Trejbalova K, Sauter D. 2025. Inhibition of placental trophoblast fusion by guanylate-binding protein 5. Science Advances. 11(19):eadt5388.

 

  1. Nchioua R, Kmiec D, Krchlikova V, Mattes S, Noettger S, Bibollet-Ruche F, Russell RM, Sparrer KMJ, Charpentier T, Tardy F, Bosinger SE, Sauter D, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2025. Host ZAP activity correlates with the levels of CpG suppression in primate lentiviruses. PNAS. 122(15):e2419489122.

 

  1. Fayyaz S, Lotke R, Haußmann I, Petersen M, Müller E, Schwarzer-Sperber HS, Schwarzer R, Sauter D. 2025. Reactivation of latent HIV-1 by the glucocorticoid receptor modulator AZD9567. J Virol. 99(2):e0188624.

 

  1. Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Graichen L, Nehlmeier I, Kempf A, Moldenhauer A-S, Braun E, Assiri AM, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Alkharsah KR, Pöhlmann S. 2024. Acquisition of a multibasic cleavage site does not increase MERS-CoV entry into Calu-3 human lung cells. J Virol. 98(11):e0130524.

 

  1. Erdemci-Evin S, Bosso M, Krchlikova V, Bayer W, Regensburger K, Mayer M, Dittmer U, Sauter D, Kmiec D, Kirchhoff F. 2024. A Variety of Mouse PYHIN Proteins Restrict Murine and Human Retroviruses. Viruses. 16(4):493. 

 

  1. Volcic M, Nchioua R, Pastorio C, Zech F, Haussmann I, Sauter D, Read C, Walther P, Kirchhoff F. 2024. Attenuated replication and damaging effects of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants in an intestinal epithelial barrier model. Journal of Medical Virology. 96(7):e29783.

 

  1. Schelle L, Côrte-Real JV, Fayyaz S, Del Pozo Ben A, Shnipova M, Petersen M, Lotke R, Menon B, Matzek D, Pfaff L, Pinheiro A, Marques JP, Melo-Ferreira J, Popper B, Esteves PJ, Sauter D, Abrantes J, Baldauf H-M. 2024. Evolutionary and functional characterization of lagomorph guanylate-binding proteins: a story of gain and loss and shedding light on expression, localization and innate immunity-related functions. Front Immunol. 5:1303089.

 

  1. Müller M, Herrmann A , Fujita S, Uriu K, Kruth C, Strange A, Kolberg JE, Schneider M, Ito J, Müller MA, Drosten C, Ensser A, Genotype to Phenotype Japan (G2P-Japan) Consortium, Sato K, Sauter D. 2023. ORF3c is expressed in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells and inhibits innate sensing by targeting MAVS. EMBO Rep. 24(12):e57137.

 

  1. Hagelauer E, Lotke R, Kmiec D, Hu D, Hohner M Stopper S, Nchioua R, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Schindler M. 2023. Tetherin Restricts SARS-CoV-2 despite the Presence of Multiple Viral Antagonists. Viruses. 15(12):2364.

 

  1. Arora A*, Kolberg JE*, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Savytska N, Munot D, Müller M, Krchlíková V, Sauter D, Bansal V. 2023. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces epigenetic changes in the LTR69 subfamily of endogenous retroviruses. Mob DNA. 14(1):11.

 

  1. Ito J, Suzuki R, Uriu K, Itakura Y, Zahradnik J, Kimura KT, Deguchi S, Wang L, Lytras S, Tamura  T, Kida  I, Nasser  H, Shofa  M, Begum  MM, Tsuda  M, Oda  Y, Suzuki T, Sasaki J, Sasaki-Tabata K, Fujita S, Yoshimatsu K, Ito H, Nao N, Asakura H, Nagashima M, Sadamasu K, Yoshimura  K, Yamamoto  Y, Nagamoto  T, Kuramochi  J, Schreiber G, Genotype to Phenotype Japan (G2P-Japan) Consortium, Saito  A, Matsuno  K, Takayama  K, Hashiguchi  T, Tanaka  S, Fukuhara  T , Ikeda  T, Sato K. 2023. Convergent evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants leading to the emergence of BQ.1.1 variant. Nat Commun. 14(1):2671.

 

  1. Krchlíková V, Lotke R, Haußmann I, Reinišová M, Kučerová D, Pecnová L, Ungrová L, Hejnar J, Sauter D, Elleder D. 2023. Independent loss events of a functional tetherin gene in galliform birds. J Virol. 97(10):e0080323

  2. Ikeda T, Ryo Shimizu, Nasser H , Carpenter MA, Cheng AZ, Brown WL, Sauter D, Harris RS. 2023. APOBEC3 degradation is the primary function of HIV-1 Vif determining virion infectivity in the myeloid cell line THP-1. mBio. 14(4) 14(4):e0078223.

