Nanotechnology to understand virus-cell interactions

Abstract

The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was applied here in an extensive study in its applications to virology. The imaging aspect of the microscope was used to study virus-induced cell morphological changes, as well as to capture the minutiae of the virus-infection process, such as egression processes at very high resolution. Three virus models were used in this study; West Nile virus, dengue virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. Imaging was conducted in fixed virus-infected cell samples in both dry and liquid conditions. Living uninfected cells in a liquid environment were also observed. The metrological aspect of the AFM was exploited to quantitatively measure the interacting forces between the West Nile virus envelope protein domain III and its corresponding cellular receptor integrin I?VI?3. This would serve as a future drug-discovery platform, in which drugs that disrupt the virus binding process could be tested.