Quantitative Evaluation of Protein Heterogeneity within Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Particles

Applying Flow Virometry to Study the HIV Envelope Glycoprotein and Differences Across HIV Model Systems

The HIV envelope glycoprotein (Env) is a trimeric protein that facilitates viral binding and fusion with target cells. As the sole viral protein on the HIV surface, Env is important both for immune responses to HIV and in vaccine designs. Targeting Env in clinical applications is challenging due to its heavy glycosylation, high genetic variability, conformational camouflage, and its low abundance on virions. Thus, there is a critical need to better understand this protein. Flow virometry (FV) is a useful methodology for phenotyping the virion surface in a high-throughput, single virion manner. To demonstrate the utility of FV to characterize Env, we stained HIV virions with a panel of 85 monoclonal antibodies targeting different regions of Env. A broad range of antibodies yielded robust staining of Env, with V3 antibodies showing the highest quantitative staining. A subset of antibodies tested in parallel on viruses produced in CD4+ T cell lines, HEK293T cells, and primary cells showed that the cellular model of virus production can impact Env detection. Finally, in addition to being able to highlight Env heterogeneity on virions, we show FV can sensitively detect differences in Env conformation when soluble CD4 is added to virions before staining.

Analysis of Individual Viral Particles by Flow Virometry

This review focuses on the emerging field of flow virometry, the study and characterization of individual viral particles using flow cytometry instruments and protocols optimized for the detection of nanoscale events. Flow virometry faces considerable technical challenges including minimal light scattering by small viruses that complicates detection, coincidental detection of multiple small particles due to their high concentrations, and challenges with sample preparation including the inability to easily "wash" samples to remove unbound fluorescent antibodies. We will discuss how the field has overcome these challenges to reveal novel insights into viral biology.

Improvement of Sensitivity and Speed of Virus Sensing Technologies Using nm- and μm-Scale Components

Various viral diseases can be widespread and cause severe disruption to global society. Highly sensitive virus detection methods are needed to take effective measures to prevent the spread of viral infection. This required the development of rapid virus detection technology to detect viruses at low concentrations, even in the biological fluid of patients in the early stages of the disease or environmental samples. This review describes an overview of various virus detection technologies and then refers to typical technologies such as beads-based assay, digital assay, and pore-based sensing, which are the three modern approaches to improve the performance of viral sensing in terms of speed and sensitivity.

Development of a Specific Anti-capsid Antibody- and Magnetic Bead-Based Immunoassay to Detect Human Norovirus Particles in Stool Samples and Spiked Mussels via Flow Cytometry

Human noroviruses impose a considerable health burden globally. Here, a flow cytometry approach designed for their detection in biological waste and food samples was developed using antibody-coated magnetic beads. Antipeptide antibodies against murine norovirus and various human norovirus genotypes were generated for capture and coated onto magnetic beads. A flow cytometry assay was then implemented to detect bead-bound human norovirus GI.3 in patient stool samples and in norovirus-spiked mussel digestive tissues. The detection limit for stool samples was 10⁵ gc/mL, thus bettering detection limits of commercially available norovirus diagnosis quick kits of 100-fold; the detection limit in spiked mussels however was ten-fold higher than in stool samples. Further assays showed a decrease in fluorescence intensity for heat- or UV-inactivated virus particles. Overall, we demonstrate the application of a flow cytometry approach for direct detection of small non-enveloped virus particles such as noroviruses. An adaptation of the technology to routine diagnostics has the potential to contribute a rapid and sensitive tool to norovirus outbreak investigations. Further improvements to the method, notably decreasing the detection limit of the approach, may allow the analysis of naturally contaminated food and environmental samples.

