Yanzhuang Wang, PhD

Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, relies on a structure found in cells called the Golgi apparatus for viral particle assembly and transport in the host cell. The Golgi is a membrane-bound structure that serves as a transport center of the cell by distributing proteins to their proper locations. To perform these important functions, the Golgi needs to form a multilayer, pancake-like, stacked membrane structure. SARS-CoV-2 infection causes fragmentation of the Golgi structure, scattering it throughout the cell. The goal of this collaborative project by Dr. Wang (a Golgi expert) and Dr. Andrew Tai (a physician scientist with expertise in RNA viruses) is to investigate exactly how SARS-CoV-2 infection alters the Golgi structure and how Golgi structural changes affect SARS-CoV-2 virus intracellular transport and release. We expect that this research may identify novel therapeutic targets that can be used in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Update:

SARS-CoV-2, like all viruses, hijacks different cellular pathways when it infects. How SARS-CoV-2 leaves the cell has been debated, but we've discovered it uses the Golgi apparatus for putting together and releasing new virus particles. During infection, SARS-CoV-2 causes dramatic changes in how the Golgi works and in the levels of two Golgi proteins. When we disrupt these proteins, it greatly affects how much SARS-CoV-2 can spread. This research shows a new way we might stop SARS-CoV-2 from infecting cells.