Rachel Fearns | Profiles RNS

Rachel Fearns, PhD

Professor

Boston University School of Medicine

Dept of Microbiology

PhD, University of St Andrews

Websites

	Microbiology Faculty
	Immunology Training Program Faculty
	National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories Faculty

ORCID : 0000-0003-0783-7498

Expertise in paramyxovirus genome transcription and replication mechanisms.

Faculty
Boston University
National Emerging Infectious Disease Lab

Member
Boston University
Pulmonary Center

Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research

Member
Boston University
Genome Science Institute

Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
Boston University School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

BU Research
NIH RePORTER Research

Mechanisms of Marburg virus gene expression
05/08/2018 - 04/30/2023 (Multi-PI)
PI: Rachel Fearns, PhD
NIH/National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
5R01AI133486-04

Characterize the transcriptional and genome replication mechanism of paramyxoviruses for the discovery of broad spectrum anti-virals
09/01/2020 - 01/01/2023 (PI)
F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd.

The B cell repertoire as a window into the nature and impact of the lung virome
05/01/2019 - 04/30/2022 (Multi-PI)
PI: Rachel Fearns, PhD
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5R33HL137081-05

Interplay between respiratory syncytial virus and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways
02/07/2020 - 01/31/2022 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
5R21AI147659-02

Studies to assess the mechanism of inhibition of pneumovirus L and N-P inhibitors
10/01/2020 - 09/30/2021 (PI)
Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc

Developing Combination Therapies against Pneumo- and Paramyxoviruses Causing Severe Respiratory Infection
07/01/2018 - 06/30/2021 (Subcontract PI)
Georgia State University NIH NIAID
2R01AI071002-12

Evaluating the mechanism of actino of RSV L inhibitors targeting the CRV region
05/03/2019 - 06/04/2021 (PI)
Janssen Sciences Ireland

Initiation and regulation of RSV mRNA transcription and genome replication
08/07/2014 - 07/31/2020 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
5R01AI113321-04

Mechanism of action of an RSV N protein inhibitor
04/01/2018 - 10/15/2019 (PI)
Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc

The B cell repertoire as a window into the nature and impact of the lung virome
05/01/2017 - 04/30/2019 (Multi-PI)
PI: Rachel Fearns, PhD
NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
5R61HL137081-02

Showing 10 of 16 results. Show All Results

Title

Yr	Title	Project-Sub Proj	Pubs
2021	Interplay between respiratory syncytial virus and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways	5R21AI147659-02
2021	Mechanisms of Marburg virus gene expression	5R01AI133486-04	3
2021	The B cell repertoire as a window into the nature and impact of the lung virome	5R33HL137081-05
2020	Interplay between respiratory syncytial virus and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways	1R21AI147659-01A1
2020	Interplay between respiratory syncytial virus and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways	1R21AI147659-01A1
2020	Mechanisms of Marburg virus gene expression	5R01AI133486-03	3
2020	The B cell repertoire as a window into the nature and impact of the lung virome	5R33HL137081-04
2019	Mechanisms of Marburg virus gene expression	5R01AI133486-02	3
2019	The B cell repertoire as a window into the nature and impact of the lung virome	4R33HL137081-03
2018	Mechanisms of Marburg virus gene expression	1R01AI133486-01A1	3

Showing 10 of 22 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

Braun MR, Noton SL, Blanchard EL, Shareef A, Santangelo PJ, Johnson WE, Fearns R. Respiratory syncytial virus M2-1 protein associates non-specifically with viral messenger RNA and with specific cellular messenger RNA transcripts. PLoS Pathog. 2021 05; 17(5):e1009589.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah
Johnson, William

PMID: 34003848; PMCID: PMC8162694; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009589;

Rhodin MHJ, McAllister NV, Castillo J, Noton SL, Fearns R, Kim IJ, Yu J, Blaisdell TP, Panarese J, Shook BC, Or YS, Goodwin B, Lin K. EDP-938, a novel nucleoprotein inhibitor of respiratory syncytial virus, demonstrates potent antiviral activities in vitro and in a non-human primate model. PLoS Pathog. 2021 03; 17(3):e1009428.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 33720995; PMCID: PMC7993833; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009428;

Blanchard EL, Braun MR, Lifland AW, Ludeke B, Noton SL, Vanover D, Zurla C, Fearns R, Santangelo PJ. Polymerase-tagged respiratory syncytial virus reveals a dynamic rearrangement of the ribonucleocapsid complex during infection. PLoS Pathog. 2020 10; 16(10):e1008987.View Related Profiles.