 

  1. Petersen M, Lotke R, Hopfensperger K, Victoria S, Haußmann I, Burster T, Baldauf HM, and Sauter D. Inhibition of infectious HIV-1 production by re-routing the cellular furin inhibitor Serpin B8. 2023. Journal of Virology. 97(6):e0029423.

 

  1. Marchitto L, Benlarbi M, Prévost J, Laumaea A, Descôteaux-Dinelle J, Medjahed H, Bourassa C, Gendron-Lepage G, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Hahn B, Finzi A, and Richard J. 2023. Impact of HIV-1 Vpu-mediated downregulation of CD48 on NK-cell mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. mBio. 14(4):e0078923.

 

  1. Boutin M, Medjahed H, Nayrac M, Lotke R, Gendron-Lepage G, Bourassa C, Sauter D, Richard J, Finzi A. 2023. Temsavir modulates HIV-1 Envelope conformation by decreasing its proteolytic cleavage. Viruses. 15(5), 1189.

 

  1. Tamura T, Ito J, Uriu K, Zahradník J, Kida I, Anraku Y, Nasser H, Shofa M, Oda Y, Lytras S, Nao N, Itakura Y, Deguchi S, Suzuki R, Wang L, Begum M, Kita S, Yajima H, Sasaki J, Sasaki-Tabata K, Shimizu R, Tsuda M, Kosugi Y, Fujita S, Pan L, Sauter D, Yoshimatsu K, Suzuki S, Asakura H, Nagashima M, Sadamasu K, Yoshimura K, Yamamoto Y, Nagamoto T, Schreiber G, Maenaka K, Hashiguchi T, Ikeda T, Fukuhara T, Saito A, Tanaka S, Matsuno K, Takayama K, Sato K. 2023. Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 XBB variant derived from recombination of two Omicron subvariants. Nature Communications. 14(1), 2800.

 

  1. Wettstein L, Immenschuh P, Weil T, Conzelmann C, Almeida-Hernández Y, Hoffmann M, Kempf A, Nehlmeier I, Lotke R, Petersen M, Stenger S, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Pöhlmann S, Sanchez-Garcia E, Jan Münch J. 2022. Native and activated antithrombin inhibits TMPRSS2 activity and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Journal of Medical Virology. 95(1):e28124.

 

  1. Fittje P, Hölzemer A, Garcia-Beltran WF, Niehrs A, Vollmers S, Martrus G, Körner C, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Altfeld M. 2022. HIV-1 Nef-mediated downregulation of CD155 results in viral restriction by KIR2DL5+ NK cells. PLOS Pathogens. 18(6):e1010572.

 

  1. Zhao Z, Fagerlund R, Tossavainen H, Hopfensperger K, Lotke R, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Kirchhoff F, Permi P, Sato K, Sauter D, Saksela K. 2021. Evolutionary plasticity of SH3 domain binding by Nef proteins of the HIV‑1/SIVcpz lentiviral lineage. PLOS Pathogens. 17(11):e1009728. 

 

  1. Bosso M, Stürzel CM, Kmiec D, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Braun E, Ito J, Sato K, Hahn BH, Sparrer K, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2021. Acquisition of an additional NF-κB site allows HIV-1 subtype C to evade restriction by nuclear PYHIN proteins. Cell Reports. 36(12):109735. 

 

  1. Prelli Bozzo* C, Nchioua R*, Volcic M, Koepke L, Krüger J, Schütz D, Heller S, Stuerzel CM, Kmiec D, Conzelmann C, Müller JA, Zech F, Braun E, Groß R, Wettstein L, Weil T, Weiß J, Diofano F, Rodriguez Alfonso A, Wiese S, Sauter D, Münch J, Goffinet C, Catanese A, Schön M, Boeckers T, Stenger S, Sato K, Just S, Kleger A, Sparrer KM§, Kirchhoff F§. 2021. IFITM proteins promote SARS-CoV-2 infection and are targets for virus inhibition in vitro. Nature Communications. 12(1):4584. 

 

  1. Hayn M*, Hirschenberger M*, Koepke L*, Nchioua R, Straub JH, Klute S, Hunszinger V, Zech F, Prelli Bozzo C, Aftab W, Hønholt Christensen M, Conzelmann C, Müller JA, Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Stürzel CM, Forne I, Stenger S, Conzelmann KK, Münch J, Schmidt FI, Sauter D, Imhof A, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ. 2021. Systematic Functional Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Uncovers Viral Innate Immune Antagonists and Remaining Vulnerabilities. Cell Reports. 35(7):109126. 

