The publication of this article was supported by a grant from the Office of Research at the University of Tennessee. The authors thank the previous generation of students and researchers that have worked to refine these procedures. Research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF-0851113, NSF-0825405 and NSF-0550485).

1. Ultrafiltration of Seawater to Generate "Virus-free" Water (Wilhelm &amp; Poorvin 2001)
<ol>
 <li>Approximately 20L of seawater / lakewater is collected as aseptically as possible.</li>
 <li>Water is serially prefiltered through 142-mm diameter polycarbonate 0.8 &mu;m filters that can be kept at -20 &deg;C for community analysis. Larger pore size filters may be used before this step for very productive systems.</li>
 <li>To obtain ultrafiltered water from an Amicon M12 system (Millipore) a 30 kDa-cutoff spiral cartridge is used to exclude all viruses, even small RNA viruses.</li>
 <li>The samples are processed and concentrated at ~ 25% speed with ~15-16 kPa of backpressure.</li>
 <li>The remaining sample of ~500 mL of water will contain a concentrated virus community (which can be saved for other experiments) while the remaining 19.5 L of virus-free water will be used for viral production assays.</li>
 <li>After each day of use, the Amicon M12 system must be cleaned to prevent damage to the membrane of the filter cartridge.</li>
 <li>If you are working with seawater, rinse the membrane out with at least 6L of Milli-Q water followed by a washing with 0.1N NaOH solution for 30-45 minutes.</li>
 <li>Again rinse the cartridge with at least 6L of Milli-Q water.</li>
 <li>When finished using the M12 system, the spiral cartridge should be stored in a 0.05M H3PO4 solution at 4&deg;C.</li>
</ol>
2. Virus Reduction Method for Viral Production (Wilhelm et al. 2002)
<ol>
 <li>Up to 500 mL of the seawater / lakewater sample with both host and viruses is obtained and placed in a sterifilter unit with a 0.2-&mu;m nominal pore-size low protein-binding filter (e.g., Durapore) placed on it.</li>
 <li>The sample is gently vacuum pressured at &lt;200 mmHg while continually resuspending the sample using a sterile transfer pipette to inhibit bacterial cells from concentrating on the filter.</li>
 <li>Slowly three volumes of ultrafiltrate are added to the bacterial suspension to significantly reduce the number of free viruses in the sample.</li>
 <li>The bacterial fraction is diluted back to 500 mL with virus-free water and divided into three replicates of 150 mL each and are placed in clear 250ml polycarbonate bottles.</li>
</ol>
3. Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF) Method for Viral Production (Weinbauer et al. 2002, Winget et al. 2005)
TFF represents an alternative approach to the viral reduction method.
<ol>
 <li>Approximately 500 mL of natural sample is collected as described above.</li>
 <li>This sample is concentrated using a 0.2-&mu;m nominal pore-size tangential flow filtration system.</li>
 <li>When the bacterial fraction is reduced to approximately 10-15 mL, ultrafiltered, virus-free water is added and distributed as above.</li>
 <li>The replicate bottles are incubated at in situ conditions using environmental chambers.
 <ol>
 <li>Light levels are altered to surface conditions by using blue-tinted acrylic or clear acrylic with screening net to decrease light intensity.</li>
 <li>Ambient surface temperatures are often obtained by using a flowing seawater deck incubator.</li>
 </ol>
 </li>
 <li>Samples for bacterial and viral abundance estimates are taken at time 0 with a final concentration of 2.0-2.5% sterile glutaraldehyde added into cryovials. These samples are immediately flash frozen with liquid nitrogen and stored frozen until processed.
 <ol>
 <li>If liquid nitrogen is not available, microscopy slides may be prepared and processed immediately (see procedure below)</li>
 </ol>
 </li>
 <li>Subsamples are collected every 2.5 hours for at least 10 hours by the method described above.
 <ol>
 <li> At this time water may be collected for quantitative PCR analysis. Up to 5 mL of the sample may be added to a cryovial with no fixative agent with immediate flash freezing in liquid nitrogen.</li>
 </ol>
 </li>
</ol>
4. Viral Production Microscopy (Noble &amp; Fuhrman 1998, Wen et al. 2004)
<ol>
 <li>Frozen samples to be 0.02-&mu;m filtered for microscopy should be thawed on ice.</li>
 <li>Prepare a stock solution of SYBR Green by diluting the stock solution 1:10 with sterile water. Next, from the stock solution, prepare a working solution by adding 1mL of the stock solution to 39 mL of sterile water. A 50% glycerol, 50% phosphate buffered saline solutions (PBS, 0.05 M Na2HPO4, 0.85% NaCl, pH 7.5) and fresh 2.5% stock solution of p-phenylenediamine should also be prepared before beginning. Keep the 50% glycerol/50% PBS solution at 4&deg;C and the p-phenylenediamine stock at -20&deg;C in the dark until starting. Right before filtering add the p-phenylenediamine to the 50% glycerol/50% PBS to a final concentration of 0.1% to be used as the Antifade solution.</li>
 <li>Place a 25 mm 0.02-&mu;m Anodisc filter on top of a 0.45-&mu;m MicronStep, cellulosic backing filter. Add 850 &mu;L of the fixed sample to the top of the Anodisc and vacuum at 20 pKa until completely dried. Place 100 &mu;L of SYBR Green working solution to a sterile Petri dish and, with the vacuum still on, carefully remove the Anodisc from the filter tower and place on the SYBR Green. Incubate the samples in the dark at room temperature for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the filter from the SYBR Green solution and wick the back of the filter with a Kimwipe to remove all residual dye. If desired, return the filter to the tower and pass up to 800 &mu;L of 0.02-&mu;m filtered water or sterile media through the filter to rinse off excess stain.</li>
 <li>Add a small drop of antifade solution to a microscope slide and place a cover slip on top. Remove the cover slip and add the dried filter to the microscope slide wet with the antifade solution. Again, add a small amount of antifade solution to the cover slip and slowly place it on top of the filter, making sure to get rid of any bubbles that may form.</li>
 <li>Immediately freeze the slides at -20&deg; C until needed (these should be used within a few months to prevent fading and lowered virus counts)</li>
 <li>Viruses are enumerated using fluorescence microscopy (in our case a Leica DMRXA microscope) with a wide blue filter set (&lambda;Ex= 450 to 490 nm, &lambda;Em= 510 nm with a suppression filter at &lambda;= 510 nm). Each filter will have at least 20 fields of view counted, making sure to quantify total viruses from each field grid to ensure even distribution of viruses across the filter membrane.</li>
 <li>Averaged rates of virus reoccurrence from the three independent replicates are then calculated and a standard deviation is determined from the production rates.</li>
</ol>
5. Representative Results
The raw data collected by the researcher requires minimal mathematical processing to generate reoccurrence rates of virus abundance. The primary data set resulting from this study is the reoccurrence rates of virus abundance in the subsamples from the incubations. These results form independent regressions of virus abundance vs time for each of the samples. For each sample the individual incubations act as one treatment, so by completing three replicate-incubations the researcher can calculate rates as well as an estimate of variation (e.g., standard deviation) (see Figure 1.)
One caveat of this process is that the reduction in virus abundance invariable leads to a reduction in the host cells in the sample that are carrying the virus burden. To offset this loss, enumeration of bacterial abundance from both the source (unfiltered seawater or lake water) and the T = 0 incubation sample are necessary. This information can be used to account for the percentage of cells lost: assuming that the process of reducing virus abundance is not selective for or against any members of the microbial community, this factor can then be used to estimate the in situ production rate of viruses.
<img src="/files/ftp_upload/2196/2196fig1.jpg" alt="Figure 1" /> Figure 1. The production of virus-like particles over a 10 hour incubation at in situ conditions using epifluorescence microscopy. Samples were collected during a phytoplankton bloom off the coast of New Zealand in September of 2008. <img src="/files/ftp_upload/2196/2196fig2.jpg" alt="Figure 2" /> Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the work flow process for assaying virus production. The process starts with the ultrafiltration of sample water to generate virus-free water. This is completed using an ultrafiltration system. In parallel water samples are collected from the same site and the free viruses passed through a filter while the microbial community (containing a mixture of infected and non-infected cells) is retained. This community is then resuspended in the virus free water and incubated under in situ conditions. The reoccurrence rate of viruses is then monitored for the next 10 hours to determine rates of virus production.

