# VIRAL MEMBRANE AND GLYCOPROTEIN STRUCTURE

> **NIH NIH R01** · HARVARD UNIVERSITY · 1988 · $155,304

## Abstract

The influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein is being studied as a
prototype membrane surface antigen.  X-ray crystallographic, Electron
microscopic, and biochemical studies are proposed to investigate the
functions of this protein on the viral membrane surface, and to learn how
those functions contribute to recurrent epidemics in man.

How the virus binds to a target cell is being studied by X-ray structural
studies of wild type and mutant HAs with altered receptor specificities,
complexed with receptor analogs and receptor fragments.

The mechanism of membrane fusion mediated by the HA to effect viral
penetration into a host cell is being studied by X-ray studies of a fusion
inactive precursor HAO, by crystallization studies of protein-detergent
complexes and EM image analysis of the hydrophobic, fusion-active HA
conformation, and by calculations and modifications on mutant HAs.

The interaction of the HA with molecules of the human immune system is
being studied by structural studies of antigenic variants, both monoclonal
antibody selected and natural.  This includes the production of novel
antigenic types by molecular cloning.

Attempts will be made to crystallize an antibody-antigen complex suitable
for X-ray analysis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125525
- **Project number:** 5R01AI013654-12
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** LN53LCFJFL45
- **Principal Investigator:** DON C WILEY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $155,304
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1977-01-01 → 1989-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125525

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125525, VIRAL MEMBRANE AND GLYCOPROTEIN STRUCTURE (5R01AI013654-12). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125525. Licensed CC0.

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