Date of Award
Fall 2022
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Microbiology and Immunology
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the pandemic the world has been facing in recent years. Even as new countermeasures are developed, there is still much we don’t know in terms of its entry into host cells. Tetraspanins are transmembrane proteins that are near ubiquitous amongst cell types. They fulfill numerous roles, including that of a viral co-receptor. Here, we considered whether tetraspanins, specifically CD9, CD63, and CD81 influence SARS-CoV-2 fusion and entry. Using ACE2-LgBit and tetraspanin overexpressing EVs and HeLa cells, we find that the presence of excess tetraspanins inhibit fusion and entry. However, we later find that co-overexpressing cells express significantly diminished levels of ACE2-LgBit. Furthermore, when this is difference is accounted for in our transfection assay, we see an increase in transfection, suggesting that tetraspanins could promote receptor efficient entry.
Recommended Citation
Santiago Figueroa, Marcos Saul, "Role of Tetraspanins in SARS-CoV-2 Fusion and Entry" (2022). Master's Theses. 4448.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/4448
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2022 Marcos Saul Santiago Figueroa