An increase in glycoprotein concentration on extracellular virions dramatically alters vaccinia virus infectivity and pathogenesis without impacting immunogenicity

The extracellular virion (EV) form of Orthopoxviruses is required for cell-to-cell spread and pathogenesis, and is the target of neutralizing antibodies in the protective immune response. EV have a double envelope that contains several unique proteins that are involved in its intracellular envelopment and/or subsequent infectivity. One of these, F13, is involved in both EV formation and infectivity. Here, we report that replacement of vaccinia virus F13L with the molluscum contagiosum virus homolog, MC021L, results in the production of EV particles with significantly increased levels of EV glycoproteins, which correlate with a small plaque phenotype. Using a novel fluorescence-activated virion sorting assay to isolate EV populations based on glycoprotein content we determine that EV containing either higher or lower levels of glycoproteins are less infectious, suggesting that there is an optimal concentration of glycoproteins in the outer envelope that is required for maximal infectivity of EV. This optimal glycoprotein concentration was required for lethality and induction of pathology in a cutaneous model of animal infection, but was not required for induction of a protective immune response. Therefore, our results demonstrate that there is a sensitive balance between glycoprotein incorporation, infectivity, and pathogenesis, and that manipulation of EV glycoprotein levels can produce vaccine vectors in which pathologic side effects are attenuated without a marked diminution in induction of protective immunity.

Critical Assessment of Purification and Analytical Technologies for Enveloped Viral Vector and Vaccine Processing and Their Current Limitations in Resolving Co-Expressed Extracellular Vesicles

Viral vectors and viral vaccines are invaluable tools in prevention and treatment of diseases. Many infectious diseases are controlled using vaccines designed from subunits or whole viral structures, whereas other genetic diseases and cancers are being treated by viruses used as vehicles for delivering genetic material in gene therapy or as therapeutic agents in virotherapy protocols. Viral vectors and vaccines are produced in different platforms, from traditional embryonated chicken eggs to more advanced cell cultures. All these expression systems, like most cells and cellular tissues, are known to spontaneously release extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs share similar sizes, biophysical characteristics and even biogenesis pathways with enveloped viruses, which are currently used as key ingredients in a number of viral vectors and licensed vaccine products. Herein, we review distinctive features and similarities between EVs and enveloped viruses as we revisit the downstream processing steps and analytical technologies currently implemented to produce and document viral vector and vaccine products. Within a context of well-established viral vector and vaccine safety profiles, this review provides insights on the likely presence of EVs in the final formulation of enveloped virus products and discusses the potential to further resolve and document these components.

Flow virometry for process monitoring of live virus vaccines-lessons learned from ERVEBO

Direct at line monitoring of live virus particles in commercial manufacturing of vaccines is challenging due to their small size. Detection of malformed or damaged virions with reduced potency is rate-limited by release potency assays with long turnaround times. Thus, preempting batch failures caused by out of specification potency results is almost impossible. Much needed are in-process tools that can monitor and detect compromised viral particles in live-virus vaccines (LVVs) manufacturing based on changes in their biophysical properties to provide timely measures to rectify process stresses leading to such damage. Using ERVEBO, MSD's Ebola virus vaccine as an example, here we describe a flow virometry assay that can quickly detect damaged virus particles and provide mechanistic insight into process parameters contributing to the damage. Furthermore, we describe a 24-h high throughput infectivity assay that can be used to correlate damaged particles directly to loss in viral infectivity (potency) in-process. Collectively, we provide a set of innovative tools to enable rapid process development, process monitoring, and control strategy implementation in large scale LVV manufacturing.

Proteomics of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Nuclear Capsids

Herpes simplex virus replicates in the nucleus, where new capsids are assembled. It produces procapsids devoid of nucleic acid but containing the preVP22a scaffold protein. These thermo-unstable particles then mature into A-, B- or C-nuclear icosahedral capsids, depending on their ability to shed the proteolytically processed scaffold and incorporation of the viral genome. To study how these viral capsids differ, we performed proteomics studies of highly enriched HSV-1 A-, B- and C-nuclear capsids, relying in part on a novel and powerful flow virometry approach to purify C-capsids. We found that the viral particles contained the expected capsid components and identified several tegument proteins in the C-capsid fraction (pU_L21, pU_L36, pU_L46, pU_L48, pU_L49, pU_L50, pU_L51 and pU_S10). Moreover, numerous ribosomal, hnRNPs and other host proteins, absent from the uninfected controls, were detected on the capsids with some of them seemingly specific to C-capsids (glycogen synthase, four different keratin-related proteins, fibronectin 1 and PCBP1). A subsequent proteomics analysis was performed to rule out the presence of protein complexes that may share similar density as the viral capsids but do not otherwise interact with them. Using pUL25 or VP5 mutant viruses incapable of assembling C-nuclear or all nuclear capsids, respectively, we confirmed the bulk of our initial findings. Naturally, it will next be important to address the functional relevance of these proteins.IMPORTANCE Much is known about the biology of herpesviruses. This includes their unique ability to traverse the two nuclear envelopes by sequential budding and fusion steps. For HSV-1, this implies the pU_L31/pU_L34 and pU_L17/pU_L25 complexes that may favor C-capsid egress. However, this selection process is not clear, nor are all the differences that distinguish A-, B- and C-capsids. The present study probes what proteins compose these capsids, including host proteins. This should open up new research avenues to clarify the biology of this most interesting family of viruses. It also reiterates the use of flow virometry as an innovative tool to purify viral particles.

