Name: measurement of bk-polyomavirus non-coding control region driven transcriptional activity via flow cytometry
Uploaded: 2019-07-13T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Measurement of BK-polyomavirus Non-Coding Control Region Driven Transcriptional Activity Via Flow Cytometry at JoVE.com

The authors thank Barbara Bleekmann for excellent technical assistance. These studies were supported by the IFORES-program of the University of Duisburg-Essen Medical School and the RIMUR-program of the University Alliance Ruhr and Mercator Research Center Ruhr (MERCUR). The authors thank the J&#252;rgen-Manchot-Stiftung for the doctoral fellowship of Helene Sertznig and constant support. The collection and use of patient material has been approved by the ethics committee of the medical faculty of the University Duisburg-Essen (14-6028-BO).

This protocol follows the guidelines of human research as approved by the ethic committee of the medical faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen (14-6028-BO).
1. Collection of blood or urine samples and isolation of polyomavirus DNA
<ol>
	<li>&#160;Collect at least 3 mL of blood in EDTA tubes or urine in acquisition tubes.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge the sample at 2,500 x g for 15 min. If needed, pipette plasma into a new tube and store the plasma samples at 4 &#176;C for several days ...

<ol>
	<li>Drachenberg, C. B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Histological+patterns+of+polyomavirus+nephropathy:+correlation+with+graft+outcome+and+viral+load.">Histological patterns of polyomavirus nephropathy: correlation with graft outcome and viral load.</a> American Journal of Transplant. 4 (12), 2082-2092 (2004).</li><li>Korth, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+low-level+BK+polyomavirus+viremia+on+intermediate-term+renal+allograft+function.">Impact of low-level BK polyomavirus viremia on intermediate-term renal allograft function.</a> Transplant Infectious Disease. 20 (1), (2018).</li><li>Hirsch, H. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=European+perspective+on+human+polyomavirus+infection,+replication+and+disease+in+solid+organ+transplantation.">European perspective on human polyomavirus infection, replication and disease in solid organ transplantation.</a> Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 20 Suppl 7, 74-88 (2014).</li><li>Masutani, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Banff+2009+Working+Proposal+for+polyomavirus+nephropathy:+a+critical+evaluation+of+its+utility+as+a+determinant+of+clinical+outcome.">The Banff 2009 Working Proposal for polyomavirus nephropathy: a critical evaluation of its utility as a determinant of clinical outcome.</a> American Journal of Transplantation. 12 (4), 907-918 (2012).</li><li>Korth, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Impact+of+immune+suppressive+agents+on+the+BK-Polyomavirus+non+coding+control+region.">Impact of immune suppressive agents on the BK-Polyomavirus non coding control region.</a> Antiviral Research. 159, 68-76 (2018).</li><li>Hirsch, H. H., Yakhontova, K., Lu, M., Manzetti, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=BK+Polyomavirus+Replication+in+Renal+Tubular+Epithelial+Cells+Is+Inhibited+by+Sirolimus,+but+Activated+by+Tacrolimus+Through+a+Pathway+Involving+FKBP-12.">BK Polyomavirus Replication in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells Is Inhibited by Sirolimus, but Activated by Tacrolimus Through a Pathway Involving FKBP-12.</a> Amerian Journal of Transplantation. 16 (3), 821-832 (2016).</li><li>Sanchez Fructuoso, A. I., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mammalian+target+of+rapamycin+signal+inhibitors+could+play+a+role+in+the+treatment+of+BK+polyomavirus+nephritis+in+renal+allograft+recipients.">Mammalian target of rapamycin signal inhibitors could play a role in the treatment of BK polyomavirus nephritis in renal allograft recipients.</a> Transplant Infectious Disease. 13 (6), 584-591 (2011).</li><li>Moens, U., Johansen, T., Johnsen, J. I., Seternes, O. M., Traavik, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Noncoding+control+region+of+naturally+occurring+BK+virus+variants:+sequence+comparison+and+functional+analysis.">Noncoding control region of naturally occurring BK virus variants: sequence comparison and functional analysis.</a> Virus Genes. 10 (3), 261-275 (1995).