Newly funded: Assessing COVID-19 virus-host interactions

Of the four structural proteins that make up human coronaviruses, the envelope (E) protein is currently the least understood by scientists. However, certain aspects of the E proteins of SARS-CoV-1 (which caused the 2003 SARS pandemic) and SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19) suggest that the E protein on these two viruses share similar functions. The SARS-CoV-1 E protein specifically interacts with two key proteins found in the virus-infected cell (syntenin and PALS1). Together, these interactions contribute significantly to disease pathologies, such as immune over-reaction and lung inflammation and injury, which are the hallmarks of both SARS and COVID-19 diseases. To better understand how the E protein in SARS-CoV-2 interacts with syntenin and PALS1, doctoral students Hannah Murphy and Da Di are working in the laboratory of Professor Hinh Ly, MA, PhD on two projects that were recently funded by the UMN COVID-19 Rapid Response Research Grants program. Murphy aims to assess the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 E protein with syntenin and PALS 1 in human lung cells. Di is setting out to develop novel tests to screen for compounds that can disrupt these protein-protein interactions. Together, the findings from these two studies could lead to treatments to mitigate the current COVID-19 pandemic. The funding begins August 15, 2020 and ends August 14, 2021.