Flow Virometry Quantification of Host Proteins on the Surface of HIV-1 Pseudovirus Particles

The HIV-1 glycoprotein spike (gp120) is typically the first viral antigen that cells encounter before initiating immune responses, and is often the sole target in vaccine designs. Thus, characterizing the presence of cellular antigens on the surfaces of HIV particles may help identify new antiviral targets or impact targeting of gp120. Despite the importance of characterizing proteins on the virion surface, current techniques available for this purpose do not support high-throughput analysis of viruses, and typically only offer a semi-quantitative assessment of virus-associated proteins. Traditional bulk techniques often assess averages of viral preparations, which may mask subtle but important differences in viral subsets. On the other hand, microscopy techniques, which provide detail on individual virions, are difficult to use in a high-throughput manner and have low levels of sensitivity for antigen detection. Flow cytometry is a technique that traditionally has been used for rapid, high-sensitivity characterization of single cells, with limited use in detecting viruses, since the small size of viral particles hinders their detection. Herein, we report the detection and surface antigen characterization of HIV-1 pseudovirus particles by light scattering and fluorescence with flow cytometry, termed flow virometry for its specific application to viruses. We quantified three cellular proteins (integrin α4β7, CD14, and CD162/PSGL-1) in the viral envelope by directly staining virion-containing cell supernatants without the requirement of additional processing steps to distinguish virus particles or specific virus purification techniques. We also show that two antigens can be simultaneously detected on the surface of individual HIV virions, probing for the tetraspanin marker, CD81, in addition to α4β7, CD14, and CD162/PSGL-1. This study demonstrates new advances in calibrated flow virometry as a tool to provide sensitive, high-throughput characterization of the viral envelope in a more efficient, quantitative manner than previously reported techniques.

Nanoscale flow cytometry reveals interpatient variability in HIV protease activity that correlates with viral infectivity and identifies drug-resistant viruses

HIV encodes an aspartyl protease that is activated during, or shortly after, budding of viral particles from the surface of infected cells. Protease-mediated cleavage of viral polyproteins is essential to generating infectious viruses, a process known as ‘maturation’ that is the target of FDA-approved antiretroviral drugs. Most assays to monitor protease activity rely on bulk analysis of millions of viruses and obscure potential heterogeneity of protease activation within individual particles. In this study we used nanoscale flow cytometry in conjunction with an engineered FRET reporter called VIral ProteasE Reporter (VIPER) to investigate heterogeneity of protease activation in individual, patient-derived viruses. We demonstrate previously unappreciated interpatient variation in HIV protease processing efficiency that impacts viral infectivity. Additionally, monitoring of protease activity in individual virions distinguishes between drug sensitivity or resistance to protease inhibitors in patient-derived samples. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring enzymatic processes using nanoscale flow cytometry and highlight the potential of this technology for translational clinical discovery, not only for viruses but also other submicron particles including exosomes, microvesicles, and bacteria.