<ol>
	<li>Higgins, J. L., Kudo, I., Nishioka, J., Tsuda, A., Wilhelm, S. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+response+of+the+virus+community+to+a+mesoscale+iron+fertilization+in+the+sub-Arctic+Pacific+Ocean.">The response of the virus community to a mesoscale iron fertilization in the sub-Arctic Pacific Ocean.</a> Deep-Sea Res II. 56, 2788-2795 (2009).</li><li>Mioni, C. E., Poorvin, L., Wilhelm, S. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Virus+and+siderophore-mediated+transfer+of+available+Fe+between+heterotrophic+bacteria:+characterization+using+a+Fe-specific+bioreporter.">Virus and siderophore-mediated transfer of available Fe between heterotrophic bacteria: characterization using a Fe-specific bioreporter.</a> Aquat Microb Ecol. 41, 233-245 (2005).</li><li>Noble, R. T., Fuhrman, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Use+of+SYBR+Green+I+for+rapid+epifluorescence+counts+of+marine+viruses+and+bacteria.">Use of SYBR Green I for rapid epifluorescence counts of marine viruses and bacteria.</a> Aquat Microb Ecol. 14, 113-118 (1998).</li><li>Parada, V., Herndl, G., Weinbauer, M. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Viral+burst+size+of+heterotrophic+prokaryotes+in+aquatic+systems.">Viral burst size of heterotrophic prokaryotes in aquatic systems.</a> J Mar Biol Assoc U K. 86, 613-621 (2006).</li><li>Poorvin, L., Rinta-Kanto, J. M., Hutchins, D. A., Wilhelm, S. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Viral+release+of+Fe+and+its+bioavailability+to+marine+plankton.">Viral release of Fe and its bioavailability to marine plankton.</a> Limnol Oceanogr. 49, 1734-1741 .</li><li>Rowe, J. M., Saxton, M. A., Cottrell, M. T., DeBruyn, J. M., Berg, G. M., Kirchman, D. L., Hutchins, D. A., Wilhelm, S. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Constraints+on+virus+production+in+the+Sargasso+Sea+and+North+Atlantic.">Constraints on virus production in the Sargasso Sea and North Atlantic.</a> Aquat Microb Ecol. 52, 233-244 (2008).</li><li>Weinbauer, M. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ecology+of+prokaryotic+viruses.">Ecology of prokaryotic viruses.</a> FEMS Microbiol Rev. 28, 127-181 (2004).</li><li>Weinbauer, M. G., Peduzzi, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Frequency,+size+and+distribution+of+bacteriophages+in+different+marine+morphotypes.">Frequency, size and distribution of bacteriophages in different marine morphotypes.</a> Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 108, 11-20 (1994).</li><li>Weinbauer, M. G., Winter, C., H&amp;ouml, f. l. e., G, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reconsidering+transmission+electron+microscopy+based+estimates+of+viral+infection+of+bacterioplankton+using+conversion+factors+derived+from+natural+communities.">Reconsidering transmission electron microscopy based estimates of viral infection of bacterioplankton using conversion factors derived from natural communities.</a> Aquat Microb Ecol. 27, 103-110 (2002).</li><li>Wen, K., Ortmann, A. C., Suttle, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Accurate+estimation+of+viral+abundance+by+epifluorescence+microscopy.">Accurate estimation of viral abundance by epifluorescence microscopy.</a> Appl Environ Microbiol. 70, 3862-3867 (2004).</li><li>Wilhelm, S. W., Brigden, S. M., Suttle, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+dilution+technique+for+the+direct+measurement+of+viral+production:+a+comparison+in+stratified+and+tidally+mixed+coastal+waters.">A dilution technique for the direct measurement of viral production: a comparison in stratified and tidally mixed coastal waters.</a> Microb Ecol. 43, 168-173 (2002).</li><li>Wilhelm, S. W., Matteson, A. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Freshwater+and+marine+virioplankton:+a+brief+overview+of+commonalities+and+differences.">Freshwater and marine virioplankton: a brief overview of commonalities and differences.</a> Freshw Biol. 53, 1076-1089 (2008).</li><li>Wilhelm, S. W., Poorvin, L., Paul, J. 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> Quantification of algal viruses in marine samples. , 53-66 (2001).</li><li>Wilhelm, S. W., Suttle, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Viruses+and+nutrient+cycles+in+the+sea.">Viruses and nutrient cycles in the sea.</a> Bioscience. 49, 781-788 (1999).</li><li>Wilhelm, S. W., Weinbauer, M. G., Suttle, C. A., Jeffrey, W. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+role+of+sunlight+in+the+removal+and+repair+of+viruses+in+the+sea.">The role of sunlight in the removal and repair of viruses in the sea.</a> Limnol Oceanogr. 43, 586-592 (1998).</li><li>Winget, D. M., Williamson, K. E., Helton, R. R., Wommack, K. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tangential+flow+diafiltration:+an+improved+technique+for+estimation+of+virioplankton+production.">Tangential flow diafiltration: an improved technique for estimation of virioplankton production.</a> Aquat Microb Ecol. 41, 221-232 (2005).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

