UTMB

Marc C. Morais, Ph.D.,
Assistant Professor

Faculty

Marc C. Morais, Ph.D.

About the Lab

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.

Interview with Dr. Morais

– by Debashish Sahu, 1st year BSCB Student

A cup of tea, loads of papers lying on the desk and a laptop; amongst them is Dr. Morais reckoning me for the interview. Dr. Marc is one of the new faculties in our department who has an expertise in X-ray crystallography complementing the BSCB programme. Dr. Morais has explored new scientific questions in mechanistic enzymology using X-ray crystallography, kinetics, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. Dr. Morais has been in the forefront of evolutionary science by providing insightful discoveries on assembly of viral shells, and suggesting a mechanism by which a virally encoded molecular motor packages the virus genome within this shell. Such evolutionary relationships between distantly related viruses were unraveled during his post doctorial work at Purdue University under Micheal Rossmann.

"Of course, How can you be a scientist and not believe in evolution!"
–Dr. Morais, discussing evolution.

Dr. Morais finds UTMB as a perfect fit for studying structural aspects of viruses because it houses the new BSLIII CryoEM facility maintained by Misha Sherman (from Purdue University) along with loads of virologists. On being asked about the BSCB programme he appreciated the idea of students from different non-biology backgrounds coming together to have a completely different perspective on the same biological problem. According to Dr. Morais, the three most influencial people in science are Newton; inventor of calculus, classical mechanics & optics, Darvin for evolution and Einstein for relativity & quantum mechanics having everyone to think differently.

Dr. Morais is motivated to do research just because of scientific curiosity. Dr. Morais is proud to have discovered the common ancestry among animal, bacterial and archae viruses predating the split between the three kingdoms. He is also amazed to have stumbled upon the fact that viruses have been around when the life had begun.

Dr. Morais considers double helical structure of DNA to be the most beautiful scientific observation in all of science. He also glorifies the dual property of electrons showing his inquisitive curiosity in quantum physics. His lab mainly focuses on structure of viruses, virus assembly and its evolution. Dr. Morais is an expert in X-ray crystallography and CryoEM which have overlapping resolution ranges, a valuable addition to the BSCB programme. He uses the low resolution CryoEM structure and X-ray crystallography to fit the component parts completing the virus structure.

“You have to be willing to accept a lot of failures to succeed in science.”
–Dr. Morais, on the nature of science.

Dr. Morais stresses on the current methods of solving virus structures are limited to only filamentous or icosahedral viruses. He foresees himself overcoming these technical limitations and being able to solve more complexly structured non homogeneous viruses.

He has a high regard for students with prying curiosity towards science and suggests having loads of patience while wandering for answers.

He believes that a lot of times foreseeing things and avoiding frustration can help solve a problem. Dr. Morais’s message to the future students is to work hard. He asserts that science is not an easy career and one has to make sure they love what they are doing.