</li><li>Gosert, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Polyomavirus+BK+with+rearranged+noncoding+control+region+emerge+in+vivo+in+renal+transplant+patients+and+increase+viral+replication+and+cytopathology.">Polyomavirus BK with rearranged noncoding control region emerge in vivo in renal transplant patients and increase viral replication and cytopathology.</a> Journal of Experimental Medicine. 205 (4), 841-852 (2008).</li><li>Bethge, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sp1+sites+in+the+noncoding+control+region+of+BK+polyomavirus+are+key+regulators+of+bidirectional+viral+early+and+late+gene+expression.">Sp1 sites in the noncoding control region of BK polyomavirus are key regulators of bidirectional viral early and late gene expression.</a> Journal of Virology. 89 (6), 3396-3411 (2015).</li><li>Gosert, R., Kardas, P., Major, E. O., Hirsch, H. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rearranged+JC+virus+noncoding+control+regions+found+in+progressive+multifocal+leukoencephalopathy+patient+samples+increase+virus+early+gene+expression+and+replication+rate.">Rearranged JC virus noncoding control regions found in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy patient samples increase virus early gene expression and replication rate.</a> Journal of Virology. 84 (20), 10448-10456 (2010).</li><li>Bernhoff, E., Gutteberg, T. J., Sandvik, K., Hirsch, H. H., Rinaldo, C. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cidofovir+inhibits+polyomavirus+BK+replication+in+human+renal+tubular+cells+downstream+of+viral+early+gene+expression.">Cidofovir inhibits polyomavirus BK replication in human renal tubular cells downstream of viral early gene expression.</a> American Journal of Transplantation. 8 (7), 1413-1422 (2008).</li><li>Widera, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=HIV-1+persistent+viremia+is+frequently+followed+by+episodes+of+low-level+viremia.">HIV-1 persistent viremia is frequently followed by episodes of low-level viremia.</a> Medical Microbiology Immunology. , (2017).</li><li>Zhang, S., Cahalan, M. 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N., Crowley, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phylogenetic+analysis+of+the+complete+genome+of+11+BKV+isolates+obtained+from+allogenic+stem+cell+transplant+recipients+in+Ireland.">Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome of 11 BKV isolates obtained from allogenic stem cell transplant recipients in Ireland.</a> Journal of Medical Virology. 84 (7), 1037-1048 (2012).</li><li>Dorries, K., Vogel, E., Gunther, S., Czub, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Infection+of+human+polyomaviruses+JC+and+BK+in+peripheral+blood+leukocytes+from+immunocompetent+individuals.">Infection of human polyomaviruses JC and BK in peripheral blood leukocytes from immunocompetent individuals.</a> Virology. 198 (1), 59-70 (1994).</li><li>Teutsch, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Early+identification+of+renal+transplant+recipients+with+high+risk+of+polyomavirus-associated+nephropathy.">Early identification of renal transplant recipients with high risk of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy.</a> Medical Microbiology Immunology. 204 (6), 657-664 (2015).</li><li>Basu, S., Campbell, H. 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(41), (2010).</li><li>Korth, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+detection+of+BKPyV+genotypes+II+and+IV+after+renal+transplantation+as+a+simple+tool+for+risk+assessment+for+PyVAN+and+transplant+outcome+already+at+early+stages+of+BKPyV+reactivation.">The detection of BKPyV genotypes II and IV after renal transplantation as a simple tool for risk assessment for PyVAN and transplant outcome already at early stages of BKPyV reactivation.</a> Journal of Clinical Virology. 113, 14-19 (2019).</li><li>Caputo, A., Barbanti-Brodano, G., Wang, E., Ricciardi, R. 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In this article, a commonly used method is presented that allows for the analysis of the BKPyV non-coding control-region (NCCR) driven early and late promoter activity. The NCCR activity can be measured simultaneously and does not need lysis of the transfected cells. Furthermore, a relatively large number of cells can be analyzed and the co-transfection of additional markers for normalization of the fluorescence values is not necessary.
A critical part of this method is that the cloned NCCR sh...