A critical component in the understanding how viruses influence marine microbial communities is to determine the rate at which virus particle are produced. Given that abundances are (more or less) static in most systems (Wilhelm &amp; Suttle 1999, Weinbauer 2004), and that viruses are removed or rendered non-infectious quickly in aquatic systems (Wilhelm et al. 1998), then production rates must be relative rapid to replace lost particles. Estimating the mortality viruses cause to the microbial community requires a knowledge of how many viruses are produced every time a virus lyses a cell (the "burst size"). Virus burst sizes in natural samples can vary greatly. Burst sizes can be determined directly by transmission electron microscopy (e.g., Weinbauer &amp; Peduzzi 1994), but this is often beyond the capabilities of a given laboratory or not always practical. In situations where they cannot be empirically determined, literature values of 24 viruses per lytic event may be used for marine systems and 34 for freshwater systems (Parada et al. 2006). If the rate of virus production is divided by this number, the result is the abundance of cells per volume destroyed by viruses on a daily basis. The microbes lysed value can then be divided by the standing stock of bacterial abundance resulting in the virus induced mortality for the system in question: existing estimates range from few percent to nearly the entire population and are often dependent on other factors in the system in question (Wilhelm &amp; Matteson 2008). To determine the percentage of total mortality this number is often multiplied by two (working from the assumption that 50% of the cells go on to reproduce and 50% of the cells are lost, Weinbauer 2004). Given that nutrient and trace element bioavailability (e.g., N, P, Fe) can limit the rate of primary productivity, and as such carbon flux, through aquatic systems, and understanding of the role of virus-driven microbial mortality in this process has become of interest to marine geochemists. Several estimates now exist that suggest viruses release a significant concentrations of nutrient elements back to the water column on a daily basis (Rowe et al. 2008, Higgins et al. 2009) and that these elements are rapidly assimilated by the microbial community (Poorvin et al. 2004, Mioni et al. 2005). The rate of nutrient flux to the environment can be determined by multiplying the number of cells destroyed by the amount of nutrient per cell (denoted "quotas"). This information can provide a critical component to our understanding of how microbial food webs function across aquatic systems. Ongoing developments: Current efforts by a series of research groups involve adapting the above strategy to enumerate specific viruses within the community and, as such, to determine how specific organisms are influenced by virus activity. To do this researchers use the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to estimate the abundance of specific viruses groups or families in parallel to the estimates of the total virus community. The results are then directly applied to provide estimates of virus mortality, nutrient turnover, etc for specific plankton groups. This powerful new approach will allow researchers in the coming years to dig much more deeply into processes associated with the ecology of viruses and, for the first time, to quantify the interactions of specific virus-host communities beyond the constraints of laboratory systems.