Modern Techniques for the Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles and Viruses

Extracellular signaling is pivotal to maintain organismal homeostasis. A quickly emerging field of interest within extracellular signaling is the study of extracellular vesicles (EV), which act as messaging vehicles for nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, lipids, etc. from donor cells to recipient cells. This transfer of biologically active material within a vesicular body is similar to the infection of a cell through a virus particle, which transfers genetic material from one cell to another to preserve an infection state, and viruses are known to modulate EV. Although considerable heterogeneity exists within EV and viruses, this review focuses on those that are small (< 200 nm in diameter) and of relatively low density (< 1.3 g/mL). A multitude of isolation methods for EV and virus particles exist. In this review, we present an update on methods for their isolation, purification, and phenotypic characterization. We hope that the information we provide will be of use to basic science and clinical investigators, as well as biotechnologists in this emerging field. Graphical Abstract.

A flow virometry process proposed for detection of SARS-CoV-2 and large-scale screening of COVID-19 cases

The viral pneumonia COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly over 210 countries and declared as pandemic by WHO. WHO has emphasized on the scale-up of testing capacity, followed by isolation of infected individuals, and contact tracing, as the ‘backbone’ of managing the pandemic. Globally, the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in patients is done by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and blood antibody-based testing. Here, a flow cytometry-based high-throughput screening system is proposed for testing of COVID-19 cases where the virus particle binds to specific primary antibodies and the resultant virus–antibody complex then binds to fluorescent-tagged secondary antibodies. The fluorescence signal could be measured in a flow channel for qualitative detection of virus in the test sample.

Intact Viral Particle Counts Measured by Flow Virometry Provide Insight into the Infectivity and Genome Packaging Efficiency of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus

Murine leukemia viruses (MLVs) have long been used as a research model to further our understanding of retroviruses. These simple gammaretroviruses have been studied extensively in various facets of science for nearly half a century, yet we have surprisingly little quantitative information about some of the basic features of these viral particles. These include parameters such as the genome packaging efficiency and the number of particles required for a productive infection. The reason for this knowledge gap relies primarily on the technical challenge of accurately measuring intact viral particles from infected cell supernatants. Virus-infected cells are well known to release soluble viral proteins, defective viruses, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) harboring viral proteins that may mimic viruses, all of which can skew virus titer quantifications. Flow virometry, also known as nanoscale flow cytometry or simply small-particle flow cytometry, is an emerging analytical method enabling high-throughput single-virus phenotypic characterizations. By utilizing the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) and monodisperse light scattering characteristics as discerning parameters of intact virus particles, here, we analyzed the basic properties of Moloney MLV (M-MLV). We show that <24% of the total p30 capsid protein measured in infected cell supernatants is associated with intact viruses. We calculate that about one in five M-MLV particles contains a viral RNA genome pair and that individual intact particle infectivity is about 0.4%. These findings provide new insights into the characteristics of an extensively studied prototypical retrovirus while highlighting the benefits of flow virometry for the field of virology.IMPORTANCE Gammaretroviruses, or, more specifically, murine leukemia viruses (MLVs), have been a longstanding model for studying retroviruses. Although being extensively analyzed and dissected for decades, several facets of MLV biology are still poorly understood. One of the primary challenges has been enumerating total intact virus particles in a sample. While several analytical methods can precisely measure virus protein amounts, MLVs are known to induce the secretion of soluble and vesicle-associated viral proteins that can skew these measurements. With recent technological advances in flow cytometry, it is now possible to analyze viruses down to 90 nm in diameter with an approach called flow virometry. The technique has the added benefit of being able to discriminate viruses from extracellular vesicles and free viral proteins in order to confidently provide an intact viral particle count. Here, we used flow virometry to provide new insights into the basic characteristics of Moloney MLV.

Analysis and Sorting of Individual HSV-1 Particles by Flow Virometry

Flow cytometry has been instrumental in characterizing normal and infected cells. However, until recently, it was not possible to use such an approach to analyze small entities such as bacteria, let alone viruses, owing to the 0.5 μm resolution of most instruments. To circumvent this limitation, some laboratories decorate pathogens with antibodies or nanoparticles. Our laboratory instead exploits an alternative approach that relies on the staining of internal viral constituents with permeable SYTO dyes or the fluorescent tagging of individual viral proteinaceous components, whether capsid, tegument or glycoproteins. This opens up a range of new research avenues and, for example, enabled us to characterize individual herpes simplex virus type 1 particles, discern their different subpopulations, measure the heterogeneity of mature virions in terms of protein content, sort these viral particles with >90% purity and, for the first time, directly address the impact of this heterogeneity on viral fitness. This approach, coined flow virometry or nanoscale flow cytometry, allows for the study of a wide variety of pathogens with high statistical significance and the potential discovery of novel virulence factors.