Polyomaviruses represent an independent family of small double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses with the Simian virus 40 (SV40) as a prototype species. The primary infection mainly occurs during the childhood, which usually proceed without disease symptoms and usually cause latent infections in immune competent hosts. The BK-polyomavirus (BKPyV) mainly persists in renal tubules cells without causing nephropathologies, however, in case of impairment of the immune-competence after renal transplantation the virus can reactivate and cause severe damages and impaired graft function when reaching a high viremia (1 x 104 BKPyV DNA copies/mL)1,2. In approximately 10% of kidney transplant recipients, reactivation of the BK-polyomavirus (BKPyV) results in a polyomavirus associated nephropathy (PyVAN), which was up to 80% associated with a high risk of renal allograft failures3,4. Since no approved antiviral agents are available, current therapy is based on the reduction of immunosuppression. Interestingly, mTOR inhibitors seem to have an antiviral effect; thus, switching the immunosuppressive therapy to mTOR-based immunosuppression might represent an alternative approach to prevent progression of the BKPyV viremia5,6,7. However, the mTOR-based antiviral mechanism is currently still incompletely understood. Thus, methods measuring the impact of potential antiviral agents in clinically relevant concentrations are required.
The circular genome of the BKPyV consists of approximately 5 kb harboring a non-coding control region (NCCR) that serves as an origin of replication and concomitantly a bidirectional promoter driving the expression of early and late phase mRNA transcripts. Since spontaneously occurring NCCR-rearrangements, deletions, and duplications are found in pathogenic BKPyV8 and significantly accumulated in patients suffering from PVAN5,9, a comparison of archetypical (wt) and re-arranged (rr) NCCR-activities are helpful to characterize viral replicative fitness.
As summarized in Figure 1, this protocol describes a commonly used method to measure BKPyV NCCR transcriptional activity by quantifying the fluorescence of two fluorophores tdTomato and eGFP expressed from a reporter plasmid5,9,10,11. The procedure is performed in the presence of the SV40 large T antigen (lTAg), which allows to analyze the impact of potential antiviral agents on the early and late NCCR-activity separately5. This assay further analyzes the impact of rearrangements on the NCCR activity and comparison with wt-NCCRs5,9. The reporter plasmid harbors the SV40 late polyadenylation signal downstream of each fluorophore open reading frame to ensure comparable and efficient processing of both transcripts for tdTomato and eGFP, respectively. Compared to qRT-PCR based methods5,12, this FACS-based approach represents a low cost and high throughput compatible alternative since no complicated extraction protocols for infected cell culture and no expensive antibodies for immune fluorescence staining are needed. Furthermore, since a defined amount of fluorescent cells are analyzed via flow cytometry, the analysis of cell cycle inhibiting agents is also possible in a quantitative manner.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:959px;" width="957">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">100 bp ladder</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">NEB</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">N3231</td>
			<td style="width:379px;">Any ladder with a range up to 1 kb can be substituted</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">2-log ladder</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">NEB</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">N0550</td>
			<td>Any ladder with a range up to 10 kb can be substituted</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Agar-Agar, Kobe I</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Carl Roth</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">5210.3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">AgeI-HF</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">NEB</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">R3552</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Ampicillin Natriumsalz Cellpure</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Carl Roth</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">HP62.1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Aqua ad iniectabilia</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Bbraun</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">2351744</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">BD FACSCanto&#8482; II</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">BD FACSDiva</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">DAPI</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">10236276001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">DFC450C camera module</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td style="width:379px;">Any camera can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">DMEM</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">41966-029</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">DMIL LED microscope</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td style="width:379px;">Any fluorescence microscope can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">DNA Blood Mini Kit</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Qiagen</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">51104</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">E.coli DH5alpha Competent Cells</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">18258012</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">FBS Superior</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">MerckMillipore</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">50615</td>
			<td style="width:379px;">Any FBS can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">FlowJo v10.5.3</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">FlowJo, LLC</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td style="width:379px;">Any flow cytometry software FBS can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Gel Loading Dye, Purple (6X)&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">NEB</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">B7024</td>
			<td>Any 6x loading dye can be substituted</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">HEK293T cells</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">ATCC</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">11268</td>
			<td>These cells constitutively express the simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen, and clone 17 was selected specifically for its high transfectability.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">HERAcell&#174; 240i CO2 Incubator</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">HotStar PCR kit</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Qiagen</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">203203</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Intas Gel documentation system</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Intas</td>
			<td style="width:151px;"></td>
			<td>Any visualisation system for stained DNA containing agarose gels can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Low Melt Agarose</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Biozym</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">850081</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Opti-MEM</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">31985070</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">pBKV (34-2)</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">ATCC</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">45025</td>
			<td>Plasmid harboring the full-length genome of BKPyV strain Dunlop; was used as a positive control; DNA Seq. Acc.: KP412983</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">PBS</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">14190-136</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">PCR Cycler MJ Mini 48-Well Personal Cycler</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Bio-Rad</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">discontinued product</td>
			<td style="width:379px;">Any thermocycler can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">PCR Nucleotide Mix, 10 mM</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Promega</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">#C1145</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">PCR1 and PCR2 Primers</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">metabion</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">not applicable</td>
			<td>Desalted. Dilute to (10 &#181;M) with PCR grade water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">PenStrep (100x)</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">15140-122</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Roti&#174;-GelStain</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Carl Roth</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">3865</td>
			<td>A fluorescence based stain for measuring dsDNA concentration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">SpeI-HF</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">NEB</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">R3133</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">T4-DNA Ligase</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">NEB</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">M0202</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">TransIT LT1</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Mirus</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">MIR2300</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">Trypsin 0.05% - EDTA</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">25300-054</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:23px;width:303px;">ZymoPURE II Plasmid Kit</td>
			<td style="width:127px;">Zymo</td>
			<td style="width:151px;">D4201</td>
			<td>can be substituted by any manufacturer</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
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measurement of bk-polyomavirus non-coding control region driven transcriptional activity via flow cytometry

