Bioprospecting for Antiviral Peptides
Abstract
Mosquito-borne alphaviruses (e.g. chikungunya virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus-VEEV) are of great concern due to their potential to cause severe acute human disease. The absence of available vaccines or therapeutic agents for almost all arboviruses makes development of effective treatment options a significant national security and public health issue. Here, we focus on the study of VEEV as a model arbovirus. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) of innate immunity represent a promising resource for the development of new antiviral therapeutics. However, there is need for a system specifically designed for purpose of discovering AMPs with antiviral activity. We aim to develop a bioprospecting-inspired process for the identification of antiviral peptides against VEEV, using an integrated workflow that combines novel antiviral peptide harvesting microparticles, advanced mass spectrometry, and data analysis tools in order to establish peptide sequences and identify those with potential antiviral properties. We will focus on alligators and snakes CAMPs, since both have been suggested as potential arbovirus reservoir species.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1125513
Entities
People
- Barney M Bishop
- Kylene Kehn-Hall
Organizations
- George Mason University