Question

1. You are part of a student research group investigating the potential role of specific cytokeletal elements (microtubules and microfilaments) and motor proteins (kinesin, dynein and myosin) in SARS – CoV2 infection. You and your colleagues are submitting a grant proposal based on experiments you will perform to determine which of these cytoskeletal structures and proteins is/are essential for viral entry, replication and release of progeny (new virus particles). In this essay, clearly describe the experiments you propose, the cultured cells or tissues you will test, drugs you will use to target specific cytoskeletal elements, and the microscopic & biochemical techniques you intend to employ. You should not be discouraged if, when doing your research for this essay, you find that the experiments you want to propose have already been done by others. The ability to replicate results are the life blood of science, so as long as you explain why the experiments you outline are important, you’re on the right track!

To write an informed essay (and one that can earn you full credit ), you will have to do some individual web/text book research on the following:

• What is the structure of the virus? What is the role of the spike (S) glycoprotein in viral infection?
• Does the virus depend on receptormediated endocytosis for entry into the host cell? If so, to what cell surface receptor(s) does the virus bind? Do endosomes play a role in viral transport, and if so, what is the intracellular path of the virus through the endomembrane system?