Design of different fragments of SARS-CoV-2 surface protein spike for the development of fast diagnostic test and vaccine

• Grant number: 20/04680-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2020 - December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo Carvalho
• Grantee: Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/17303-7 - Structure and function of bacterial secretion systems, AP.TEM

Abstract

Our research group, in collaboration with researcher Dr. Edison Durigon of ICB USP, is developing a fast diagnostic tests to detect COVID-19. For this, we have already clone and express 4 fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 surface protein spike and have shown to be immonogenic against the serum of a human patient. For the production of the fast diagnostic test, proteins were produced on a large scale to inoculate in three animals (rat, rabbit and goat). We started inoculating three proteins in rats, goats and rabbits. The forecast is that in 21 days we will have enough serum to produce the first rapid tests. Due to the demand and urgency in the production of these fragments of the spike, I am coordinating a task force that also involves Prof. Shaker Chuck Farah to produce the 4 spike fragments in large scale both to continue inoculation in animals and to do other tests. We have also already synthesised new oligo to build 4 more fragments of the virus's spike protein to try to obtain soluble proteins for vaccine development, this part of the project will be done in collaboration with Prof. Durigon and with Profa. Dra. Ana Marcia also from ICB USP. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DANIELLE BASTOS ARAUJO; RAFAEL RAHAL GUARAGNA MACHADO; DEYVID EMANUEL AMGARTEN; FERNANDA DE MELLO MALTA; GABRIEL GUARANY DE ARAUJO; CAIRO OLIVEIRA MONTEIRO; ERIKA DONIZETTI CANDIDO; CAMILA PEREIRA SOARES; FERNANDO GATTI DE MENEZES; ANA CAROLINA CORNACHIONI PIRES; et al. SARS-CoV-2 isolation from the first reported patients in Brazil and establishment of a coordinated task network. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, v. 115, 2020-10-23. (16/20045-7, 17/24769-2, 18/21076-9, 20/04680-0, 17/25123-9, 20/06409-1, 18/23680-0)

DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; DE FREITAS AMORIM, VITOR MARTINS; GUARDIA, GABRIELA D. A.; DOS SANTOS, FILIPE F.; ULRICH, HENNING; GALANTE, PEDRO A. F.; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants of Concern: A Perspective for Emerging More Transmissible and Vaccine-Resistant Strains. Viruses-Basel, v. 14, n. 4, p. 21-pg., 2022-04-01. (18/07366-4, 20/06091-1, 19/00195-2, 16/09047-8, 20/14158-9, 20/04680-0, 17/18246-7, 17/19541-2, 18/15579-8)

DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; DE FREITAS AMORIM, VITOR MARTINS; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES. Molecular dynamics simulations of the spike trimeric ectodomain of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant: structural relationships with infectivity, evasion to immune system and transmissibility. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS, v. N/A, p. 18-pg., 2022-10-29. (20/04680-0, 21/00070-5, 19/00195-2, 16/09047-8)

VENTURA FERNANDES, BIANCA H.; FEITOSA, NATALIA MARTINS; BARBOSA, ANA PAULA; BOMFIM, CAMILA GASQUE; GARNIQUE, ANALI M. B.; ROSA, IVANA F.; RODRIGUES, MAIRA S.; DORETTO, LUCAS B.; COSTA, DANIEL F.; CAMARGO-DOS-SANTOS, BRUNO; et al. oxicity of spike fragments SARS-CoV-2 S protein for zebrafish: A tool to study its hazardous for human health. Science of The Total Environment, v. 813, MAR 20 2022. (19/00195-2, 18/07098-0, 20/05761-3, 17/17303-7, 20/04680-0, 14/04294-1, 19/21739-0, 19/19939-1, 19/18356-2, 19/14285-3, 19/12234-2)

DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; AMORIM, VITOR MARTINS DE FREITAS; GUARDIA, GABRIELA D. A.; DOS SANTOS, FELIPE R. C.; DOS SANTOS, FILIPE F.; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; JUVENAL, GUILHERME DE ARAUJO; HUANG, YIHUA; GE, PINGJU; JIANG, YINAN; et al. Molecular Dynamics Analysis of Fast-Spreading Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants and Their Effects on the Interaction with Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2. ACS OMEGA, v. 7, n. 35, p. 10-pg., 2022-08-24. (20/06091-1, 17/18246-7, 17/19541-2, 20/04680-0, 19/00195-2, 16/09047-8, 18/15579-8, 18/07366-4, 20/14158-9)

DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES. Quantitative structure-activity relationships, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations reveal drug repurposing candidates as potent SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS, JUL 2021. (20/04680-0, 19/00195-2, 16/09047-8)

DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES. Quantitative structure-activity relationships, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations reveal drug repurposing candidates as potent SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS, v. 40, n. 21, p. 18-pg., 2022-01-01. (19/00195-2, 16/09047-8, 20/04680-0)

MACHADO, RAFAEL R. G.; GLASER, TALITA; ARAUJO, DANIELLE B.; PETIZ, LYVIA LINTZMAIER; OLIVEIRA, DANIELLE B. L.; DURIGON, GIULIANA S.; LEAL, ALESSANDRA L.; PINHO, JOAO RENATO R.; FERREIRA, LUIS C. S.; ULRICH, HENNING; et al. Inhibition of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Replication by Hypertonic Saline Solution in Lung and Kidney Epithelial Cells. ACS PHARMACOLOGY & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE, v. 4, n. 5, p. 1514-1527, OCT 8 2021. (20/06409-1, 19/00195-2, 18/07366-4, 17/24769-2, 16/20045-7, 20/04680-0)