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Dr John Walter, our artist in residence, holds a Wellcome Trust Large Arts Award "CAPSID" with Greg. John's work is bright, witty, intelligent and sometimes hilariously inappropriate.

CAPSID

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Triskelia from the Co-factor series. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Co-Factor (Triskelia), Silk screen, acrylic and paint pen on canvas with metal eyelets, 2.13 x 5m, 2017

 

Prof Greg Towers and Dr John Walter pose with capsid
John has embedded himself in the lab, attending lab meetings and discussing our projects with us. John uses his relationship with the lab to create a body of work that explores capsid structure, molecular virology and the culture and process of discovery science, all building on his long standing interest in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. John's work goes way beyond illustration and our collaboration is very much two way. The discussions have been enormously helpful for our efforts to understand how capsids work. His questions have directly led us to new lines of investigation. Beyond our lab, John has spoken to academic colleagues and undergraduate students, creating a real buzz, and challenging his audiences to broaden their thinking. It's fantastic to have him around. John uses a wide variety of media including costumes, books, paintings, sculpture, and films.

Prof Greg Towers and Dr Richard Milne test the onesies for the film 'A Virus Walks into a Bar'

The examples on this page will be featured in the CAPSID exhibition from 17 May until 8 July 2018 at CGP London's galleries, (The Gallery and Dilston Grove in Southwark Park). And at 'Home' in Manchester from 10 November 2018 - 6 January 2019.

For more information on the project visit John's website's Capsid page. You can also read the articles in:

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More of John's work can be seen at his website www.johnwalter.net.

 

 

BSc students at John's teaching session: How to present your science to non experts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viruses evade our intracellular defenses through a process we call cloaking.

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Large painting. Cloak.. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Cloak, Ink and Acrylic on paper, 154 x 244cm, 2016

 

 

Stills from the film 'Virus Walks Into A Bar' (2018) with cameos from some of the Towers group! Viral entry receptors in yellow. Innate immune pattern recognition receptors in pink.

 

Capsid arrives at the bar.

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Still from the film 'A Virus Walks Into A Bar' Image by Jonathan Bassett

 

Viral DNA synthesis

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Still from the film 'A Virus Walks Into A Bar' showing reverse transcription. Image by Jonathan Bassett

    

 

Capsid would like a drink of CPSF6. He's uncoating at the Nuclear Pore Complex (bar).

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Still from the film 'A Virus Walks Into A Bar' Image by Jonathan Bassett

 

Capsid is looking to recruit his cofactors                                                                  

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Still from the film 'A Virus Walks Into A Bar' Image by Jonathan Bassett

 

 

 

Are pentamers important for cofactor binding, do we have a good pentamer structure?

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Pentamer Crisis. Image by Jonathan Bassett
The Pentamer Crisis, Acrylic, Ormoline, paint pen, ink and tipex on point of sale paper, 2017.

Can you tell what a protein is by looking at its structure? Eg the CA hexamer. We don't think so.

Artwork by Dr John Walter. 'Fists' the blue hand. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Fist (Triskelion), Vacuum metalised object and novelty drinking fist, 36 x 57 x 15cm, 2018.

 

 

The process by which newly formed viruses leave infected cells is called budding. We work on a protein called tetherin that tethers the new virions preventing them from leaving to infect new cells.

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Budding (googly eyes). Image by Jonathan Bassett

Budding (googly eyes). Acrylic, ink, PVA, expanding foam filler, doll, organza, shrinkies, papier-mâché, silicone, foam and floam on circular canvas. 87 x 140 x 10cm

 

What are the capsid hexamers for? Do they import nucleotides to fuel encapsidated DNA synthesis, or not?                                                                          

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Palimpsest. Image by Jonathan Bassett
In The Hex, Carbon paper, ink, watercolour, paint pen, metallic marker, pencil and crayon on paper, 56 x 76cm, 2017

 

 

Does HIV-1 only have 1 packaging sequence or are there lots of RNA-CA contacts? Is this how RT influences uncoating? Very interesting questions.

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Packaging Sequencing. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Packaging Sequence, Silkscreen on paper with monoprint, 92 x 122cm, 2017.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Artwork by Dr John Walter. The RNA book. Image by Jonathan Bassett
A page from The RNA book, Artist’s book of 52 double-paged paintings; mixed media on paper, opens to 56 x 76cm, 2018.

 

 

Cofactors are non viral proteins that help the virus infect cells. Host proteins often changes the shape of the viral protein in a process called allostery. What allosteric effects does CypA have on the HIV hexamer?

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Co-Factor from allostery. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Allostery Screenprint, 2017 Silkscreens on paper with monoprint (unique), 152.4cm x 244cm

 

 

Two pictures from the Cytoplasm series. Chaos or totally organised. How does HIV-1 see it?

Artwork by Dr John Walter. From the Cytoplasm series. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Cytoplasm (Glitter Turd), Acrylic and Silkscreen on canvas, 2.13 x 2m, 2017.

Artwork by Dr John Walter. From the Cytoplasm series. Image by Jonathan Bassett
Cytoplasm (Black Hexamers), Acrylic and Silkscreen on canvas, 2.13 x 2m, 2017.

 

 

Viral cofactors or restriction factors - hospitality or hostility? Or both?

Artwork by Dr John Walter. Large painting on paper. Hopsitality. Image by Jonathan Bassett
HOSPITALITY / HOSTILITY, Ink, acrylic and pen paint on paper, 154 x 244cm, 2016.

 

CAPSID at 'Home', Manchester

CAPSID has opened at the 'Home' Gallery in Manchester with over 1000 people through the doors on its first day providing the Gallery with its most successful opening to date.

Descriptive text for the CAPSID exhibition at 'Home' Manchester

Greg and John at the CAPSID exhibition at 'Home' in Manchester

 

Greg and John at the CAPSID exhibition at 'Home' in Manchester

CAPSID Exhibition at 'Home' in Manchester. Photo credit Lee Baxter