서강대학교

초록 (요약문)

With the rise of novel pandemic issues, COVID-19, the structural study for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) has become now one of the most active research fields. In the research of coronavirus, understanding the whole mechanism toward human cells is very complicated and multilayered, due to their complex components and assembly of the viral particles. Although all the components contribute to their functions, there are some critical components for coronavirus: closed lipid membrane for maintenance of the structure, viral antigens such as Spike (S) protein for viral entry and Nucleocapsid (N) protein for RNA synthesis, and single-stranded positive RNA for genome information. Here, we attempted to construct a SARS-CoV-2 virus model focusing on the qualitative and quantitative features of the virus that could understand the biological behavior of the coronavirus. Inner components of the virus were encapsulated inside lipid structure with the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formation method and analyzed depending on the lysis process. Conjugation of surface protein was well controlled in quantity and orientation by using the interaction between His-tag residue in S protein and Ni-NTA functionalized lipid. The His-tagged protein was strongly attached to the surface of the LNP, and its activity as a virus model has been validated with antigen diagnosis kit. Plus, the conjugated surface structure was determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) with size increase and Cryo-TEM image of the particles. With this simplified structure from the virus, this model is expected to be used for various research fields such as diagnosis kit validation, mechanism of viral entry, and development of new vaccine candidates with reduced risk of infection.