 

  1. Momtazmanesh S, Saghazadeh A, USERN2020 Speakers, Rezaei N. 2021. International Scientific Collaboration is Needed to Bridge Science to Society: USERN2020 Consensus Statement. SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine. 3(8):1699-1703.
  2. Cui W*, Braun E*, Wang W*, Tang J*, Zheng Y, Slater B, Li N, Chen C, Liu Q, Wang B, Li X, Duan Y, Xiao Y, Ti R, Hotter D, Ji X, Zhang L, Cui J, Xiong Y, Sauter D§, Wang Z§, Kirchhoff F§, Yang H§. 2021. Structural Basis for GTP-induced Dimerization and Antiviral Function of Guanylate-binding Proteins. PNAS. 118 (15) e2022269118. 

 

  1. Kimura I, Konno Y, Uriu K, Hopfensperger K, Sauter D, Nakagawa S, Sato K. 2021. Sarbecovirus ORF6 proteins hamper the induction of interferon signaling. Cell Reports. 34(13):108916. 

 

  1. Kaiser LM, Harms M, Sauter D, Rawat VPS, Glitscher M, Hildt E, Tews D, Hunter Z, Münch J, Buske C. 2021. Targeting of CXCR4 by the naturally occurring CXCR4 antagonist EPI-X4 in Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia. Cancers. 13(4), 826.

 

  1. Nchioua R, Kmiec D, Müller J, Conzelmann C, Groß R, Swanson C, Neil S, Stenger S, Sauter D, Münch J, Sparrer K, Kirchhoff F. 2020. SARS-CoV-2 is restricted by ZAP despite preadaptation to the low CpG environment in humans. mBio. 11(5):e01930-20.

 

  1. Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Shcherbakova I, Langer S, Koepke L, Preising A, Hotter D, Kirchhoff F, Sparrer KMJ, Schotta G, Sauter D. 2020. HIV-1 infection activates endogenous retroviral promoters regulating antiviral gene expression. Nucleic Acids Research. gkaa832. 

 

  1. Konno Y, Kimura I, Uriu K, Fukushi M, Irie T, Koyanagi Y, Sauter D, Gifford RJ, USFQ-COVID19 consortium, Nakagawa S, Sato K. 2020. SARS-CoV-2 ORF3b is a potent interferon antagonist whose activity is further increased by a naturally occurring elongation variant. Cell Reports. 32(12):108185

 

  1. Bosso M, Prelli-Bozzo C, Hotter D, Volcic M, Stürzel CM, Rammelt A, Ni Y, Urban S, Becker M, Schelhaas M, Wittmann S, Christensen MH, Schmidt FI, Gramberg T, Sparrer KMJ, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2020. Nuclear PYHIN proteins target the host transcription factor Sp1 thereby restricting HIV-1 in human macrophages and CD4+ T cells. PLOS Pathog. 16(8):e1008752.

 

  1. Hopfensperger K, Richard J, Stürzel CM, Bibollet-Ruche F, Apps R, Leoz M, Plantier JC, Hahn BH, Finzi A, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2020. Convergent evolution of HLA-C down-modulation in HIV-1 and HIV-2. mBio. 11(4):e00782-20.
  2. Volcic M, Sparrer KMJ, Koepke L, Hotter D, Sauter D, Stürzel CM, Scherer M, Stamminger T, Hofmann TG, Arhel NJ, Wiesmüller L, Kirchhoff F. 2020. Vpu modulates DNA repair to suppress innate sensing and hyper-integration of HIV-1. Nature Microbiology. 5(10):1247-1261. 
  1. Muench J, Groß R, Bauer R, Krüger F, Rücker-Braun E, Olari LR, Ständker L, Preising N, Rodriguez AA, Conzelman C, Gerbl F, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F, Hagemann B, Gačanin J, Weil T, Ruiz-Blanco J, Sanchez Garcia E, Forssmann WG, Mankertz A, Santibanez S, Stenger S, Walther P, Wiese S, Spellerberg B. 2020. A placenta derived C-terminal fragment of β-hemoglobin with combined antibacterial and antiviral activity. Frontiers in Microbiology. 11:508.
     
     
  2. Joas S, Sauermann U, Roshani B, Klippert A, Mätz-Rensing K, Stolte-Leeb N, Heigele A, Tharp GK, Gupta PM, Nelson S, Bosinger S, Parodi L, Giavedoni L, Silvestri G, Sauter D,  Stahl-Hennig C, Kirchhoff F. 2020. Nef-mediated CD3-TCR downmodulation dampens acute inflammation and promotes SIV immune evasion. Cell Reports. 30(7):2261-2274. 

