RAPID: NMR Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins

Biological Sciences - The award to the University of Connecticut supports research that will help in understanding the role of non-structural proteins in the SARS-COV-2 virus. The researchers will use advanced chemical analytic techniques to look at protein structure in solution to complement other on-going research that looks at either frozen or crystallized protein samples. Results from these studies will contribute vital information to our understanding of SARS-COV-2 biology and may help to inform on the selection and development of therapeutic treatments. Data from these studies will be rapidly disseminated through publicly available repositories as part of the broader impact plan so that other researchers can leverage the experimental outcomes in their own studies. The resources and data will also be used to support graduate student training activities. The study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and shared at scientific meetings.

This project will use heterologous protein expression systems and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to investigate the role of non-structural proteins encoded by the SARS-COV-2 genome. Empirical assessment of dynamics and disorder in solution using NMR spectroscopy will be used to complement or validate predictions based on crystal structures, and yield insight into catalytic mechanism, allosteric regulation, and antigenicity. Chemical shift profiling studies will be performed to aid in the identification of metabolites that bind to SARS-CoV-2 proteins to advance functional annotation. Resources and data generated from this study will be deposited in the Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank (BMRB) or shared through other means as a public resource. This RAPID award is made by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) using funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.