Analysis of a fully infectious bio-orthogonally modified human virus reveals novel features of virus cell entry

We report the analysis of a complex enveloped human virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), assembled after in vivo incorporation of bio-orthogonal methionine analogues homopropargylglycine (HPG) or azidohomoalanine (AHA). We optimised protocols for the production of virions incorporating AHA (termed HSVAHA), identifying conditions which resulted in normal yields of HSV and normal particle/pfu ratios. Moreover we show that essentially every single HSVAHA capsid-containing particle was detectable at the individual particle level by chemical ligation of azide-linked fluorochromes to AHA-containing structural proteins. This was a completely specific chemical ligation, with no capsids assembled under normal methionine-containing conditions detected in parallel. We demonstrate by quantitative mass spectrometric analysis that HSVAHA virions exhibit no qualitative or quantitative differences in the repertoires of structural proteins compared to virions assembled under normal conditions. Individual proteins and AHA incorporation sites were identified in capsid, tegument and envelope compartments, including major essential structural proteins. Finally we reveal novel aspects of entry pathways using HSVAHA and chemical fluorochrome ligation that were not apparent from conventional immunofluorescence. Since ligation targets total AHA-containing protein and peptides, our results demonstrate the presence of abundant AHA-labelled products in cytoplasmic macrodomains and tubules which no longer contain intact particles detectable by immunofluorescence. Although these do not co-localise with lysosomal markers, we propose they may represent sites of proteolytic virion processing. Analysis of HSVAHA also enabled the discrimination from primary entering from secondary assembling virions, demonstrating assembly and second round infection within 6 hrs of initial infection and dual infections of primary and secondary virus in spatially restricted cytoplasmic areas of the same cell. Together with other demonstrated applications e.g., in genome biology, lipid and protein trafficking, this work further exemplifies the utility and potential of bio-orthogonal chemistry for studies in many aspects of virus-host interactions.

Functional Domains of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Tegument Protein pUL37: The Amino Terminus is Dispensable for Virus Replication in Tissue Culture

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) UL37 gene encodes for a multifunctional component of the virion tegument, which is necessary for secondary envelopment in the cytoplasm of infected cells, for motility of the viral particle, and for the first steps in the initiation of virus infection. This 120 kDa protein has several known viral interacting partners, including pUL36, gK/pUL20, pUS10, and VP26, and cellular interacting proteins which include TRAF6, RIG-I, and dystonin. These interactions are likely important for the functions of pUL37 at both early and late stages of infection. We employed a genetic approach to determine essential domains and amino acid residues of pUL37 and their associated functions in cellular localization and virion morphogenesis. Using marker-rescue/marker-transfer methods, we generated a library of GFP-tagged pUL37 mutations in the HSV-1 strain KOS genome. Through viral growth and ultra-structural analysis, we discovered that the C-terminus is essential for replication. The N-terminal 480 amino acids are dispensable for replication in cell culture, although serve some non-essential function as viral titers are reduced in the presence of this truncation. Furthermore, the C-terminal 133 amino acids are important in so much that their absence leads to a lethal phenotype. We further probed the carboxy terminal half of pUL37 by alanine scanning mutagenesis of conserved residues among alphaherpesviruses. Mutant viruses were screened for the inability to form plaques-or greatly reduced plaque size-on Vero cells, of which 22 mutations were chosen for additional analysis. Viruses discovered to have the greatest reduction in viral titers on Vero cells were examined by electron microscopy (EM) and by confocal light microscopy for pUL37-EGFP cellular localization. This genetic approach identified both essential and non-essential domains and residues of the HSV-1 UL37 gene product. The mutations identified in this study are recognized as significant candidates for further analysis of the pUL37 function and may unveil previously undiscovered roles and interactions of this essential tegument gene.