 

  1. Kmiec D, Nchioua R, Sherrill-Mix S, Stürzel CM, Heusinger E, Braun E, Gondim MVP, Hotter D, Sparrer K, Hahn BH, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2020. CpG frequency in the 5’ third of the env gene determines ZAP sensitivity of primary HIV-1 strains. mBio. 11(1):e02903-19. 

 

  1. Thans TVS, Akko JI, Niehrs A, Garcia-Beltran WF, Richert L, Stürzel CM, Ford CT, Li H, Ochsenbauer C, Kappes JC, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F, Martrus G, Sauter D, Altfeld M, Hölzemer A. 2019. Primary HIV-1 strains use Nef to downmodulate HLA-E surface expression. J Virol. 93. 

 

  1. Prévost J, Pickering S, Mumby M, Medjahed H, Gendron-Lepage G, Delgado G, Dirk B, Dikeakos J, Stuerzel C, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F, Bibollet-Ruche F, Hahn B, Dubé M, Kaufmann D, Neil S, Finzi A, Richard J. 2019. Upregulation of BST-2 by type I IFNs reduce the capacity of Vpu to protect HIV-1-infected cells from NK cell responses. mBio. 10(3):e01113-19.

 

  1. Hotter D, Bosso M, Jønsson KL, Krapp C, Stürzel CM, Das A, Littwitz-Salomon E, Berkhout B, Russ A, Wittmann S, Gramberg T, Zheng Y, Martins LJ, Planelles V, Jakobsen MR, Hahn BH, Dittmer U, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2019. IFI16 targets the transcription factor Sp1 to suppress HIV-1 transcription and latency reactivation. Cell Host and Microbe. 25(6):858-872. 

 

  1. Yamasoba D, Sato K, Ichinose T, Imamura T, Koepke L, Joas S, Reith E, Hotter D, Misawa N, Akaki K, Uehata T, Mino T, Miyamoto S, Noda T, Yamashita A, Standley D, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D, Koyanagi Y, Takeuchi O. 2019. N4BP1 restricts HIV-1 and its inactivation by MALT1 promotes viral reactivation. Nature Microbiology. 4(9):1532-1544. 

 

  1. Braun E*, Hotter D*, Koepke L, Zech F, Groß R, Sparrer KMJ, Müller JA, Pfaller CK, Heusinger E, Wombacher R, Sutter K, Dittmer U, Winkler M, Simmons G, Jakobsen MR, Conzelmann KK, Pöhlmann S, Münch J, Fackler OT, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2019. Guanylate-binding proteins 2 and 5 exert broad antiviral activity by inhibiting furin-mediated processing of viral envelope proteins. Cell Reports. 27(7):2092-2104. 

 

  1. Langer S*, Hammer C*, Hopfensperger K*, Klein L, Hotter D, De Jesus PD, Herbert KM, Pache L, Smith N, van der Merwe JA, Chanda SK, Fellay J, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2019. HIV-1 Vpu is a potent transcriptional suppressor of NF-κB-elicited antiviral immune responses. eLife. 8, e41930.

 

  1. Landsberg CD, Megger DA, Hotter D, Rückborn MU, Eilbrecht M, Rashidi-Alayijeh J, Howe S, Heinrichs S, Sauter D, Sitek B, Le-Trilling VTK, Trilling M. 2018. A Mass Spectrometry-Based Profiling of Interactomes of Viral DDB1- and Cullin Ubiquitin Ligase-Binding Proteins Reveals NF-κB Inhibitory Activity of the HIV-2-Encoded Vpx. Front Immunol. 9:2978.

 

  1. Heusinger E, Deppe K, Sette P, Krapp C, Kmiec D, Kluge SF, Marx PA, Apetrei C, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2018. Preadaptation of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVsmm Facilitated Env-Mediated Counteraction of Human Tetherin by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2. J Virol. 92(18):e00276-18.

 

  1. Joas S, Parrish EH, Gnanadurai CW, Lump E, Stürzel CM, Parrish NF, Learn GH, Sauermann U, Neumann B, Rensing KM, Fuchs D, Billingsley JM, Bosinger SE, Silvestri G, Apetrei C, Huot N, Garcia-Tellez T, Müller-Trutwin M, Hotter D, Sauter D, Stahl-Hennig C, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2018. Species-specific host factors rather than virus-intrinsic virulence determine primate lentiviral pathogenicity. Nat Commun. 9:1371. 

