Name: propagating and detecting an infectious molecular clone of maedi-visna virus that expresses green fluorescent protein
Uploaded: 2011-10-09T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Propagating and Detecting an Infectious Molecular Clone of Maedi-visna Virus that Expresses Green Fluorescent Protein at JoVE.com

This work was funded by the Icelandic Research Fund and the University of Iceland Research Fund.

1. Transfection
The molecular clone is contained in two plasmids, p8XSp5-egfp and p67r, of 12 kb and 4.5 kb respectively.9,10
<ol>
 <li>Cut equimolar quantities of the two plasmids, i.e. 4.4 &mu;g of p8XSp5-egfp and 1.6 &mu;g of p67r with XbaI and ligate before transfection.</li>
 <li>For ligation, use 1 Weiss unit of ligase in a 50 &mu;l reaction and incubate at 16&deg;C overnight.</li>
 <li>When ligation is completed, incubate the ligation mix at 65&deg;C for 15 min for inactiva...

<ol>
	<li>Sigurdsson, B., Palsson, P. A., Grimsson, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Visna,+a+demyelinating+transmissable+disease+of+sheep.">Visna, a demyelinating transmissable disease of sheep.</a> J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 14, 389-403 (1957).</li><li>Gorrell, M. D., Brandon, M. R., Sheffer, D., Adams, R. J., Narayan, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ovine+lentivirus+is+macrophagetropic+and+does+not+replicate+productively+in+T+lymphocytes.">Ovine lentivirus is macrophagetropic and does not replicate productively in T lymphocytes.</a> J. Virol. 66, 2679-2688 (1992).</li><li>Andresdottir, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biological+and+genetic+differences+between+lung-+and+brain-derived+isolates+of+maedi-visna+virus.">Biological and genetic differences between lung- and brain-derived isolates of maedi-visna virus.</a> Virus Genes. 16, 281-293 (1998).</li><li>Georgsson, G., Houwers, D. J., Palsson, P. A., Petursson, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression+of+viral+antigens+in+the+central+nervous+system+of+visna-infected+sheep:+an+immunohistochemical+study+on+experimental+visna+induced+by+virus+strains+of+increased+neurovirulence.">Expression of viral antigens in the central nervous system of visna-infected sheep: an immunohistochemical study on experimental visna induced by virus strains of increased neurovirulence.</a> Acta Neuropathol. 77, 299-306 (1989).</li><li>Turelli, P., Guiguen, F., Mornex, J. F., Vigne, R., Querat, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=dUTPase-minus+caprine+arthritis-encephalitis+virus+is+attenuated+for+pathogenesis+and+accumulates+G-to-A+substitutions.">dUTPase-minus caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus is attenuated for pathogenesis and accumulates G-to-A substitutions.</a> J. Virol. 71, 4522-4530 (1997).</li><li>Petursson, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Visna+virus+dUTPase+is+dispensable+for+neuropathogenicity.">Visna virus dUTPase is dispensable for neuropathogenicity.</a> J. Virol. 72, 1657-1661 (1998).</li><li>Sigurdsson, B., Thormar, H., Palsson, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cultivation+of+visna+virus+in+tissue+culture.">Cultivation of visna virus in tissue culture.</a> Arch Gesamte Virusforsch. 10, 368-380 (1960).</li><li>Gudmundsdottir, H. S., Olafsdottir, K., Franzdottir, S. R., Andresdottir, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Construction+and+characterization+of+an+infectious+molecular+clone+of+maedi-visna+virus+that+expresses+green+fluorescent+protein.">Construction and characterization of an infectious molecular clone of maedi-visna virus that expresses green fluorescent protein.</a> J. Virol. Methods. 168, 98-102 (2010).</li><li>Andresson, O. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nucleotide+sequence+and+biological+properties+of+a+pathogenic+proviral+molecular+clone+of+neurovirulent+visna+virus.">Nucleotide sequence and biological properties of a pathogenic proviral molecular clone of neurovirulent visna virus.</a> Virology. 193, 89-105 (1993).</li><li>Skraban, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Naturally+occurring+mutations+within+39+amino+acids+in+the+envelope+glycoprotein+of+maedi-visna+virus+alter+the+neutralization+phenotype.">Naturally occurring mutations within 39 amino acids in the envelope glycoprotein of maedi-visna virus alter the neutralization phenotype.</a> J. Virol. 73, 8064-8072 (1999).</li><li>Reed, L. J., Muench, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+simple+method+of+estimating+fifty+percent+endpoints.">A simple method of estimating fifty percent endpoints.</a> American Journal of Hygiene. 27, 493-497 (1938).</li><li>Berkowitz, R. D., Ilves, H., Plavec, I., Veres, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gene+transfer+systems+derived+from+Visna+virus:+analysis+of+virus+production+and+infectivity.">Gene transfer systems derived from Visna virus: analysis of virus production and infectivity.</a> Virology. 279, 116-129 (2001).</li></ol>

The GFP expressing molecular clone of MVV presented here should be useful for analyzing the host-cell interactions and pathogenicity of MVV both in vitro and in vivo. The virus obtained after 7-14 days of replication has undoubtedly acquired some mutations due to the inaccuracy of reverse transcriptase. However, there are limitations to the use of this clone as a single cycle vector. One is that use of the clone is restricted to cells of sheep and goat origin. The transfection efficiency of these cells using our construc...