Modern Techniques for the Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles and Viruses

Extracellular signaling is pivotal to maintain organismal homeostasis. A quickly emerging field of interest within extracellular signaling is the study of extracellular vesicles (EV), which act as messaging vehicles for nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, lipids, etc. from donor cells to recipient cells. This transfer of biologically active material within a vesicular body is similar to the infection of a cell through a virus particle, which transfers genetic material from one cell to another to preserve an infection state, and viruses are known to modulate EV. Although considerable heterogeneity exists within EV and viruses, this review focuses on those that are small (< 200 nm in diameter) and of relatively low density (< 1.3 g/mL). A multitude of isolation methods for EV and virus particles exist. In this review, we present an update on methods for their isolation, purification, and phenotypic characterization. We hope that the information we provide will be of use to basic science and clinical investigators, as well as biotechnologists in this emerging field. Graphical Abstract.

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Nanoscale Biological Particles and Organelles

Analysis of nanoscale biological particles and organelles (BPOs) at the single-particle level is fundamental to the in-depth study of biosciences. Flow cytometry is a versatile technique that has been well-established for the analysis of eukaryotic cells, yet conventional flow cytometry can hardly meet the sensitivity requirement for nanoscale BPOs. Recent advances in high-sensitivity flow cytometry have made it possible to conduct precise, sensitive, and specific analyses of nanoscale BPOs, with exceptional benefits for bacteria, mitochondria, viruses, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). In this article, we discuss the significance, challenges, and efforts toward sensitivity enhancement, followed by the introduction of flow cytometric analysis of nanoscale BPOs. With the development of the nano-flow cytometer that can detect single viruses and EVs as small as 27 nm and 40 nm, respectively, more exciting applications in nanoscale BPO analysis can be envisioned.

The utility of flow cytometry for potable reuse

Protecting public health from pathogens is critical when treating wastewater to drinking water standards (i.e., planned water reuse). Viruses are a principal concern, yet real-time monitoring strategies do not currently measure virus removal through reuse processes. Flow cytometry (FCM) has enabled rapid and sensitive bacteria monitoring in water treatment applications, but methods for virus and protozoa monitoring remain immature. We discuss recent advances in the FCM field and FCM applications for quantifying microorganisms in water. We focus on flow virometry (FVM) developments, as virus enumeration methods show promise for water reuse applications. Ultimately, we propose FVM for near real-time monitoring across treatment to more accurately validate virus particle removal and for pilot studies to characterize removal through understudied unit processes.

CSV2018: The 2nd Symposium of the Canadian Society for Virology

The 2nd Symposium of the Canadian Society for Virology (CSV2018) was held in June 2018 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, as a featured event marking the 200th anniversary of Dalhousie University. CSV2018 attracted 175 attendees from across Canada and around the world, more than double the number that attended the first CSV symposium two years earlier. CSV2018 provided a forum to discuss a wide range of topics in virology including human, veterinary, plant, and microbial pathogens. Invited keynote speakers included David Kelvin (Dalhousie University and Shantou University Medical College) who provided a historical perspective on influenza on the 100th anniversary of the 1918 pandemic; Sylvain Moineau (Université Laval) who described CRISPR-Cas systems and anti-CRISPR proteins in warfare between bacteriophages and their host microbes; and Kate O’Brien (then from Johns Hopkins University, now relocated to the World Health Organization where she is Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals), who discussed the underlying viral etiology for pneumonia in the developing world, and the evidence for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as a primary cause. Reflecting a strong commitment of Canadian virologists to science communication, CSV2018 featured the launch of Halifax’s first annual Soapbox Science event to enable public engagement with female scientists, and the live-taping of the 499th episode of the This Week in Virology (TWIV) podcast, hosted by Vincent Racaniello (Columbia University) and science writer Alan Dove. TWIV featured interviews of CSV co-founders Nathalie Grandvaux (Université de Montréal) and Craig McCormick (Dalhousie University), who discussed the origins and objectives of the new society; Ryan Noyce (University of Alberta), who discussed technical and ethical considerations of synthetic virology; and Kate O’Brien, who discussed vaccines and global health. Finally, because CSV seeks to provide a better future for the next generation of Canadian virologists, the symposium featured a large number of oral and poster presentations from trainees and closed with the awarding of presentation prizes to trainees, followed by a tour of the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and an evening of entertainment at the historic Alexander Keith’s Brewery.