 

  1. Kmiec D, Akbil B, Ananth S, Hotter D, Sparrer KMJ, Stürzel CM, Trautz B, Ayouba A, Peeters M, Yao Z, Stagljar I, Passos V, Zillinger T, Goffinet C, Sauter D, Fackler OT, Kirchhoff F. 2018. SIVcol Nef counteracts SERINC5 by promoting its proteasomal degradation but does not efficiently enhance HIV-1 replication in human CD4+ T cells and lymphoid tissue. PLOS Pathog. 14:e1007269. 

 

  1. Palesch D*, Bosinger SE*, Tharp GK, Vanderford TH, Paiardini M, Chahroudi A, Johnson ZP, Kirchhoff F, Hahn BH, Norgren RB, Patel NB, Sodora DL, Dawoud RA, Stewart C-B, Seepo SM, Harris RA, Liu Y, Raveendran M, Han Y, English A, Thomas GWC, Hahn MW, Pipes L, Mason CE, Muzny DM, Gibbs RA, Sauter D, Worley K, Rogers J, Silvestri G. 2018. Sooty mangabey genome sequence provides insight into AIDS resistance in a natural SIV host. Nature. 553:77–81. 

 

  1. Yamada E, Nakaoka S, Klein L, Reith E, Langer S, Hopfensperger K, Iwami S, Schreiber G, Kirchhoff F, Koyanagi Y, Sauter D, Sato K. 2018. Human-Specific Adaptations in Vpu Conferring Anti-tetherin Activity Are Critical for Efficient Early HIV-1 Replication In Vivo. Cell Host Microbe. 23:110-120.

 

  1. Hotter D*, Krabbe T*, Reith E, Gawanbacht A, Rahm N, Ayouba A, Van Driessche B, Van Lint C, Peeters M, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2017. Primate lentiviruses use at least three alternative strategies to suppress NF-κB-mediated immune activation. PLoS Pathog. 13:e1006598. 

 

  1. Mack K, Starz K, Sauter D, Langer S, Bibollet-Ruche F, Learn GH, Stürzel CM, Leoz M, Plantier J-C, Geyer M, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2017. Efficient Vpu-Mediated Tetherin Antagonism by an HIV-1 Group O Strain. J Virol. 91(6):e02177-16.

 

  1. Manrique S, Sauter D, Horenkamp FA, Lülf S, Yu H, Hotter D, Anand K, Kirchhoff F, Geyer M. 2017. Endocytic sorting motif interactions involved in Nef-mediated downmodulation of CD4 and CD3. Nat Commun. 8:442. 

 

  1. Richard J, Prévost J, von Bredow B, Ding S, Brassard N, Medjahed H, Coutu M, Melillo B, Bibollet-Ruche F, Hahn BH, Kaufmann DE, Smith AB, Sodroski J, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F, Gee K, Neil SJ, Evans DT, Finzi A. 2017. BST-2 Expression Modulates Small CD4-Mimetic Sensitization of HIV-1-Infected Cells to Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity. J Virol. 91(11):e00219-17.

 

  1. Vermeire J, Roesch F, Sauter D, Rua R, Hotter D, Van Nuffel A, Vanderstraeten H, Naessens E, Iannucci V, Landi A, Witkowski W, Baeyens A, Kirchhoff F, Verhasselt B. 2016. HIV Triggers a cGAS-Dependent, Vpu- and Vpr-Regulated Type I Interferon Response in CD4+ T Cells. Cell Rep. 17:413–424. 

 

  1. Heigele A, Kmiec D, Regensburger K, Langer S, Peiffer L, Stürzel CM, Sauter D, Peeters M, Pizzato M, Learn GH, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2016. The Potency of Nef-Mediated SERINC5 Antagonism Correlates with the Prevalence of Primate Lentiviruses in the Wild. Cell Host Microbe. 20:381–391.

 

  1. Kmiec D*, Iyer SS*, Stürzel CM, Sauter D, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2016. Vpu-Mediated Counteraction of Tetherin Is a Major Determinant of HIV-1 Interferon Resistance. mBio. 7(4).

 

  1. Krapp C*, Hotter D*, Gawanbacht A, McLaren PJ, Kluge SF, Stürzel CM, Mack K, Reith E, Engelhart S, Ciuffi A, Hornung V, Sauter D, Telenti A, Kirchhoff F. 2016. Guanylate Binding Protein (GBP) 5 Is an Interferon-Inducible Inhibitor of HIV-1 Infectivity. Cell Host Microbe. 19:504–514.

