Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 1R21AI183054-01A1
Formation of a Novel SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Dimer: Impacts on Viral and Cellular Processes
Recipient
University of Vermont & St. College
Award Amount
$438,983.00
Ceiling
$438,983.00
Awarded
July 08, 2025
Identifier
1R21AI183054-01A1
Research project investigating how stable nucleocapsid dimer formation in SARS-CoV-2 affects viral replication and transmission, focusing on cysteine mutations in the nucleocapsid protein.
Description
This project studies the biological impact of stable nucleocapsid (N) dimer formation during SARS-CoV-2 infection by characterizing viral growth kinetics in vitro and in vivo, as well as the effect on viral fitness and transmission in the hamster model. The research focuses on mutations introducing cysteine residues in the N protein linker region, which facilitate stable N-N dimer formation, potentially increasing viral replication efficiency and transmission.