Braun, Molly
Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 33031461; PMCID: PMC7575074; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008987;

Kleiner VA, Fearns R. RSV M2-1 Protein in Complex with RNA: Old Questions Are Answered and a New One Emerges. Structure. 2020 09 01; 28(9):977-978. PMID: 32877647

Pan J, Qian X, Lattmann S, El Sahili A, Yeo TH, Jia H, Cressey T, Ludeke B, Noton S, Kalocsay M, Fearns R, Lescar J. Structure of the human metapneumovirus polymerase phosphoprotein complex. Nature. 2020 01; 577(7789):275-279.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 31698413; PMCID: PMC6949429; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1759-1;

Ludeke B, Fearns R. The respiratory syncytial virus polymerase can perform RNA synthesis with modified primers and nucleotide analogs. Virology. 2020 01 15; 540:66-74. PMID: 31739186; PMCID: PMC7737601; DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.11.002;

Fearns R. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus Polymerase: A Multitasking Machine. Trends Microbiol. 2019 12; 27(12):969-971. PMID: 31672264

Deflubé LR, Cressey TN, Hume AJ, Olejnik J, Haddock E, Feldmann F, Ebihara H, Fearns R, Mühlberger E. Ebolavirus polymerase uses an unconventional genome replication mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 04 23; 116(17):8535-8543.View Related Profiles.

Hume, Adam
Muhlberger, Elke
Olejnik, Judith
Deflube, Laure
Fearns, Rachel

PMID: 30962389; PMCID: PMC6486738; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1815745116;

Noton SL, Tremaglio CZ, Fearns R. Killing two birds with one stone: How the respiratory syncytial virus polymerase initiates transcription and replication. PLoS Pathog. 2019 02; 15(2):e1007548.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 30817806; PMCID: PMC6394897; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007548;

Badolo A, Burt F, Daniel S, Fearns R, Gudo ES, Kielian M, Lescar J, Shi Y, von Brunn A, Weiss SR, Hilgenfeld R. Third Tofo Advanced Study Week on Emerging and Re-emerging Viruses, 2018. Antiviral Res. 2019 02; 162:142-150. PMID: 30597184; PMCID: PMC7132404; DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.12.015;

Showing 10 of 51 results. Show More

Cox RM, Toots M, Yoon JJ, Sourimant J, Ludeke B, Fearns R, Bourque E, Patti J, Lee E, Vernachio J, Plemper RK. Development of an allosteric inhibitor class blocking RNA elongation by the respiratory syncytial virus polymerase complex. J Biol Chem. 2018 10 26; 293(43):16761-16777. PMID: 30206124; PMCID: PMC6204889; DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.004862;

Cressey TN, Noton SL, Nagendra K, Braun MR, Fearns R. Mechanism for de novo initiation at two sites in the respiratory syncytial virus promoter. Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 07 27; 46(13):6785-6796.View Related Profiles.

Braun, Molly
Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 29873775; PMCID: PMC6061868; DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky480;

Yoon JJ, Toots M, Lee S, Lee ME, Ludeke B, Luczo JM, Ganti K, Cox RM, Sticher ZM, Edpuganti V, Mitchell DG, Lockwood MA, Kolykhalov AA, Greninger AL, Moore ML, Painter GR, Lowen AC, Tompkins SM, Fearns R, Natchus MG, Plemper RK. Orally Efficacious Broad-Spectrum Ribonucleoside Analog Inhibitor of Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Viruses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 08; 62(8). PMID: 29891600; PMCID: PMC6105843; DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00766-18;

Atienza BJP, Jensen LD, Noton SL, Ansalem AKV, Hobman T, Fearns R, Marchant DJ, West FG. Dual Catalytic Synthesis of Antiviral Compounds Based on Metallocarbene-Azide Cascade Chemistry. J Org Chem. 2018 07 06; 83(13):6829-6842.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 29663810

Braun MR, Deflubé LR, Noton SL, Mawhorter ME, Tremaglio CZ, Fearns R. RNA elongation by respiratory syncytial virus polymerase is calibrated by conserved region V. PLoS Pathog. 2017 12; 13(12):e1006803.View Related Profiles.

