How the coronavirus uses two ER membrane proteins to copy and exit human cells
How infectious SARS-CoV-2 exploits two ER membrane proteins to promote infection
This work will explain how SARS‑CoV‑2 uses two endoplasmic reticulum proteins to help it copy inside cells and leave them, which could point to new antiviral targets.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330355 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have COVID‑19, this lab is looking at how the virus hijacks two proteins in the cell's endoplasmic reticulum—RTN3 and SigmaR1—to replicate and to be secreted from human cells. Researchers will work with infectious SARS‑CoV‑2 in controlled laboratory settings using human cell systems and molecular biology tools to map where and how those proteins act. They will study RTN3's role in viral replication and SigmaR1's role in viral secretion to find specific steps the virus depends on. The goal is to identify weak points that drugs could block to reduce viral replication or spread.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is a laboratory project that does not enroll patients, but people who have had COVID‑19 or are willing to provide relevant samples could be involved in related sample collections or future clinical studies tied to these findings.
Not a fit: Patients who need immediate treatment or who do not have COVID‑19 are unlikely to receive direct or timely benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets for antiviral drugs that reduce SARS‑CoV‑2 replication or release from infected cells.
How similar studies have performed: Other laboratory studies have found host cell proteins that help SARS‑CoV‑2, but converting those findings into effective, approved antivirals has been limited so far.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tsai, Billy — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Tsai, Billy
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.