# RNA-ENVELOPE VIRUS FORMATION IN ANIMAL CELLS

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 1990 · $193,489

## Abstract

Enveloped RNA viruses are the etiological agents for several
important human diseases, including acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), influenza (Influenza
Virus), lower respiratory disease in children (Respiratory
Syncytial Virus) and dengue fever (Dengue Virus).  Although these
viruses are distinct with regard to the structure of their RNA
genome and employ different strategies in their replication in
host cells, they share several activities and properties in
common.  One of these occurs in the final stages of virus
replication when virus nucleocapsids or nucleoproteins interact
with virus-specific transmembranal glycoproteins to initiate the
assembly of newly replicated viruses.  This end-stage of the
virus replication cycle is clearly essential for virus growth and
spread, yet little is known about the detailed biochemistry of
enveloped virus assembly.  Much of the experimental work proposed
in this grant application focuses on virus assembly and utilizes
a model virus system which has proved to be highly amenable to a
molecular biology study of virus replication.  The virus is
Sindbis, an alphavirus whose complete genome of 11,700
nucleotides has been cloned as a cDNA which, upon in vitro
transcription, produces a precise copy of the genome RNA that is
infectious in tissue culture cells and gives rise to progeny
virus.  The power of this system lies in the ability to prepare
site-directed mutations in those regions of the virus genome
which code for proteins that function in virus assembly.
Experiments performed thus far with this system have yielded
mutants whose phenotypes are indicative of defects in very late
stages of virus replication and affect the budding process.  I
propose to continue and extend these studies in order to obtain a
molecular description of virus nucleocapsid interactions with
glycoproteins.  A new collaborative project will be initiated.
Its objective is to obtain a detailed atomic structure of intact
Sindbis virus derived from analyses of diffraction patterns from
virus crystals. Results from these studies are expected to reveal
new information about enveloped virus structure and assembly and
should offer new insights into the design of effective antiviral
agents.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3128838
- **Project number:** 2R01AI019494-18
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** L6NFUM28LQM5
- **Principal Investigator:** MILTON J SCHLESINGER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $193,489
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1982-04-01 → 1994-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3128838

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3128838, RNA-ENVELOPE VIRUS FORMATION IN ANIMAL CELLS (2R01AI019494-18). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3128838. Licensed CC0.

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