Deflube, Laure
Braun, Molly
Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 29281742; PMCID: PMC5760109; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006803;

Fearns R, Plemper RK. Polymerases of paramyxoviruses and pneumoviruses. Virus Res. 2017 Apr 15; 234:87-102. PMID: 28104450; PMCID: PMC5476513; DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2017.01.008;

Fearns R, Deval J. New antiviral approaches for respiratory syncytial virus and other mononegaviruses: Inhibiting the RNA polymerase. Antiviral Res. 2016 Oct; 134:63-76. PMID: 27575793; DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2016.08.006;

Aljabr W, Touzelet O, Pollakis G, Wu W, Munday DC, Hughes M, Hertz-Fowler C, Kenny J, Fearns R, Barr JN, Matthews DA, Hiscox JA. Investigating the Influence of Ribavirin on Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus RNA Synthesis by Using a High-Resolution Transcriptome Sequencing Approach. J Virol. 2016 May 15; 90(10):4876-88. PMID: 26656699; PMCID: PMC4859727; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02349-15;

Duvall JR, VerPlank L, Ludeke B, McLeod SM, Lee MD, Vishwanathan K, Mulrooney CA, Le Quement S, Yu Q, Palmer MA, Fleming P, Fearns R, Foley MA, Scherer CA. Novel diversity-oriented synthesis-derived respiratory syncytial virus inhibitors identified via a high throughput replicon-based screen. Antiviral Res. 2016 Jul; 131:19-25. PMID: 27059228; PMCID: PMC4937797; DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2016.03.015;

Warren TK, Jordan R, Lo MK, Ray AS, Mackman RL, Soloveva V, Siegel D, Perron M, Bannister R, Hui HC, Larson N, Strickley R, Wells J, Stuthman KS, Van Tongeren SA, Garza NL, Donnelly G, Shurtleff AC, Retterer CJ, Gharaibeh D, Zamani R, Kenny T, Eaton BP, Grimes E, Welch LS, Gomba L, Wilhelmsen CL, Nichols DK, Nuss JE, Nagle ER, Kugelman JR, Palacios G, Doerffler E, Neville S, Carra E, Clarke MO, Zhang L, Lew W, Ross B, Wang Q, Chun K, Wolfe L, Babusis D, Park Y, Stray KM, Trancheva I, Feng JY, Barauskas O, Xu Y, Wong P, Braun MR, Flint M, McMullan LK, Chen SS, Fearns R, Swaminathan S, Mayers DL, Spiropoulou CF, Lee WA, Nichol ST, Cihlar T, Bavari S. Therapeutic efficacy of the small molecule GS-5734 against Ebola virus in rhesus monkeys. Nature. 2016 Mar 17; 531(7594):381-5.View Related Profiles.

Braun, Molly
Fearns, Rachel

PMID: 26934220; PMCID: PMC5551389; DOI: 10.1038/nature17180;

McCutcheon KM, Jordan R, Mawhorter ME, Noton SL, Powers JG, Fearns R, Cihlar T, Perron M. The Interferon Type I/III Response to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Airway Epithelial Cells Can Be Attenuated or Amplified by Antiviral Treatment. J Virol. 2016 Feb; 90(4):1705-17.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 26608311; PMCID: PMC4733981; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02417-15;

Deval J, Hong J, Wang G, Taylor J, Smith LK, Fung A, Stevens SK, Liu H, Jin Z, Dyatkina N, Prhavc M, Stoycheva AD, Serebryany V, Liu J, Smith DB, Tam Y, Zhang Q, Moore ML, Fearns R, Chanda SM, Blatt LM, Symons JA, Beigelman L. Molecular Basis for the Selective Inhibition of Respiratory Syncytial Virus RNA Polymerase by 2'-Fluoro-4'-Chloromethyl-Cytidine Triphosphate. PLoS Pathog. 2015 Jun; 11(6):e1004995. PMID: 26098424; PMCID: PMC4476725; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004995;

Noton SL, Nagendra K, Dunn EF, Mawhorter ME, Yu Q, Fearns R. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Inhibitor AZ-27 Differentially Inhibits Different Polymerase Activities at the Promoter. J Virol. 2015 Aug; 89(15):7786-98.View Related Profiles.

