PhD Scientific Days 2022

Molecular Sciences III. (Poster discussion will take place on the terrace of the room during the Coffee Break)

Nanomechanics and Infection Processes of SARS-CoV-2

Előadó neve

Kiss, Bálint, MSc

Előadó munkahelye

Semmelweis University, Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology

Előadó telefonszáma

+36304642508

Előadó e-mail címe

onlybalint@gmail.com

Az előadás címe

Nanomechanics and Infection Processes of SARS-CoV-2

Szerző(k) neve és munkahelye

Bálint Kiss1, Dominik Sziklai1, Zoltán Kis2, Hedvig Tordai1, Miklós Kellermayer1
1 Semmelweis University, Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology
2 National Biosafety Laboratory, National Public Health Center

Bemutatás módja

Szóbeli

Szekció

Molecular Sciences III. (Poster discussion will take place on the terrace of the room during the Coffee Break)

Language of the presentation

Hungarian

Preferred session

Molecular Sciences

Összefoglaló szövege

Viruses have received special attention during the past couple of years as a result of the still ongoing COVID pandemic, which is caused by the rapid spread of the enveloped ssRNA virus, SARS-CoV-2. This novel type of coronavirus has shown high resilience, even though the pandemic now appears to slowly transition into an endemic situation. To better understand the structure and infection process of this virus, in the current study we have employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescent microscopic techniques. We have found that SARS-CoV-2 particles are highly elastic (stiffness 13 ± 5 pN/nm) and resistant to nanomechanical indentation by a sharp AFM tip, meaning that they can withstand and then recover from multiple subsequent nanoindentation cycles (up to ~100). To reveal the internal structure of the virus through nanomechanical data, we have performed compression experiments of SARS-CoV-2 by plateau AFM tips. This method provides an alternative, independent approach to uncover the internal structure and mechanics of nanoparticles. Virion stiffness measured during compression (19 ± 9 pN/nm) is similar to that measured by the sharp tip; however, the force at which the virion's global structure yields was four to five times higher during compression (5-6 nN), compared to indentation yield forces. The virions did not recover from compression, but their structure collapsed irreversibly. To investigate the infection process of SARS-CoV-2, we used AFM as an imaging technique. We have imaged viruses attached to the surface of their host in high resolution during the infection of Vero E6 cells. We found that the viruses adhered uniformly to the cell surface. Our goal is to optimize virus to host cell ratio, so that the native state observation of SARS-CoV-2 infection process becomes possible on the surface of living, unfixed cells.

This research was supported by the New National Excellence Program of The Ministry for Innovation and Technology (ÚNKP-21-3-II-SE-36), and by TKP2021-EGA-23.

University and Doctoral School

Semmelweis University, Doctoral School of Theoretical and Translational Medicine

Supervisor

Miklós Kellermayer

Publication of my abstract

I do not give consent to the publication of my abstract on the website of the congress.

Kind

Szabad

Status

elfogadva

Accepted presentation method

szóbeli

Előadás fájl jóváhagyás

nem rendelkezett róla

Előadó

4130

Start

12:00

End

12:15

Authors (legacy)

Bálint Kiss1, Dominik Sziklai1, Zoltán Kis2, Hedvig Tordai1, Miklós Kellermayer1
1 Semmelweis University, Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology
2 National Biosafety Laboratory, National Public Health Center