Education

Ph.D. in Virology, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu, Estonia, 2012

Current position

Research scientist at the Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Estonia

Publications (since 2005)

1. Das, P. K., Merits, A. and Lulla, A. (2014). Functional cross-talk between distant domains of chikungunya virus non-structural protein 2 is decisive for its RNA-modulating activity. J Biol Chem 289(9): 5635-5653.
   
2. Hallengard, D., Kakoulidou, M., Lulla, A., Kummerer, B. M., Johansson, D. X., Mutso, M., Lulla, V., Fazakerley, J. K., Roques, P., Le Grand, R., Merits, A. and Liljestrom, P. (2014). Novel attenuated Chikungunya vaccine candidates elicit protective immunity in C57BL/6 mice. J Virol 88(5): 2858-2866.
   
3. Nikonov, A., Molder, T., Sikut, R., Kiiver, K., Mannik, A., Toots, U., Lulla, A., Lulla, V., Utt, A., Merits, A. and Ustav, M. (2013). RIG-I and MDA-5 detection of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity restricts positive-strand RNA virus replication. PLoS Pathog 9(9): e1003610.
   
4. Varjak, M., Saul, S., Arike, L., Lulla, A., Peil, L. and Merits, A. (2013). Magnetic fractionation and proteomic dissection of cellular organelles occupied by the late replication complexes of Semliki Forest virus. J Virol 87(18): 10295-10312
   
5. Lulla, V., Karo-Astover, L., Rausalu, K., Merits, A. and Lulla, A. (2013). Presentation overrides specificity: probing the plasticity of alphaviral proteolytic activity through mutational analysis. J Virol 87(18): 10207-10220.
   
6. Glasker, S., Lulla, A., Lulla, V., Couderc, T., Drexler, J. F., Liljestrom, P., Lecuit, M., Drosten, C., Merits, A. and Kummerer, B. M. (2013). Virus replicon particle based Chikungunya virus neutralization assay using Gaussia luciferase as readout. Virol J 10: 235.
   
7. Teo, T. H., Lum, F. M., Claser, C., Lulla, V., Lulla, A., Merits, A., Renia, L. and Ng, L. F. (2013). A pathogenic role for CD4⁺ T cells during Chikungunya virus infection in mice. J Immunol 190(1): 259-269.
   
8. Panas, M. D., Varjak, M., Lulla, A., Eng, K. E., Merits, A., Karlsson Hedestam, G. B. and McInerney, G. M. (2012). Sequestration of G3BP coupled with efficient translation inhibits stress granules in Semliki Forest virus infection. Mol Biol Cell 23(24): 4701-4712.
   
9. Teng, T. S., Foo, S. S., Simamarta, D., Lum, F. M., Teo, T. H., Lulla, A., Yeo, N. K., Koh, E. G., Chow, A., Leo, Y. S., Merits, A., Chin, K. C. and Ng, L. F. (2012). Viperin restricts chikungunya virus replication and pathology. J Clin Invest 122(12): 4447-4460.
   
10. Lulla, A., Lulla, V. and Merits, A. (2012). Macromolecular assembly-driven processing of the 2/3 cleavage site in the alphavirus replicase polyprotein. J Virol 86(1): 553-565.
    
11. Pohjala, L., Utt, A., Varjak, M., Lulla, A., Merits, A., Ahola, T. and Tammela, P. (2011). Inhibitors of alphavirus entry and replication identified with a stable Chikungunya replicon cell line and virus-based assays. PLoS One 6(12): e28923.
    
12. Barry, G., Fragkoudis, R., Ferguson, M. C., Lulla, A., Merits, A., Kohl, A. and Fazakerley, J. K. (2010). Semliki forest virus-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress accelerates apoptotic death of mammalian cells.
    
13. Lulla, V., Sawicki, D. L., Sawicki, S. G., Lulla, A., Merits, A. and Ahola, T. (2008). Molecular defects caused by temperature-sensitive mutations in Semliki Forest virus nsP1. J Virol 82(18): 9236-9244.
    
14. Tamberg, N., Lulla, V., Fragkoudis, R., Lulla, A., Fazakerley, J. K. and Merits, A. (2007). Insertion of EGFP into the replicase gene of Semliki Forest virus results in a novel, genetically stable marker virus. J Gen Virol 88(Pt 4): 1225-1230.
    
15. Lulla, A., Lulla, V., Tints, K., Ahola, T. and Merits, A. (2006). Molecular determinants of substrate specificity for Semliki Forest virus nonstructural protease. J Virol 80(11): 5413-5422.