Dunn, Ewan
Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 25995255; PMCID: PMC4505683; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00530-15;

Dickey LL, Duncan JK, Hanley TM, Fearns R. Decapping protein 1 phosphorylation modulates IL-8 expression during respiratory syncytial virus infection. Virology. 2015 Jul; 481:199-209. PMID: 25796077; PMCID: PMC4437874; DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2015.02.043;

Noton SL, Fearns R. Initiation and regulation of paramyxovirus transcription and replication. Virology. 2015 May; 479-480:545-54.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 25683441; PMCID: PMC4424093; DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2015.01.014;

Munday DC, Wu W, Smith N, Fix J, Noton SL, Galloux M, Touzelet O, Armstrong SD, Dawson JM, Aljabr W, Easton AJ, Rameix-Welti MA, de Oliveira AP, Simabuco FM, Ventura AM, Hughes DJ, Barr JN, Fearns R, Digard P, Eléouët JF, Hiscox JA. Interactome analysis of the human respiratory syncytial virus RNA polymerase complex identifies protein chaperones as important cofactors that promote L-protein stability and RNA synthesis. J Virol. 2015 Jan 15; 89(2):917-30.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 25355874; PMCID: PMC4300676; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.01783-14;

Persson BD, Jaffe AB, Fearns R, Danahay H. Respiratory syncytial virus can infect basal cells and alter human airway epithelial differentiation. PLoS One. 2014; 9(7):e102368. PMID: 25033192; PMCID: PMC4102526; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102368;

Noton SL, Aljabr W, Hiscox JA, Matthews DA, Fearns R. Factors affecting de novo RNA synthesis and back-priming by the respiratory syncytial virus polymerase. Virology. 2014 Aug; 462-463:318-27.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 25010481; PMCID: PMC4125506; DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.05.032;

Tremaglio CZ, Noton SL, Deflubé LR, Fearns R. Respiratory syncytial virus polymerase can initiate transcription from position 3 of the leader promoter. J Virol. 2013 Mar; 87(6):3196-207.View Related Profiles.

Tremaglio, Chadene
Deflube, Laure
Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 23283954; PMCID: PMC3592119; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.02862-12;

Collins PL, Fearns R, Graham BS. Respiratory syncytial virus: virology, reverse genetics, and pathogenesis of disease. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2013; 372:3-38. PMID: 24362682; PMCID: PMC4794264; DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-38919-1_1;

Noton SL, Deflubé LR, Tremaglio CZ, Fearns R. The respiratory syncytial virus polymerase has multiple RNA synthesis activities at the promoter. PLoS Pathog. 2012; 8(10):e1002980.View Related Profiles.

Tremaglio, Chadene
Deflube, Laure
Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 23093940; PMCID: PMC3475672; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002980;

Noton SL, Fearns R. The first two nucleotides of the respiratory syncytial virus antigenome RNA replication product can be selected independently of the promoter terminus. RNA. 2011 Oct; 17(10):1895-906.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 21878549; PMCID: PMC3185921; DOI: 10.1261/rna.2813411;

Hanley LL, McGivern DR, Teng MN, Djang R, Collins PL, Fearns R. Roles of the respiratory syncytial virus trailer region: effects of mutations on genome production and stress granule formation. Virology. 2010 Oct 25; 406(2):241-52. PMID: 20701943; PMCID: PMC2971657; DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2010.07.006;

Noton SL, Cowton VM, Zack CR, McGivern DR, Fearns R. Evidence that the polymerase of respiratory syncytial virus initiates RNA replication in a nontemplated fashion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jun 1; 107(22):10226-31.View Related Profiles.

Fearns, Rachel
Noton, Sarah

PMID: 20479224; PMCID: PMC2890450; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0913065107;

Barr JN, Fearns R. How RNA viruses maintain their genome integrity. J Gen Virol. 2010 Jun; 91(Pt 6):1373-87. PMID: 20335491; DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.020818-0;

Dunn EF, Fearns R, Connor JH. Akt inhibitor Akt-IV blocks virus replication through an Akt-independent mechanism. J Virol. 2009 Nov; 83(22):11665-72.View Related Profiles.