 

  1. Ding S, Veillette M, Coutu M, Prévost J, Scharf L, Bjorkman PJ, Ferrari G, Robinson JE, Stürzel C, Hahn BH, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F, Lewis GK, Pazgier M, Finzi A. 2015. A Highly Conserved Residue of the HIV-1 gp120 Inner Domain Is Important for Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity Responses Mediated by Anti-cluster A Antibodies. J Virol. 90:2127–2134.

 

  1. Heusinger E*, Kluge SF*, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2015. Early Vertebrate Evolution of the Host Restriction Factor Tetherin. J Virol. 89:12154–12165. 

 

  1. Bächle SM, Sauter D, Sibitz S, Sandberg JK, Kirchhoff F, Moll M. 2015. Involvement of a C-terminal motif in the interference of primate lentiviral Vpu proteins with CD1d-mediated antigen presentation. Sci Rep. 5:9675.

 

  1. Langer SM, Hopfensperger K, Iyer SS, Kreider EF, Learn GH, Lee L-H, Hahn BH, Sauter D. 2015. A Naturally Occurring rev1-vpu Fusion Gene Does Not Confer a Fitness Advantage to HIV-1. PloS One. 10:e0142118. 

 

  1. McLaren PJ*, Gawanbacht A*, Pyndiah N*, Krapp C*, Hotter D, Kluge SF, Götz N, Heilmann J, Mack K, Sauter D, Thompson D, Perreaud J, Rausell A, Munoz M, Ciuffi A, Kirchhoff F, Telenti A. 2015. Identification of potential HIV restriction factors by combining evolutionary genomic signatures with functional analyses. Retrovirology. 12:41. 

 

  1. Mlcochova P, Apolonia L, Kluge SF, Sridharan A, Kirchhoff F, Malim MH, Sauter D, Gupta RK. 2015. Immune evasion activities of accessory proteins Vpu, Nef and Vif are conserved in acute and chronic HIV-1 infection. Virology. 482:72–78. 

 

  1. Zirafi O*, Kim K-A*, Ständker L*, Mohr KB, Sauter D, Heigele A, Kluge SF, Wiercinska E, Chudziak D, Richter R, Moepps B, Gierschik P, Vas V, Geiger H, Lamla M, Weil T, Burster T, Zgraja A, Daubeuf F, Frossard N, Hachet-Haas M, Heunisch F, Reichetzeder C, Galzi J-L, Pérez-Castells J, Canales-Mayordomo A, Jiménez-Barbero J, Giménez-Gallego G, Schneider M, Shorter J, Telenti A, Hocher B, Forssmann W-G, Bonig H, Kirchhoff F, Münch J. 2015. Discovery and characterization of an endogenous CXCR4 antagonist. Cell Rep. 11:737–747. 

 

  1. Chen J, Tibroni N, Sauter D, Galaski J, Miura T, Alter G, Mueller B, Haller C, Walker BD, Kirchhoff F, Brumme ZL, Ueno T, Fackler OT. 2015. Modest attenuation of HIV-1 Vpu alleles derived from elite controller plasma. PloS One. 10:e0120434.

 

  1. Sauter D*, Hotter D*, Van Driessche B, Stürzel CM, Kluge SF, Wildum S, Yu H, Baumann B, Wirth T, Plantier J-C, Leoz M, Hahn BH, Van Lint C, Kirchhoff F. 2015. Differential regulation of NF-κB-mediated proviral and antiviral host gene expression by primate lentiviral Nef and Vpu proteins. Cell Rep. 10:586–599. 
  2. Kluge SF*, Mack K*, Iyer SS*, Pujol FM, Heigele A, Learn GH, Usmani SM, Sauter D, Joas S, Hotter D, Bibollet-Ruche F, Plenderleith LJ, Peeters M, Geyer M, Sharp PM, Fackler OT, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2014. Nef proteins of epidemic HIV-1 group O strains antagonize human tetherin. Cell Host Microbe. 16:639–650. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Hotter D, Engelhart S, Giehler F, Kieser A, Kubisch C, Kirchhoff F. 2013. A rare missense variant abrogates the signaling activity of tetherin/BST-2 without affecting its effect on virus release. Retrovirology. 10:85.

 

  1. Hotter D, Kirchhoff F, Sauter D. 2013. HIV-1 Vpu Does Not Degrade Interferon Regulatory Factor 3. J Virol. 87:7160–7165.

 

  1. Bolduan S, Hubel P, Reif T, Lodermeyer V, Höhne K, Fritz JV, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F, Fackler OT, Schindler M, Schubert U. 2013. HIV-1 Vpu affects the anterograde transport and the glycosylation pattern of NTB-A. Virology. 440:190–203.