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		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>2.5% p-phenylenediamine</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Acros</td>
<td>130575000</td>
<td>Stock for Antifade</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Amicon Proflux M12 system</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Millipore</td>
<td>N/A</td>
<td>Any ultrafiltration device may be used for this step</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SYBR Green I nucleic acid gel stain</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Invitrogen</td>
<td>S-7563</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Helicon S10 30kDa Filter</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Millipore</td>
<td>CDUF010LT</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Pelicon XL filters 0.22 &mu;m</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>PXGVPPC50</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>GE 0.2 &mu;m PCTE membrane filters (47mm)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>09-732-35</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Millipore Labscale Tangential Flow Filtration System</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Millipore</td>
<td>XX42LSS11</td>
<td>Other TFF systems may be used for this step</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>0.45 &mu;m Micronstep, Cellulosic, white plain filters (25mm)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>E04WP02500</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>GE Whatman 0.02 &mu;m Anodisc filters (25mm)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>68-09-6002</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Leica DMRXA microscope</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Any epifluorescence microscope with a blue filter set may be used</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>20L polycarbonate carboys</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Glycerol</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>BP229-4</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PBS (0.05 M Na2HPO4, 0.85% NaCl, pH 7.5)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>BP329-500, S640-500</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>50% Glutaraldehyde </td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>G151-1</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Corning 2 mL Cryovials-External Thread polypropylene</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>09-761-71</td>
<td>Any cryovials may be used</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Corning 5 mL Cryovials-External Thread polypropylene</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>09-761-74</td>
<td>Any cryovials may be used</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> 85% H3PO4</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>A242-212</td>
<td>Spiral Membrane storage</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NaOH pellets</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>S318-3</td>
<td>M12 cleaning</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Graduated Cylinders</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Isopore 0.8-&mu;m pore-size membrane filter (142mm)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Millipore</td>
<td>ATTP14250</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Millipore Stainless Steel Pressure Filter Holder (142mm)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>YY30 090 00</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

estimating virus production rates in aquatic systems

Viruses are pervasive components of marine and freshwater systems, and are known to be significant agents of microbial mortality. Developing quantitative estimates of this process is critical as we can then develop better models of microbial community structure and function as well as advance our understanding of how viruses work to alter aquatic biogeochemical cycles. The virus reduction technique allows researchers to estimate the rate at which virus particles are released from the endemic microbial community. In brief, the abundance of free (extracellular) viruses is reduced in a sample while the microbial community is maintained at near ambient concentration. The microbial community is then incubated in the absence of free viruses and the rate at which viruses reoccur in the sample (through the lysis of already infected members of the community) can be quantified by epifluorescence microscopy or, in the case of specific viruses, quantitative PCR. These rates can then be used to estimate the rate of microbial mortality due to virus-mediated cell lysis.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Estimating Virus Production Rates in Aquatic Systems at JoVE.com

Estimating Virus Production Rates in Aquatic Systems

The turnover rate of viruses in marine and freshwater systems can be estimated by a reduction and reoccurrence technique. The data allow researchers to infer rates of virus-mediated microbial mortality in aquatic systems.