<table border="1">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Name of the reagent</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalogue number</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>10938025</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Opti-MEM</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>51985018</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lipofectamine 2000</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>11668019</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

propagating and detecting an infectious molecular clone of maedi-visna virus that expresses green fluorescent protein

Maedi-visna virus (MVV) is a lentivirus of sheep, causing slowly progressive interstitial pneumonia and encephalitis1. The primary target cells of MVV in vivo are considered to be of the monocyte lineage2. Certain strains of MVV can replicate in other cell types, however3,4. The green fluorescent protein is a commonly used marker for studying lentiviruses in living cells. We have inserted the egfp gene into the gene for dUTPase of MVV. The dUTPase gene is well conserved in most lentivirus strains of sheep and goats and has been shown to be important in replication of CAEV5. However, dUTPase has been shown to be dispensable for replication of the molecular clone of MVV used in this study both in vitro and in vivo6. MVV replication is strictly confined to cells of sheep or goat origin. We use a primary cell line from the choroid plexus of sheep (SCP cells) for transfection and propagation of the virus7. The fluorescent MVV is fully infectious and EGFP expression is stable over at least 6 passages8. There is good correlation between measurements of TCID50 and EGFP. This virus should therefore be useful for rapid detection of infected cells in studies of cell tropism and pathogenicity in vitro and in vivo8.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Propagating and Detecting an Infectious Molecular Clone of Maedi-visna Virus that Expresses Green Fluorescent Protein at JoVE.com

Propagating and Detecting an Infectious Molecular Clone of Maedi-visna Virus that Expresses Green Fluorescent Protein

We describe a molecular clone of maedi-visna virus that expresses GFP and is fully infectious. Replication of this virus can be detected by using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.

Maedi-visna virus (MVV) is a lentivirus of sheep, causing slowly progressive interstitial pneumonia and encephalitis1. The primary target cells of MVV in ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

Specific Marking of HIV-1 Positive Cells using a Rev-dependent Lentiviral Vector Expressing the Green Fluorescent Protein

Most of HIV-responsive expression vectors are based on the HIV promoter, the long terminal repeat (LTR). While responsive to an early HIV protein, Tat, ...

Detection of Infectious Virus from Field-collected Mosquitoes by Vero Cell Culture Assay

Mosquitoes transmit a number of distinct viruses including important human pathogens such as West Nile virus, dengue virus, and chickungunya virus. Many ...

Visualizing Dengue Virus through Alexa Fluor Labeling

The early events in the interaction between virus and cell can have profound influence on the outcome of infection. Determining the factors 
that ...

Live Cell Imaging of Alphaherpes Virus Anterograde Transport and Spread

Advances in live cell fluorescence microscopy  techniques, as well as the construction of recombinant viral strains that  express fluorescent fusion ...

Modeling The Lifecycle Of Ebola Virus Under Biosafety Level 2 Conditions With Virus-like Particles Containing Tetracistronic Minigenomes

Ebola viruses cause severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans and non-human primates, with case fatality rates as high as 90%. There are no approved vaccines or ...

Co-immunoprecipitation of the Mouse Mx1 Protein with the Influenza A Virus Nucleoprotein

Studying the interaction between proteins is key in understanding their function(s). A very powerful method that is frequently used to study interactions ...

Establishment of a High-throughput Setup for Screening Small Molecules That Modulate c-di-GMP Signaling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Establishment of a High-throughput Setup for Screening Small Molecules That Modulate c-di-GMP Signaling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics has driven research attempts to identify new drug targets in recently discovered regulatory pathways. ...

Zika Virus Infectious Cell Culture System and the In Vitro Prophylactic Effect of Interferons

Zika Virus Infectious Cell Culture System and the In Vitro Prophylactic Effect of Interferons

Zika Virus (ZIKV) is an emerging pathogen that is linked to fetal developmental abnormalities such as microcephaly, eye defects, and impaired growth. ZIKV ...

An In Vitro Caseum Binding Assay that Predicts Drug Penetration in Tuberculosis Lesions

An In Vitro Caseum Binding Assay that Predicts Drug Penetration in Tuberculosis Lesions

The eradication of tuberculosis disease requires drug regimens that can penetrate the multiple layers of complex pulmonary lesions. Drug distribution in ...

Rescue and Characterization of Recombinant Virus from a New World Zika Virus Infectious Clone

Infectious cDNA clones allow for genetic manipulation of a virus, thus facilitating work on vaccines, pathogenesis, replication, transmission and viral ...