# Imaging SARS-CoV-2 proteases for spatio-temporal insight into Covid-19

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $433,927

## Abstract

Project summary/abstract:
This work will build a contrast agent for the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro; also known as
3CLpro) and validate it in an animal model. This contrast agent will have significant value as a
research tool because it will map and measure Mpro with spatial and temporal resolution.
Conventional methods to studying SARS-CoV-2 are based on PCR and serology. These are
powerful and affordable tools for population-wide studies but have limited value in research
studies because they are in vitro tools that use single time-point sampling. They cannot monitor
the biodistribution and time course of the viral load in vivo or detect the location of viral reservoirs.
In contrast, in vivo imaging offers the ability to track biological phenomena longitudinally,
quantitatively, and relatively non-invasively. Thus, Aim 1 of this proposal will build a contrast agent
for Mpro based chemiluminescent resonant energy transfer (CRET). Chemiluminescence is a very
useful in vivo imaging tool because it measures spontaneous emission of photons from contrast
agents. Thus, the background emission of normal tissue is zero leading to high sensitivity imaging
in contrast to in vivo fluorescence that suffers from high background. When in the CRET
configuration, the probe is silent; activation via a Mpro-cleavable sequence leads to high signal.
We will validate these CRET-based molecules with chemistry and recombinant Mpro. Aim 2 will
validate this probe with a Sindbis virus models of SARS-CoV-2. We are using this Sindbis model
because it is suitable for BSL-2 labs allowing work to proceed immediately unlike wild type SARS-
CoV-2 requiring BSL-3. We will express Mpro via Sindbis virus in tissue culture and animal models
and image viral progression in adult and neonate mice. After validating this contrast agent and
imaging approach, the community will have a powerful tool to answer many important questions
related to SARS-Cov-2 infection: What is the time course of infection and biodistribution?; How
does biodistribution change by route of infection? Are there latent disease reservoirs?; How do
protease levels change in response to therapy? This work is innovative because it will be the first
example of in vivo Mpro imaging. The significance is motivated by the profound impact Covid-19
has had on our society. Importantly, the work is feasible based it will harness Dr. Jokerst’s
extensive experience in chemistry and contrast agent development as well as Dr. Siqueira-Neto’s
expertise in infectious disease including Zika virus.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10167571
- **Project number:** 1R21AI157957-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jesse Vincent Jokerst
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $433,927
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10167571

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10167571, Imaging SARS-CoV-2 proteases for spatio-temporal insight into Covid-19 (1R21AI157957-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10167571. Licensed CC0.

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