# ANALYSIS OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS GENE PRODUCTS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 1989 · $159,655

## Abstract

Respiratory Syncytial (RS) Virus, a member of the paramyxovirus
family which contains many human and animal pathogens, is a
leading cause of serious pediatric respiratory disease.  Natural
infection with RS virus affords only partial protection and
repeated infections are frequent.  The RS virus RNA genome has
10 genes encoding 10 viral proteins.  Four of these RS virus
proteins have no direct counterparts among other paramyxovirus
proteins and the overall structural features of the attachment
protein G are unlike those of any known viral membrane protein.
The relationship between the distinctive molecular features of RS
virus and its unusual pathogenesis is unknown.  The purpose of the
work outlined here is to provide a concerted study of the
structure and biological function of the distinctive RS virus gene
products in order to understand their roles both in virus infection
and in the immune response to the virus.  The specific aims of the
grant are as follows:

1.  Analyse the role of individual structural features of the
polypeptide backbone of G in synthesis, maturation and transport.

2.  Analyze RS virus and RS virus G protein maturation in
polarized cells.

3.  Analyze the role of carbohydrate in the synthesis, maturation
and transport of G.

4.  Analyze the role of carbohydrate in the biological function of
G.

5.  Analyze the effect of carbohydrate on the immune response to
G.

6.  Characterize the structure of G by chemical and biophysical
means.

7.  Identify and analyze regions of G important in biological
function.

8.  Examine the function of the RS nonstructural proteins 1B and
1C, and the 1A and 22K proteins.

9.  Examine the role of the nonstructural proteins and the 1A and
22K proteins in infection and in cell mediated immune responses.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3129663
- **Project number:** 5R01AI020181-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **SAM.gov UEI:** YND4PLMC9AN7
- **Principal Investigator:** Gail Wiliams Wertz
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $159,655
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1987-02-01 → 1993-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3129663

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3129663, ANALYSIS OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS GENE PRODUCTS (5R01AI020181-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3129663. Licensed CC0.

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