 

  1. Kluge SF, Sauter D, Vogl M, Peeters M, Li Y, Bibollet-Ruche F, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2013. The transmembrane domain of HIV-1 Vpu is sufficient to confer anti-tetherin activity to SIVcpz and SIVgor Vpu proteins: cytoplasmic determinants of Vpu function. Retrovirology. 10:32.

 

  1. Ploen D, Hafirassou ML, Himmelsbach K, Sauter D, Biniossek ML, Weiss TS, Baumert TF, Schuster C, Hildt E. 2013. TIP47 plays a crucial role in the life cycle of hepatitis C virus. J Hepatol. 58:1081–1088.

 

  1. Yolamanova M, Meier C, Shaytan AK, Vas V, Bertoncini CW, Arnold F, Zirafi O, Usmani SM, Müller JA, Sauter D, Goffinet C, Palesch D, Walther P, Roan NR, Geiger H, Lunov O, Simmet T, Bohne J, Schrezenmeier H, Schwarz K, Ständker L, Forssmann W-G, Salvatella X, Khalatur PG, Khokhlov AR, Knowles TPJ, Weil T, Kirchhoff F, Münch J. 2013. Peptide nanofibrils boost retroviral gene transfer and provide a rapid means for concentrating viruses. Nat Nanotechnol. 8:130–136. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Unterweger D, Vogl M, Usmani SM, Heigele A, Kluge SF, Hermkes E, Moll M, Barker E, Peeters M, Learn GH, Bibollet-Ruche F, Fritz JV, Fackler OT, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2012. Human tetherin exerts strong selection pressure on the HIV-1 group N Vpu protein. PLoS Pathog. 8:e1003093. 

 

  1. Götz N*, Sauter D*, Usmani SM, Fritz JV, Goffinet C, Heigele A, Geyer M, Bibollet-Ruche F, Learn GH, Fackler OT, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2012. Reacquisition of Nef-mediated tetherin antagonism in a single in vivo passage of HIV-1 through its original chimpanzee host. Cell Host Microbe. 12:373–380. 

 

  1. Khalid M, Yu H, Sauter D, Usmani SM, Schmokel J, Feldman J, Gruters RA, van der Ende ME, Geyer M, Rowland-Jones S, Osterhaus AD, Kirchhoff F. 2012. Efficient Nef-mediated downmodulation of TCR-CD3 and CD28 is associated with high CD4+ T cell counts in viremic HIV-2 infection. J Virol. 86:4906–4920.

 

  1. Laguette N, Rahm N, Sobhian B, Chable-Bessia C, Münch J, Snoeck J, Sauter D, Switzer WM, Heneine W, Kirchhoff F, Delsuc F, Telenti A, Benkirane M. 2012. Evolutionary and functional analyses of the interaction between the myeloid restriction factor SAMHD1 and the lentiviral Vpx protein. Cell Host Microbe. 11:205–217. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Vogl M, Kirchhoff F. 2011. Ancient origin of a deletion in human BST2/Tetherin that confers protection against viral zoonoses. Hum Mutat. 32:1243–1245.

 

  1. Sauter D, Hué S, Petit SJ, Plantier J-C, Towers GJ, Kirchhoff F, Gupta RK. 2011. HIV-1 Group P is unable to antagonize human tetherin by Vpu, Env or Nef. Retrovirology. 8:103.

 

  1. Schmökel J, Sauter D, Schindler M, Leendertz FH, Bailes E, Dazza M-C, Saragosti S, Bibollet-Ruche F, Peeters M, Hahn BH, Kirchhoff F. 2011. The presence of a vpu gene and the lack of Nef-mediated downmodulation of T cell receptor-CD3 are not always linked in primate lentiviruses. J Virol. 85:742–752.

 

  1. Kühl A, Münch J, Sauter D, Bertram S, Glowacka I, Steffen I, Specht A, Hofmann H, Schneider H, Behrens G, Pöhlmann S. 2010. Calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand does not restrict retrovirus release. Nat Med. 16:155–156.

 

  1. Schindler M, Rajan D, Banning C, Wimmer P, Koppensteiner H, Iwanski A, Specht A, Sauter D, Dobner T, Kirchhoff F. 2010. Vpu serine 52 dependent counteraction of tetherin is required for HIV-1 replication in macrophages, but not in ex vivo human lymphoid tissue. Retrovirology. 7:1.

