Marc C. Morais, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Tel: (409) 747-1401
Fax: (409) 747-1404
E-mail: mcmorais@utmb.edu
Campus Location: 6.614B Basic Science Bldg
Mail Route: 0647
Research
Our laboratory uses a combination of cryo-electron microscopy, x-ray
crystallography, and bioinformatics to elucidate the structures of
complex macromolecular assemblies and machines. Our work focuses on
virus structure and the general principles by which viruses
self-assemble. In particular, we are interested in how virus
self-assembly strategies can be targeted in the design of anti-viral
therapeutics, and how these same strategies might be employed in the
construction of nanomachines.
We are also interested in the structures of morphologically
heterogeneous viruses with low, partial, or no internal symmetry. Many
viruses relevant to human health fit this description, yet their
structures remain largely unknown (Ebola, Hantaan, SARS corona,
influenza, HIV, and Smallpox are but a few examples). We are developing
methods to facilitate structure determination for these types of
viruses.
Finally, we are interested in virus evolution and the viruses which
infect the archea. Because hyperthermophilic archea possess metabolisms
well-suited for the hot anaerobic conditions thought to prevail on an
early earth, hyperthermophilic viruses likely played an important role
in the early stages of evolution. Studies on genome organization,
replication and regulation of gene expression indicate an evolutionary
relationship between archeal viruses and viruses of mesophilic bacteria
and eukaryotes. Verification of this hypothesis by sequence comparison
is difficult because the rapid evolution of viral genes precludes
detection of relationships over large evolutionary distances. However,
structural similarity often persists during evolution in spite of
vanishing sequence homology. Thus, the structures of viruses infecting
hyperthermophilic archea should provide insights into virus origin and
the evolution of viruses and cells.
Publications