Structural biology: expression and structural characterization of proteins from Tomato chlorosis virus

• Grant number: 09/12716-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2010
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Molecular Biophysics
• Principal Investigator: Raghuvir Krishnaswamy Arni
• Grantee: Luana Gonçales Garcia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Viral replication involves the entry of the virus in the plant cell and hijacking of the host machinery for the production of proteins necessary for the formation of new viral particles. Molecular studies of plant viruses has led to the sequencing of RNAs, the detection of subgenomic RNAs and determination of the strategy for expression of the virus genome. However, many aspects regarding the function and structure of some proteins and their relationship with the viral replication cycle, are still unknown. This project aims to produce, in the native state, two structural proteins encoded by RNA 2 of Tomato chlorosis virus: Capsid protein (CP) with a molecular mass of 29 kDa (minor) and the major protein (cpm) with a molecular mass of 76 kDa, in Escherichia coli, targeting to obtain the proteins in large quantities (milligrams) with a high degree of purity for crystallization trials to determine their three-dimensional structures at high resolution, and thus shed light on their mechanisms and modes of operation.Furthermore, the purified proteins will also be used for the production of specific antisera in order for the detection of viruses in plants. These two proteins may also be involved in viral movement between cells (short-distance spreading of the virus in plants). (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

GARCIA, Luana Gonçales. Biologia estrutural: expressão e caracterização estrutural da proteína 25K do Cole latent virus. 2012. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências Letras e Ciências Exatas. São José do Rio Preto São José do Rio Preto.