Dunn, Ewan
Connor, John
Fearns, Rachel

PMID: 19740993; PMCID: PMC2772702; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.01092-09;

Gallacher M, Brown SG, Hale BG, Fearns R, Olver RE, Randall RE, Wilson SM. Cation currents in human airway epithelial cells induced by infection with influenza A virus. J Physiol. 2009 Jul 1; 587(Pt 13):3159-73. PMID: 19403603; PMCID: PMC2727029; DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2009.171223;

Cowton VM, McGivern DR, Fearns R. Unravelling the complexities of respiratory syncytial virus RNA synthesis. J Gen Virol. 2006 Jul; 87(Pt 7):1805-21. PMID: 16760383

Carlos TS, Fearns R, Randall RE. Interferon-induced alterations in the pattern of parainfluenza virus 5 transcription and protein synthesis and the induction of virus inclusion bodies. J Virol. 2005 Nov; 79(22):14112-21. PMID: 16254346; PMCID: PMC1280230; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.79.22.14112-14121.2005;

Cowton VM, Fearns R. Evidence that the respiratory syncytial virus polymerase is recruited to nucleotides 1 to 11 at the 3' end of the nucleocapsid and can scan to access internal signals. J Virol. 2005 Sep; 79(17):11311-22. PMID: 16103183; PMCID: PMC1193587; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.79.17.11311-11322.2005;

McGivern DR, Collins PL, Fearns R. Identification of internal sequences in the 3' leader region of human respiratory syncytial virus that enhance transcription and confer replication processivity. J Virol. 2005 Feb; 79(4):2449-60. PMID: 15681446; PMCID: PMC546581; DOI: 10.1128/JVI.79.4.2449-2460.2005;

Fearns R, Peeples ME, Collins PL. Mapping the transcription and replication promoters of respiratory syncytial virus. J Virol. 2002 Feb; 76(4):1663-72. PMID: 11799161; PMCID: PMC135899

Fearns R, Collins PL, Peeples ME. Functional analysis of the genomic and antigenomic promoters of human respiratory syncytial virus. J Virol. 2000 Jul; 74(13):6006-14. PMID: 10846082; PMCID: PMC112097

Fearns R, Collins PL. Role of the M2-1 transcription antitermination protein of respiratory syncytial virus in sequential transcription. J Virol. 1999 Jul; 73(7):5852-64. PMID: 10364337; PMCID: PMC112646

Collins PL, Whitehead SS, Bukreyev A, Fearns R, Teng MN, Juhasz K, Chanock RM, Murphy BR. Rational design of live-attenuated recombinant vaccine virus for human respiratory syncytial virus by reverse genetics. Adv Virus Res. 1999; 54:423-51. PMID: 10547682

Fearns R, Collins PL. Model for polymerase access to the overlapped L gene of respiratory syncytial virus. J Virol. 1999 Jan; 73(1):388-97. PMID: 9847343; PMCID: PMC103844

Fearns R, Peeples ME, Collins PL. Increased expression of the N protein of respiratory syncytial virus stimulates minigenome replication but does not alter the balance between the synthesis of mRNA and antigenome. Virology. 1997 Sep 15; 236(1):188-201. PMID: 9299631

Kuo L, Fearns R, Collins PL. Analysis of the gene start and gene end signals of human respiratory syncytial virus: quasi-templated initiation at position 1 of the encoded mRNA. J Virol. 1997 Jul; 71(7):4944-53. PMID: 9188557; PMCID: PMC191725

Kuo L, Fearns R, Collins PL. The structurally diverse intergenic regions of respiratory syncytial virus do not modulate sequential transcription by a dicistronic minigenome. J Virol. 1996 Sep; 70(9):6143-50. PMID: 8709239; PMCID: PMC190637

Precious B, Young DF, Bermingham A, Fearns R, Ryan M, Randall RE. Inducible expression of the P, V, and NP genes of the paramyxovirus simian virus 5 in cell lines and an examination of NP-P and NP-V interactions. J Virol. 1995 Dec; 69(12):8001-10. PMID: 7494313; PMCID: PMC189745

Fearns R, Young DF, Randall RE. Evidence that the paramyxovirus simian virus 5 can establish quiescent infections by remaining inactive in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. J Gen Virol. 1994 Dec; 75 ( Pt 12):3525-39. PMID: 7996144

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 51 publications over 22 distinct years, with a maximum of 5 publications in 2015 and 2018 and 2019