Viruses are pervasive components of marine and freshwater systems, and are known to be significant agents of microbial mortality. Developing quantitative ...

estimating-virus-production-rates-in-aquatic-systems

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Immunology and Infection

12.6K Views.  University of Tennessee. The turnover rate of viruses in marine and freshwater systems can be estimated by a reduction and reoccurrence technique. The data allow researchers to infer rates of virus-mediated microbial mortality in aquatic systems. 

Video: Estimating Virus Production Rates in Aquatic Systems

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 influence this interaction could lead to improved understanding of disease pathogenesis and thus influence vaccine or therapeutic design. Hence, the development 
of methods to probe this interaction would be useful. Recent advancements in fluorophores development1-3 and imaging technology4 can be exploited to 
improve our current knowledge on dengue pathogenesis and thus pave the way to reduce the millions of dengue infections occurring annually.

The enveloped dengue virus has an external scaffold consisting of 90 envelope glycoprotein (E) dimers protecting the nucleocapsid shell, 
which contains a single positive strand RNA genome5. The identical protein subunits on the virus surface can thus be labeled with an amine reactive dye and visualized 
through immunofluorescent microscopy. Here, we present a simple method of labeling of dengue virus with Alexa Fluor succinimidyl ester dye dissolved directly in a sodium 
bicarbonate buffer that yielded highly viable virus after labeling. There is no standardized procedure for the labeling of live virus and existing manufacturer&#x2019;s protocol 
for protein labeling usually requires the reconstitution of dye in dimethyl sulfoxide. The presence of dimethyl sulfoxide, even in minute quantities, can block 
productive infection of virus and also induce cell cytotoxicity6. The exclusion of the use of dimethyl sulfoxide in this protocol thus reduced this possibility. 
Alexa Fluor dyes have superior photostability and are less pH-sensitive than the common dyes, such as fluorescein and rhodamine2, making them ideal for 
studies on cellular uptake and endosomal transport of the virus. The conjugation of Alexa Fluor dye did not affect the recognition of labeled dengue 
virus by virus-specific antibody and its putative receptors in host cells7. This method could have useful applications in virological studies.

Taking advantage of the advancements in fluorophore development and imaging technology, a simple method of Alexa Fluor labeling of dengue virus was devised to visualize the early interactions between virus and cell.

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

Efficient Recombinant Parvovirus Production with the Help of Adenovirus-derived Systems

Rodent parvoviruses (PV) such as rat H-1PV and MVM, are small icosahedral, single stranded, DNA viruses. Their genome includes two promoters P4 and P38 which regulate the expression of non-structural (NS1 and NS2) and capsid proteins (VP1 and VP2) respectively1. They attract high interest as anticancer agents for their oncolytic and oncosuppressive abilities while being non-pathogenic for humans2. NS1 is the major effector of viral cytotoxicity3. In order to further enhance their natural antineoplastic activities, derivatives from these vectors have been generated by replacing the gene encoding for the capsid proteins with a therapeutic transgene (e.g. a cytotoxic polypeptide, cytokine, chemokine, tumour suppressor gene etc.)4. The recombinant parvoviruses (recPVs) vector retains the NS1/2 coding sequences and the PV genome telomeres which are necessary for viral DNA amplification and packaging. Production of recPVs occurs only in the producer cells (generally HEK293T), by co-transfecting the cells with a second vector (pCMV-VP) expressing the gene encoding for the VP proteins (Fig. 1)4. The recPV vectors generated in this way are replication defective. Although recPVs proved to possess enhanced oncotoxic activities with respect to the parental viruses from which they have been generated, their production remains a major challenge and strongly hampers the use of these agents in anti-cancer clinical applications.
We found that introduction of an Ad-5 derived vector containing the E2a, E4(orf6) and the VA RNA genes (e.g. pXX6 plasmid) into HEK293T improved the production of recPVs by more than 10 fold in comparison to other protocols in use. Based on this finding, we have constructed a novel Ad-VP-helper that contains the genomic adenoviral elements necessary to enhance recPVs production as well as the parvovirus VP gene unit5. The use of Ad-VP-helper, allows production of rec-PVs using a protocol that relies entirely on viral infection steps (as opposed to plasmid transfection), making possible the use of cell lines that are difficult to transfect (e.g. NB324K) (Fig. 2). We present a method that greatly improves the amount of recombinant virus produced, reducing both the production time and costs, without affecting the quality of the final product5. In addition, large scale production of recPV (in suspension cells and bioreactors) is now conceivable.

