How the virus packs its DNA into its shell
Official title: Structure and Function of Essential Nucleoprotein Complexes Along a Viral Genome Packaging Pathway
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11531828 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how viruses like phi lysis and herpesviruses finish packaging their DNA into the protein shell using ATP-powered enzymes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 1, 2018 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $6,032 |
| NIH project number | 3R01GM127365-08S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11531828 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly (basic virology/biochemistry study using model systems).
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefit expected from this basic science grant.
What this research studies
Researchers will study the terminase enzyme that drives genome packaging in large DNA viruses using the bacteriophage lambda system as a model. The project aims to understand how the packaging motor recognizes the DNA end, knows when enough DNA is inside, and how finishing proteins help release the enzyme after packaging. The work involves biochemical assays to observe initiation, motor movement, and termination steps, with a focus on the poorly characterized termination stage. Findings could reveal new details about viral assembly that might inform antiviral strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how viruses assemble could lead to new antiviral approaches that disrupt packaging.
How similar studies have gone: Phage lambda packaging has provided rigorous biochemical insights; this project seeks to extend those approaches to termination and final maturation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Catalano, Carlos Enrique — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Catalano, Carlos Enrique
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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.