# MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS OF VIRUSES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY · 1987 · $97,040

## Abstract

The central objective of the proposed research is to determine the
molecular basis for protein-nucleic acid recognition which leads to the
proper assembly and stability of simple plant and bacterial viruses.  The
specific aims are:  (i) to determine the secondary structures and
conformations of nucleic acid and protein molecules in viruses, (ii) to
identify the specific molecular subgroups which are responsible for
intermolecular and intramolecular interactions in viruses, and (iii) to
identify chemical factors, such as pH, ionic composition and the like,
which control the proper assembly and disassembly of viruses.  The above
aims will be pursued primarily by laser-Raman spectroscopy of mature
virions, of precursor particles isolated during plant virus or phage
morphogenesis, and of purified capsid, procapsid, tail-spike and
DNA-binding proteins.  Viruses and viral components will also be
investigated by electron microscopy and complementary spectroscopic
methods.  The interpretation of results on viruses will be aided by
parallel studies of model nucleic acids and nucleoproteins.  The data of
Raman spectroscopy will be collected on a newly constructed and
computerized laser Raman spectrometer employing both visible and
near-ultraviolet lasers.  The viruses targeted for initial study include
representative filamentous viruses (fd, Ifl, Ike, Pfl, Xf, Pf3 and Cf), ds
DNA viruses (P22 and T7), and RNA plant viruses (TMV and CCMV).  The
gp5-DNA complex of fd and corresponding complexes involving DNA binding
proteins of other filamentous viruses will also be investigated.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125046
- **Project number:** 7R01AI011855-13
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** J9CDGR596MN3
- **Principal Investigator:** George J Thomas
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $97,040
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 1987-09-01 → 1988-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125046

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125046, MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS OF VIRUSES (7R01AI011855-13). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125046. Licensed CC0.

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