Here we describe a protocol based only on cell infection, which improves the efficiency of recombinant parvovirus production by more than 100 fold in comparison to other protocols in use. This protocol relies on the use of a novel adenovirus 5-based helper containing the parvovirus VP transcription unit (Ad-VP).

Rodent parvoviruses (PV) such as rat H-1PV and MVM, are small icosahedral, single stranded, DNA viruses. Their genome includes two promoters P4 and P38 ...

In Vivo Imaging Systems (IVIS) Detection of a Neuro-Invasive Encephalitic Virus

Modern advancements in imaging technology encourage further development and refinement in the way viral research is accomplished. Initially proposed by Russel and Burch in Hume's 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement), the utilization of animal models in scientific research is under constant pressure to identify new methodologies to reduce animal usage while improving scientific accuracy and speed. A major challenge to Hume's principals however, is how to ensure the studies are statistically accurate while reducing animal disease morbidity and overall numbers. Vaccine efficacy studies currently require a large number of animals in order to be considered statistically significant and often result in high morbidity and mortality endpoints for identification of immune protection. We utilized in vivo imaging systems (IVIS) in conjunction with a firefly bioluminescent enzyme to progressively track the invasion of the central nervous system (CNS) by an encephalitic virus in a murine model. Typically, the disease progresses relatively slowly, however virus replication is rapid, especially within the CNS, and can lead to an often, lethal outcome. Following intranasal infection of the mice with TC83-Luc, an attenuated Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus strain modified to expresses a luciferase gene; we are able to visualize virus replication within the brain at least three days before the development of clinical disease symptoms. Utilizing CNS invasion as a key encephalitic disease development endpoint we are able to quickly identify therapeutic and vaccine protection against TC83-Luc infection before clinical symptoms develop. With IVIS technology we are able to demonstrate the rapid and accurate testing of drug therapeutics and vaccines while reducing animal numbers and morbidity.

In Vivo Imaging Systems IVIS Detection of a Neuro-Invasive Encephalitic Virus

Utilizing luciferase and in vivo imaging systems (IVIS) as a novel means to identify disease endpoints before clinical developments occur. IVIS has allowed us to visualize in real time the invasion of encephalitic viruses over multiple days, providing a more accurate disease model for future study. It has also allowed us to identify the potential protective features of antivirals and vaccines faster than currently utilized animal models. The capability to utilize individual animals over multiple time points ensures reduced animal requirements, costs, and overall morbidity to the animals utilized ensuring a more humane and more scientific means of disease study.

Modern advancements in imaging technology encourage further development and refinement in the way viral research is accomplished. Initially proposed by ...

Influenza Virus Propagation in Embryonated Chicken Eggs

Influenza infection is associated with about 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations every year in the United States. The continuous emergence of new influenza virus strains due to mutation and re-assortment complicates the control of the virus and necessitates the permanent development of novel drugs and vaccines. The laboratory-based study of influenza requires a reliable and cost-effective method for the propagation of the virus. Here, a comprehensive protocol is provided for influenza A virus propagation in fertile chicken eggs, which consistently yields high titer viral stocks. In brief, serum pathogen-free (SPF) fertilized chicken eggs are incubated at 37 &#176;C and 55-60% humidity for 10 &#8211; 11 days. Over this period, embryo development can be easily monitored using an egg candler. Virus inoculation is carried out by injection of virus stock into the allantoic cavity using a needle. After 2 days of incubation at 37 &#176;C, the eggs are chilled for at least 4 hr at 4 &#176;C. The eggshell above the air sac and the chorioallantoic membrane are then carefully opened, and the allantoic fluid containing the virus is harvested. The fluid is cleared from debris by centrifugation, aliquoted and transferred to -80 &#176;C for long-term storage. The large amount (5-10 ml of virus-containing fluid per egg) and high virus titer which is usually achieved with this protocol has made the usage of eggs for virus preparation our favorable method, in particular for in vitro studies which require large quantities of virus in which high dosages of the same virus stock are needed.

Fertile chicken eggs are widely used to produce large amounts of human influenza A virus as they provide a convenient and cost-effective system to prove high yields of virus.

Influenza infection is associated with about 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations every year in the United States. The continuous ...

