The document discusses using the RGD epitope found in engineer "Arg-Gly-Asp" to display on virus-like particles formed from tobacco mosaic virus (TYMV) in order to target cancer cells that up-regulate integrin. It describes mutating the internal scaffold N-terminus of the TYMV coat protein and substituting RGD at residue 44 to create pH-dependent enhanced stability. It also discusses expressing GFP and GUS from dual-subgenomic RNA of TYMV for potential vaccine development and characterizing empty, virion, and intermediate TYMV particles through biophysical studies.

1. Engineer “Arg-Gly-Asp” (RGD)
epitopes for multi-valent display

2. RGD:
stem-cell
adhesion epitope
also target cancer
cells that up-regulate
integrin
TYMV with RGD substitution at residue 44

3. pH-dependent enhanced stability
Mutate internal scaffold N-terminus of TYMV CP
Wild-type 70°C
N-term mutant 70°C

4. Robust TYMV virus-
like particles in E. coli
In vitro reassembly
from a denatured
state

5. After many months
crystal structure
data for TYMV and
mutants!

6. TYMV can form a molecular “container” after
release of RNA, nano-inspired applications with
a protein shell with a small “hole”
before
After freeze-thaw

7. TYMV dual-subgenomic RNA for
expression of GFP and GUS.
Future downstream use for
vaccine development

9. Biophysical studies of TYMV
Characterization empty, virion and intermediate particles
Northerns, Westerns, gradient centrifugation, etc.

10. Previous Work (M.S degree at OHSU):
Signaling of a Cytomegalovirus chemokine
receptor US28: plenty of cloning, tissue
culture, immuno-precipitation/fluorescence
and construction of CMV knockout mutants
US28
chemokine

11. Recent TYMV article
& (cover image) Jan 2011,
more publications to come