Physics of virus assembly: energetics and dynamics

该奖项支持材料科学、软物质物理学和生物学领域的理论研究和教育。本研究的目的是阐明RNA在病毒颗粒形成中的作用。PI建议探索RNA对病毒颗粒组装的影响，重点关注其在衣壳内的分支结构和构型。本研究的目的是研究RNA在二十面体对称的球形衣壳和锥形结构的HIV衣壳形成中的作用。这将通过结合为支化聚合物开发的场论方法和静电相互作用的泊松-玻尔兹曼近似来实现。分析理论将通过蒙特卡罗和布朗动力学模拟得到扩充。该方法将被修改以研究未成熟HIV颗粒的形成动力学，膜变形动力学和衣壳蛋白运输。了解病毒外壳的形成可能会影响纳米科学、纳米技术和基因治疗等新兴领域的进展。特别是，这项研究可能有助于基于直接干扰感染性病毒颗粒组装的替代抗病毒策略。该奖项将有助于教育和培训本科生，研究生和研究生在一个多学科的环境中，为他们提供软凝聚态物质和生物物理学的专业知识。PI将为河滨市的中学少数民族学生组织一项外展计划，目的是增加未被充分代表的群体对科学和技术的参与。该奖项支持材料科学、软物质物理学和生物学领域的理论研究和教育。最简单的形式是，病毒由一种叫做衣壳的蛋白质外壳组成，它包裹着病毒基因组。在适当的条件下，衣壳蛋白自发地在其基因组周围组装。RNA在病毒颗粒的稳定性中起着重要的作用，这一点已被广泛接受。PI将研究RNA在球形、圆柱形和锥形病毒外壳组装中的作用。特别是，她旨在解释锥形结构的自发形成，这是HIV衣壳的一个显著特征。将解决的主要问题是：与基因组的相互作用是否有助于HIV锥形结构的稳定性？了解病毒外壳的形成可能会影响纳米科学、纳米技术和基因治疗等新兴领域的进展。特别是，这项研究可能导致基于直接干扰感染性病毒颗粒组装的替代抗病毒策略。该奖项将有助于教育和培训本科生，研究生和研究生在一个多学科的环境中，为他们提供软凝聚态物质和生物物理学的专业知识。PI将为河滨市的中学少数民族学生组织一项外展计划，目的是增加未被充分代表的群体对科学和技术的参与。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research and education at the interface of materials science, soft matter physics and biology. The objective of the proposed research is to elucidate the role of RNA in the formation of virus particles. The PI proposes to explore the impact of RNA on the assembly of virus particles focusing on its branching structure and configurations inside capsids. The goal of the research is to investigate the role of RNA in the formation of spherical capsids with icosahedral symmetry and HIV capsids with conical structures. This will be achieved by using a combination of field theoretical methods developed for branched polymers and the Poisson-Boltzmann approximation for electrostatic interactions. The analytical theory will be augmented by Monte Carlo and Brownian dynamics simulations. This methodology will be modified to study kinetics of formation of immature HIV particles, membrane deformation dynamics and capsid protein transport. Understanding the formation of viral shells could influence progress in emerging areas of nanoscience, nanotechnology, and gene therapy. In particular, this research could contribute to alternative antiviral strategies based on direct interference with the assembly of infectious viral particles.This award will contribute to the education and training of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students in a multidisciplinary environment providing them with expertise in soft condensed matter and biological physics. The PI will organize an outreach program for the middle school minority students in Riverside that is aimed to increase participation of underrepresented groups in science and technology.NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research and education at the interface of materials science, soft matter physics and biology. In its simplest form, a virus is composed of a protein shell called the capsid that encloses the viral genome. Under the appropriate conditions, the capsid proteins assemble spontaneously around its genome. It is now widely accepted that RNA has an important role in the stability of viral particles. The PI will investigate the role of RNA in the assembly of spherical, cylindrical and conical viral shells. In particular, she aims to explain the spontaneous formation of conical structures, a distinguished feature of HIV capsids. The main question that will be addressed: Does the interaction with genome contribute to the stability of HIV conical structure?Understanding the formation of viral shells could influence progress in emerging areas of nanoscience, nanotechnology, and gene therapy. In particular, this research could result in alternative antiviral strategies based on direct interference with the assembly of infectious viral particles.This award will contribute to the education and training of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students in a multidisciplinary environment providing them with expertise in soft condensed matter and biological physics. The PI will organize an outreach program for the middle school minority students in Riverside that is aimed to increase participation of underrepresented groups in science and technology.