Cryo-EM of molecular components of COVID-19

(August 2020)

Stanford professors Wah Chiu and Rhiju Das are working to determine the structures of COVID RNA segments, with the aim of developing therapeutics against the viral genome to prevent its replication.  They are integrating bioinformatics, cryoEM, and modeling.  And, they are using one  of the electron microscopes remaining in operation at SLAC to collect massive data.

Relevant Publications or More Information:

• “SLAC joins the global fight against COVID-19” (April 16, 2020)

References:

• Zhang, K, Li, S, Kappel, K, Pintilie, G, Su, Z, Mou, TC, Schmid, MF, Das, R, & Chiu, W (2019) Cryo-EM structure of a 40 kDa SAM-IV riboswitch RNA at 3.7 Å resolution. Nat Commun 10(1):5511. PMC6890682

Collaborators:

• Wah Chiu (Photon Science, Bioengineering, Microbiology & Immunology)
• Rhiju Das (Biochemistry)