Neutrophil Isolation and Analysis to Determine their Role in Lymphoma Cell Sensitivity to Therapeutic Agents

Neutrophils are the most abundant (40% to 75%) type of white blood cells and among the first inflammatory cells to migrate towards the site of inflammation. They are key players in the innate immune system and play major roles in cancer biology. Neutrophils have been proposed as key mediators of malignant transformation, tumor progression, angiogenesis and in the modulation of the antitumor immunity; through their release of soluble factors or their interaction with tumor cells. To characterize the specific functions of neutrophils, a fast and reliable method is coveted for in vitro isolation of neutrophils from human blood. Here, a density gradient separation method is demonstrated to isolate neutrophils as well as mononuclear cells from the blood. The procedure consists of layering the density gradient solution such as Ficoll carefully above the diluted blood obtained from patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), followed by centrifugation, isolation of mononuclear layer, separation of neutrophils from RBCsby dextran then lysis of residual erythrocytes. This method has been shown to isolate neutrophils &#8805; 90 % pure. To mimic the tumor microenvironment, 3-dimensional (3D) experiments were performed using basement membrane matrix such as Matrigel. Given the short half-life of neutrophils in vitro, 3D experiments with fresh human neutrophils cannot be performed. For this reason promyelocytic HL60 cells are differentiated along the granulocytic pathway using the differentiation inducers dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and retinoic acid (RA). The aim of our experiments is to study the role of neutrophils on the sensitivity of lymphoma cells to anti-lymphoma agents. However these methods can be generalized to study the interactions of neutrophils or neutrophil-like cells with a large range of cell types in different situations.

Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cells. The isolation of neutrophils from human blood by density gradient separation method and the differentiation of human promyelocytic (HL60) cells along the granulocytic pathway are described here; to test their role on sensitivity of lymphoma cells to anti-lymphoma agents.

Neutrophils are the most abundant (40% to 75%) type of white blood cells and among the first inflammatory cells to migrate towards the site of ...

A Simple and Efficient Approach to Construct Mutant Vaccinia Virus Vectors

The CRISPR-associated endonuclease Cas9 can edit particular genomic loci directed by a single guide RNA (gRNA). The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been successfully employed for editing genomes of various organisms. Here we describe a protocol for editing the vaccinia virus (VV) genome in the cytoplasm of VV-infected CV-1 cells using the RNA-guided Cas9. RNA-guided Cas9 induces double-stranded DNA breaks facilitating homologous recombination efficiently and specifically in the targeted site of VV and a transgene can be incorporated into these sites by homologous recombination. By using a site-specific homologous vector with transgene(s), a N1L gene-deleted VV with the red fluorescence protein (RFP) gene incorporated in this region was generated with a successful recombination efficiency 10 times greater than that obtained from the conventional homologous recombination method. This protocol demonstrates successful use of RNA-guided Cas9 system to generate mutant VVs with enhanced efficiency.

Vaccinia virus (VV) has been widely used in biomedical research and the improvement of human health. This article describes a simple, highly efficient method to edit the VV genome using a CRISPR-Cas9 system.

The CRISPR-associated endonuclease Cas9 can edit particular genomic loci directed by a single guide RNA (gRNA). The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been ...

Evaluation of the Efficacy And Toxicity of RNAs Targeting HIV-1 Production for Use in Gene or Drug Therapy

Small RNA therapies targeting post-integration steps in the HIV-1 replication cycle are among the top candidates for gene therapy and have the potential to be used as drug therapies for HIV-1 infection. Post-integration inhibitors include ribozymes, short hairpin (sh) RNAs, small interfering (si) RNAs, U1 interference (U1i) RNAs and RNA aptamers. Many of these have been identified using transient co-transfection assays with an HIV-1 expression plasmid and some have advanced to clinical trials. In addition to measures of efficacy, small RNAs have been evaluated for their potential to affect the expression of human RNAs, alter cell growth and/or differentiation, and elicit innate immune responses. In the protocols described here, a set of transient transfection assays designed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of RNA molecules targeting post-integration steps in the HIV-1 replication cycle are described. We have used these assays to identify new ribozymes and optimize the format of shRNAs and siRNAs targeting HIV-1 RNA. The methods provide a quick set of assays that are useful for screening new anti-HIV-1 RNAs and could be adapted to screen other post-integration inhibitors of HIV-1 replication.

Methods to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of RNA molecules targeting post-integration steps of the HIV-1 replication cycle are described. These methods are useful for screening new molecules and optimizing the format of existing ones.

Small RNA therapies targeting post-integration steps in the HIV-1 replication cycle are among the top candidates for gene therapy and have the potential ...