 

  1. Sauter D*, Schindler M*, Specht A*, Landford WN, Münch J, Kim K-A, Votteler J, Schubert U, Bibollet-Ruche F, Keele BF, Takehisa J, Ogando Y, Ochsenbauer C, Kappes JC, Ayouba A, Peeters M, Learn GH, Shaw G, Sharp PM, Bieniasz P, Hahn BH, Hatziioannou T, Kirchhoff F. 2009. Tetherin-driven adaptation of Vpu and Nef function and the evolution of pandemic and nonpandemic HIV-1 strains. Cell Host Microbe. 6:409–421. 

 

  1. Himmelsbach K, Sauter D, Baumert TF, Ludwig L, Blum HE, Hildt E. 2009. New aspects of an anti-tumour drug: sorafenib efficiently inhibits HCV replication. Gut. 58:1644–1653. 

 

  1. Sauter D*, Himmelsbach K*, Kriegs M, Carvajal Yepes M, Hildt E. 2009. Localization determines function: N-terminally truncated NS5A fragments accumulate in the nucleus and impair HCV replication. J Hepatol. 50:861–871. 
  1. Krchlikova V, Lu Y, Sauter D. 2025. Viral influencers: deciphering the role of endogenous retroviral LTR12 repeats in cellular gene expression. J Virol. 99(2):e0135124.

 

  1. Lotke R*, Petersen M*, Sauter D. 2024. Restriction of Viral Glycoprotein Maturation by Cellular Protease Inhibitors. Viruses. 16(3):332.

 

  1. Müller M, Sauter D. 2023. The more the merrier? Gene duplications in the coevolution of primate lentiviruses with their hosts. Current Opinion in Virology. 62:101350.

 

  1. Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Sauter D. 2021. Switching Sides: How Endogenous Retroviruses Protect us from Viral Infections. J Virol. 95(12):e02299-20.

 

  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2021. Evolutionary conflicts and adverse effects of antiviral factors. eLife. 10:e65243. 

 

  1. Braun E, Sauter D. 2019. Furin-mediated protein processing in infectious diseases and cancer. Clinical & Translational Immunology. 8:e1073. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2019. Key viral adaptations preceding the AIDS pandemic. Cell Host & Microbe. 25(1):27-38. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2018. Multilayered and versatile inhibition of cellular antiviral factors by HIV and SIV accessory proteins. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 40:3-12. 

 

  1. Langer S, Sauter D. 2017. Unusual Fusion Proteins of HIV-1. Front Microbiol. 7:2152. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2016. HIV replication: a game of hide and sense. Curr Opin HIV AIDS. 11:173–181. 

 

  1. Kluge SF, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2015. SnapShot: antiviral restriction factors. Cell. 163:774-774. 

 

  1. Sauter D. 2014. Counteraction of the multifunctional restriction factor tetherin. Front Microbiol. 5:163. 

 

  1. Hotter D, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2013. Emerging role of the host restriction factor tetherin in viral immune sensing. J Mol Biol. 425:4956–4964. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2011. Tetherin antagonism by primate lentiviral nef proteins. Curr HIV Res. 9:514–523.


  2. Sauter D, Specht A, Kirchhoff F. 2010. Tetherin: holding on and letting go. Cell. 141:392–398.
  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2024. Antiviral mechanisms of guanylate-binding protein 5: versatile inhibition of multiple viral glycoproteins. mBio. 15(11):e0237424.

 

  1. Srinivasachar Badarinarayan S, Sauter D. 2022. Not all viruses cause disease: HERV-K (HML-2) in healthy human tissues. PLOS Biology. 20(10):e3001884.
     
     
  2. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2021. Less is more: biased loss of CpG dinucleotides strengthens antiviral immunity. PLOS Biology. 19(9):e3001353. 

 

  1. Hopfensperger K, Sauter D. 2020. Decreased, Deformed, Defective-How HIV-1 Vpu Targets Peroxisomes. mBio. 11(3):e00967-20. 

 

  1. Hotter D, Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2017. Guanylate binding protein 5: Impairing virion infectivity by targeting retroviral envelope glycoproteins. Small GTPases. 8:31–37. 

 

  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2016. IFITMs: Important Factors In Trans-Mission of HIV-1. Cell Host Microbe. 20:407–408. 
  1. Sauter D. 2015. Nef/Env/Vpu/Tetherin. Encyclopedia of AIDS (ISBN 9781461496106).


  1. Sauter D, Kirchhoff F. 2014. Properties of Human and Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses. Natural Hosts of SIV: Implication in AIDS (ISBN 9780124047341).

 

  1. Heigele A, Sauter D, Münch J, Kirchhoff F: HIV-1 accessory proteins: Nef. 2013. Human Retroviruses: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology) (ISBN 9781627036696).