Polyomaviruses, like the BK-polyomavirus (BKPyV), can cause severe pathologies in immunocompromised patients. However, since highly effective antivirals are currently not available, methods measuring the impact of potential antiviral agents are required. Here, a dual fluorescence reporter that allows the analysis of the BKPyV non-coding control-region (NCCR) driven early and late promoter activity was constructed to quantify the impact of potential antiviral drugs on viral gene expression via tdTomato and eGFP expression. In addition, by cloning BKPyV-NCCR amplicons which in this protocol have been exemplarily obtained from the blood-derived DNA of immunocompromised renal transplanted patients, the impact of NCCR-rearrangements on viral gene expression can be determined. Following cloning of the patient derived amplicons, HEK293T cells were transfected with the reporter-plasmids, and treated with potential antiviral agents. Subsequently, cells were subjected to FACS-analysis for measuring mean fluorescence intensities 72 h post transfection. To also test the analysis of drugs that have a potential cell cycle inhibiting effect, only transfected and thus fluorescent cells are used. Since this assay is performed in large T Antigen expressing cells, the impact of early and late expression can be analyzed in a mutually independent manner.

In this representative experiment, the BK-polyomavirus Non-Coding Control Region driven transcriptional activity was measured via flow cytometry. In addition, a mTOR inhibitor, which might be used to treat patients after BKPyV reactivation, was tested for its inhibition of the viral early gene expression. To this end, a dual fluorescence-reporter assay was used as published previously5. The overall workflow scheme of the experimental setup is illustrated in <strong...

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Measurement of BK-polyomavirus Non-Coding Control Region Driven Transcriptional Activity Via Flow Cytometry

In this manuscript, a protocol is presented to perform FACS-based measurement of BK-polyomavirus transcriptional activity by using HEK293T cells transfected with a bidirectional reporter plasmid expressing tdTomato and eGFP. This method further allows to quantitatively determine the influence of novel compounds on viral transcription.

Polyomaviruses, like the BK-polyomavirus (BKPyV), can cause severe pathologies in immunocompromised patients. However, since highly effective antivirals ...

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