Rapid, Safe, and Simple Manual Bedside Nucleic Acid Extraction for the Detection of Virus in Whole Blood Samples

The rapid diagnosis of an infection is essential for the outbreak management, risk containment, and patient care. We have previously shown a method for the rapid bedside inactivation of the Ebola virus during blood sampling for safe nucleic acid (NA) tests by adding a commercial lysis/binding buffer directly into the vacuum blood collection tubes. Using this bedside inactivation approach, we have developed a safe, rapid, and simplified bedside NA extraction method for the subsequent detection of a virus in lysis/binding buffer-inactivated whole blood. The NA extraction is directly performed in the blood collection tubes and requires no equipment or electricity. 
After the blood is collected into the lysis/binding buffer, the contents are mixed by flipping the tube by hand, and the mixture is incubated for 20 min at room temperature. Magnetic glass particles (MGPs) are added to the tube, and the contents are mixed by flipping the collection tube by hand. The MGPs are then collected on the side of the blood collection tube using a magnetic holder or a magnet and a rubber band. The MGPs are washed three times, and after the addition of elution buffer directly into the collection tube, the NAs are ready for NA tests, such as qPCR or isothermal loop amplification (LAMP), without the removal of the MGPs from the reaction. The NA extraction method is not dependent on any laboratory facilities and can easily be used anywhere (e.g., in field hospitals and hospital isolation wards). When this NA extraction method is combined with LAMP and a portable instrument, a diagnosis can be obtained within 40 min of the blood collection.

Here, we present a protocol for the rapid virus nucleic acid extraction from the virus-inactivated whole blood. The extraction is performed directly in the blood collection tubes and requires no equipment or electricity. The method is not dependent on laboratory facilities and can be used anywhere (e.g., in field hospitals).

The rapid diagnosis of an infection is essential for the outbreak management, risk containment, and patient care. We have previously shown a method for ...

Identification of Coding and Non-coding RNA Classes Expressed in Swine Whole Blood

The advent of innovative and increasingly powerful next generation sequencing techniques has opened new avenues into the ability to examine the underlying gene expression related to biological processes of interest. These innovations not only allow researchers to observe expression from the mRNA sequences that code for genes that effect cellular function, but also the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules that remain untranslated, but still have regulatory functions. Although researchers have the ability to observe both mRNA and ncRNA expression, it has been customary for a study to focus on one or the other. However, when studies are interested in both mRNA and ncRNA expression, many times they use separate samples to examine either coding or non-coding RNAs due to the difference in library preparations. This can lead to the need for more samples which can increase time, consumables, and animal stress. Additionally, it may cause researchers to decide to prepare samples for only one analysis, usually the mRNA, limiting the number of biological questions that can be investigated. However, ncRNAs span multiple classes with regulatory roles that effect mRNA expression. Because ncRNA are important to fundamental biologic processes and disorder of these processes in during infection, they may, therefore, make attractive targets for therapeutics. This manuscript demonstrates a modified protocol for the generation mRNA and non-coding RNA expression libraries, including viral RNA, from a single sample of whole blood. Optimization of this protocol, improved RNA purity, increased ligation for recovery of methylated RNAs, and omitted&#160;size selection, to allow capture of more RNA species.

Here, we present a protocol optimized for the processing of coding (mRNA) and non-coding&#160;(ncRNA) globin reduced RNA-seq libraries from a single whole blood sample.

The advent of innovative and increasingly powerful next generation sequencing techniques has opened new avenues into the ability to examine the underlying ...

Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems

The translation of genes into proteins is prone to errors. Although the average rate of translational error in model systems is estimated to be 1/10,000 per codon, the actual error rates vary widely, depending on the species, environment, and codons being studied. We have previously shown that mycobacteria use a two-step pathway for the generation of aminoacylated glutamine and asparagine tRNAs and that this is specifically associated with relatively high error rates due to the modulation of mistranslation rates by an essential component of the pathway, the amidotransferase GatCAB. We modified a previously employed Renilla-Firefly dual-luciferase system that had been used to measure mistranslation rates in Escherichia coli for use in mycobacteria to measure specific mistranslation rates of glutamate at glutamine codons and aspartate for asparagine codons. Although this reporter system was suitable for the accurate estimation of specific error rates, lack of sensitivity and requirements for excessive manipulation steps made it unsuitable for high-throughput applications. Therefore, we developed a second gain-of-function reporter system, using Nluc luciferase and green fluorescent protein (GFP), which is more amenable to medium/high-throughput settings. We used this system to identify kasugamycin as a small molecule that can decrease mycobacterial mistranslation. Although the reporters that we describe here have been used to measure specific types of mycobacterial mistranslation, they may be modified to measure other types of mistranslation in a number of model systems.

In this article, we present two complementary methods to measure specific rates of translational error and mistranslation in the model mycobacterium, Mycobacterium smegmatis, using gain-of-function reporter systems. The methods can be employed to measure accurate error rates in low throughput or relative error rates in a more high-throughput setting.

The translation of genes into proteins is prone to errors. Although the average rate of translational error in model systems is estimated to be 1/10,000 ...