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
• Start date: April 01, 2020
• End date: 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

(14)

(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)

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)

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. (20/06409-1, 18/23680-0, 17/24769-2, 20/04680-0, 16/20045-7, 17/25123-9, 18/21076-9)

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 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)

DE ALMEIDA, MICHELLE TEIXEIRA; BARBOSA, ANA PAULA; BOMFIM, CAMILA GASQUE; VISNARDI, ALINE BIAZOLA; VINCES, TANIA CHURASACARI; CERONI, ALEXANDRE; DURIGON, EDISON LUIZ; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES. Obtaining a high titer of polyclonal antibodies from rats to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and its N- and C-terminal domains for diagnostic test development. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGICAL METHODS, v. 522, p. 9-pg., 2023-09-27. (21/10577-0, 19/21739-0, 22/08730-7, 20/14914-8, 19/00195-2, 16/09047-8, 20/04680-0)

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 SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES. Cooperative and structural relationships of the trimeric Spike with infectivity and antibody escape of the strains Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (BA.2, BA.5, and BQ.1). Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, v. 37, n. 12, p. 22-pg., 2023-10-04. (21/10577-0, 19/00195-2, 21/00070-5, 16/09047-8, 20/04680-0)

VISNARDI, ALINE BIAZOLA; RIBEIRO, RODOLFO ALVARENGA; DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; VINCES, TANIA GERALDINE CHURASACARI; LLONTOP, EDGAR E.; FERRARI, ANIELLE SALVIANO DE ALMEIDA; HENRIQUE, PEDRO ANTONIO FRANCA; VALDIVIESO, DANIELA; SANCHEZ-LIMACHE, DANIEL ENRIQUE; SILVA, GABRIELA ROBERTO; et al. Insertion of a Divergent GAF-like Domain Defines a Novel Family of YcgR Homologues That Bind c-di-GMP in Leptospirales. ACS OMEGA, v. 10, n. 4, p. 19-pg., 2025-01-21. (20/04680-0, 19/00195-2, 21/05262-0, 21/00070-5, 21/10577-0, 17/17303-7, 23/10432-7, 17/06394-1, 16/09047-8, 23/18211-0, 22/08730-7)

VINCES, TANIA CHURASACARI; DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA; CARVALHO, CECILIA F.; VISNARDI, ALINE BIAZOLA; TEIXEIRA, RAPHAEL D.; LLONTOP, EDGAR E.; BISMARA, BEATRIZ APARECIDA PASSOS; VICENTE, ELISABETE J.; PEREIRA, JOSE O.; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; et al. Monomeric Esterase: Insights into Cooperative Behavior, Hysteresis/Allokairy. BIOCHEMISTRY, v. 63, n. 9, p. 16-pg., 2024-04-26. (21/10577-0, 19/12234-2, 22/08730-7, 21/05262-0, 19/00195-2, 17/17303-7, 20/04680-0)

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)

SILVA, EVERIDIENE K. V. B.; BOMFIM, CAMILA G.; BARBOSA, ANA P.; NODA, PALOMA; NORONHA, IRENE L.; FERNANDES, BIANCA H. V.; MACHADO, RAFAEL R. G.; DURIGON, EDISON L.; CATANOZI, SERGIO; RODRIGUES, LETICIA G.; et al. Immunization with SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein triggers a pulmonary immune response in rats. PLoS One, v. 17, n. 5, p. 17-pg., 2022-05-24. (19/21739-0, 19/19939-1, 19/00195-2, 18/20403-6, 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)

AMORIM, VITOR MARTINS DE FREITAS; SOARES, EDUARDO PEREIRA; FERRARI, ANIELLE SALVIANO DE ALMEIDA; MERIGHI, DAVI GABRIEL SALUSTIANO; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GUZZO, CRISTIANE RODRIGUES; DE SOUZA, ANACLETO SILVA. 3-Chymotrypsin-like Protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2: Validation as a Molecular Target, Proposal of a Novel Catalytic Mechanism, and Inhibitors in Preclinical and Clinical Trials. Viruses-Basel, v. 16, n. 6, p. 22-pg., 2024-06-01. (21/10577-0, 22/08730-7, 19/00195-2, 21/00070-5, 23/13894-1, 16/09047-8, 20/04680-0)