Project Grant R01AI192026

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Missouri System a $538,501 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to develop novel RNA aptamer tools for studying HIV capsid protein (CA) structure, function, and protein-host interactions. The award, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031, supports research aimed at addressing critical gaps in understanding CA's role in HIV replication events, including viral assembly, maturation, reverse transcription, nuclear trafficking, and immune evasion. The project will deliver a comprehensive panel of CA structure-specific aptamers capable of discriminating among distinct conformational states of the CA protein, with particular focus on pentameric forms.

The research initiative will produce three primary outputs: (1) characterization of the molecular basis for aptamer-CA interactions through structural and biochemical analyses; (2) development of cutting-edge molecular tools leveraging aptamer programmability and specificity for cellular and in vitro applications; and (3) determination of the biological significance of aptamer-CA interactions to identify novel therapeutic targets. The project addresses significant barriers to HIV research, including the genetic fragility of CA and the lack of tools for examining specific CA structural forms in cellular contexts. Additionally, the aptamers will be evaluated for biosensing applications, demonstrating proof-of-concept for their dynamic conformational variability in diagnostic and detection platforms.