Quantitative Flow Cytometry to Measure Viral Production Using Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus as a Model: A Preliminary Study

In recent decades, flow cytometry (FCM) has become an important tool in virology, due to its applications in viral replication and viral-cell interactions, as well as its capacity to quantify proteins (qFCM). In the present study, we have designed and evaluated a qFCM procedure for the in vitro analysis and quantification of fish viral proteins, using the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) as a model. We have also tested its use for viral titration and adapted the MARIS (method for analysing RNA following intracellular sorting) method for simultaneous quantification of viral RNA expression in infected cells. The procedure has proved to be repeatable and reproducible to an acceptable level, although to ensure reproducibility, the repetition of standard curves is inevitable. Regarding its use for viral quantification, a direct relationship (by a second-degree polynomial regression) between viral titres and Molecules of Equivalent Soluble Fluorochrome (MESF) was observed. Finally, the results support the use of this technology, not only for virus quantification, but also to study viral replication from a quantitative approach.

Varicella-Zoster Virus ORF9p Binding to Cellular Adaptor Protein Complex 1 Is Important for Viral Infectivity

ORF9p (homologous to herpes simplex virus 1 [HSV-1] VP22) is a varicella-zoster virus (VZV) tegument protein essential for viral replication. Even though its precise functions are far from being fully described, a role in the secondary envelopment of the virus has long been suggested. We performed a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify cellular proteins interacting with ORF9p that might be important for this function. We found 31 ORF9p interaction partners, among which was AP1M1, the μ subunit of the adaptor protein complex 1 (AP-1). AP-1 is a heterotetramer involved in intracellular vesicle-mediated transport and regulates the shuttling of cargo proteins between endosomes and the trans-Golgi network via clathrin-coated vesicles. We confirmed that AP-1 interacts with ORF9p in infected cells and mapped potential interaction motifs within ORF9p. We generated VZV mutants in which each of these motifs was individually impaired and identified leucine 231 in ORF9p to be critical for the interaction with AP-1. Disrupting ORF9p binding to AP-1 by mutating leucine 231 to alanine in ORF9p strongly impaired viral growth, most likely by preventing efficient secondary envelopment of the virus. Leucine 231 is part of a dileucine motif conserved among alphaherpesviruses, and we showed that VP22 of Marek's disease virus and HSV-2 also interacts with AP-1. This indicates that the function of this interaction in secondary envelopment might be conserved as well.IMPORTANCE Herpesviruses are responsible for infections that, especially in immunocompromised patients, can lead to severe complications, including neurological symptoms and strokes. The constant emergence of viral strains resistant to classical antivirals (mainly acyclovir and its derivatives) pleads for the identification of new targets for future antiviral treatments. Cellular adaptor protein (AP) complexes have been implicated in the correct addressing of herpesvirus glycoproteins in infected cells, and the discovery that a major constituent of the varicella-zoster virus tegument interacts with AP-1 reveals a previously unsuspected role of this tegument protein. Unraveling the complex mechanisms leading to virion production will certainly be an important step in the discovery of future therapeutic targets.

Flow Virometry: a Powerful Tool To Functionally Characterize Viruses

For several decades, flow cytometry has been a common approach to analyze cells and sort them to near-purity. It enables one to probe inner cellular molecules, surface receptors, or infected cells. However, the analysis of smaller entities such as viruses and exocytic vesicles has been more difficult but is becoming mainstream. This has in part been due to the development of new instrumentation with resolutions below that of conventional cytometers. It is also attributed to the several means employed to fluorescently label viruses, hence enabling them to stand out from similarly sized particles representing background noise. Thus far, more than a dozen different viruses ranging in size from 40 nm to giant viruses have been probed by this approach, which was recently dubbed "flow virometry." These studies have collectively highlighted the breadth of the applications of this method, which, for example, has elucidated the maturation of dengue virus, served as quality control for vaccinia vaccines, and enabled the sorting of herpes simplex virus discrete viral particles. The present review focuses on the means employed to characterize and sort viruses by this powerful technology and on the emerging uses of flow virometry. It similarly addresses some of its current challenges and limitations.

