# Molecular mechanisms of hepatitis C virus neucleocapsid-like particle assembly

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE · 2020 · $139,010

## Abstract

Viruses are the most numerous biological entities on the planet and can often be extremely pathogenic and 
globally concerning. For example, the hepatitis C virus (HCV)3 is a widespread pathogen that infects more 
than 1 in 50 people worldwide and is responsible for a wide range of progressive hepatotropic diseases. 
Fortunately, nucleocapsid assembly is a fundamental biochemical process in the viral life cycle that can be 
targeted by anti-viral agents. For the HCV, nucleocapsid formation is driven by interactions between 
multiple copies of the multifunctional core protein (HCVcp) and the genomic RNA. Additionally, HCVcp is 
the most conserved protein of all 10 HCV proteins. For these reasons, the HCVcp represents a promising 
therapeutic target within the assembly pathway. However, this approach has not yet been heavily explored 
because many structural details associated with HCV nucleocapsid formation remain unknown. This 
research proposal will help resolve these crucial gaps in knowledge and provide a biophysical description of 
the HCV assembly pathway by studying the RNA-induced formation of nucleocapsid-like particles (NLPs). 
Using a wide range of single-molecule fluorescence techniques, including microfluidic mixing, we will 
identify the molecular mechanisms governing the assembly process. Such models will then be used to 
identify the mode of action associated with a variety of small molecule, peptide, and nucleic acid 
aptamer-based agents8 reported to inhibit various aspects of nucleocapsid assembly.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10242611
- **Project number:** 5P20GM103638-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE
- **Principal Investigator:** Erik D Holmstrom
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $139,010
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2012-07-15 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10242611

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10242611, Molecular mechanisms of hepatitis C virus neucleocapsid-like particle assembly (5P20GM103638-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10242611. Licensed CC0.

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