Flow virometry as a tool to study viruses

In the last few decades, flow cytometry has redefined the field of biology, exponentially enhancing our understanding of cells, immunology, and microbiology. Flow cytometry recently gave birth to flow virometry, a new way to detect, analyze, and characterize single viral particles. Detection of viruses by flow cytometry is possible due to improvements in current flow cytometers, calibration, and tuning methods. We summarize the recent birth and novel uses of flow virometry and the progressive evolution of this tool to advance the field of virology. We also discuss the various flow virometry methods used to identify and analyze viruses. We briefly summarize other applications of flow virometry, including: virus detection, quantification, population discrimination, and viral particles' antigenic properties. Finally, we summarize how viral sorting will allow further progress of flow virometry to relate viral surface characteristics to infectivity properties.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of HSV genome nuclear entry and compaction state transitions using bioorthogonal chemistry and super-resolution microscopy

We investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of HSV genome transport during the initiation of infection using viruses containing bioorthogonal traceable precursors incorporated into their genomes (HSVEdC). In vitro assays revealed a structural alteration in the capsid induced upon HSVEdC binding to solid supports that allowed coupling to external capture agents and demonstrated that the vast majority of individual virions contained bioorthogonally-tagged genomes. Using HSVEdC in vivo we reveal novel aspects of the kinetics, localisation, mechanistic entry requirements and morphological transitions of infecting genomes. Uncoating and nuclear import was observed within 30 min, with genomes in a defined compaction state (ca. 3-fold volume increase from capsids). Free cytosolic uncoated genomes were infrequent (7-10% of the total uncoated genomes), likely a consequence of subpopulations of cells receiving high particle numbers. Uncoated nuclear genomes underwent temporal transitions in condensation state and while ICP4 efficiently associated with condensed foci of initial infecting genomes, this relationship switched away from residual longer lived condensed foci to increasingly decondensed genomes as infection progressed. Inhibition of transcription had no effect on nuclear entry but in the absence of transcription, genomes persisted as tightly condensed foci. Ongoing transcription, in the absence of protein synthesis, revealed a distinct spatial clustering of genomes, which we have termed genome congregation, not seen with non-transcribing genomes. Genomes expanded to more decondensed forms in the absence of DNA replication indicating additional transitional steps. During full progression of infection, genomes decondensed further, with a diffuse low intensity signal dissipated within replication compartments, but frequently with tight foci remaining peripherally, representing unreplicated genomes or condensed parental strands of replicated DNA. Uncoating and nuclear entry was independent of proteasome function and resistant to inhibitors of nuclear export. Together with additional data our results reveal new insight into the spatiotemporal dynamics of HSV genome uncoating, transport and organisation.

Promoting Simultaneous Onset of Viral Gene Expression Among Cells Infected with Herpes Simplex Virus-1

Synchronous viral infection facilitates the study of viral gene expression, viral host interactions, and viral replication processes. However, the protocols for achieving synchronous infections were hardly ever tested in proper temporal resolution at the single-cell level. We set up a fluorescence-based, time lapse microscopy assay to study sources of variability in the timing of gene expression during herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection. We found that with the common protocol, the onset of gene expression within different cells can vary by more than 3 h. We showed that simultaneous viral genome entry to the nucleus can be achieved with a derivative of the previously characterized temperature sensitive mutant tsB7, however, this did not improve gene expression synchrony. We found that elevating the temperature in which the infection is done and increasing the multiplicity of infection (MOI) significantly promoted simultaneous onset of viral gene expression among infected cells. Further, elevated temperature result in a decrease in the coefficient of variation (a standardized measure of dispersion) of viral replication compartments (RCs) sizes among cells as well as a slight increment of viral late gene expression synchrony. We conclude that simultaneous viral gene expression can be improved by simple modifications to the infection process and may reduce the effect of single-cell variability on population-based assays.