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The goal of this protocol is to quantify binding of the eukaryotic pathogen human norovirus to bacteria. After performing an initial virus-bacterium attachment assay, flow cytometry is used to detect virally-bound bacteria within the population.
Commensal bacteria are well established to impact infection of eukaryotic viruses. Direct binding between the pathogen and the host microbiome is responsible for altering infection for many of these viruses. Thus, characterizing the nature of virus-bacteria binding is a foundational step needed for elucidating the mechanism(s) by which bacteria alter viral infection. For human norovirus, commensal bacteria enhance B cell infection. The virus directly binds to these bacteria, indicating that this direct interaction is involved in the mechanism of infection enhancement. A variety of techniques can be used to quantify interactions between bacteria and viruses including scintillation counting of radiolabeled viruses and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Both methods require the use of live virus, which may need to be generated in the laboratory. Currently, none of the established in vitro culture systems available for human norovirus are robust enough to allow for generation of highly concentrated viral stocks. In lieu of live virus, virus-like particles (VLPs) have been used to characterize the interactions between norovirus and bacteria. Herein a flow cytometry method is described with uses virus specific antibodies to quantify VLP binding to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Inclusion of both bacteria only and isotype controls allowed for optimization of the assay to reduce background antibody binding and accurate quantification of VLP attachment to the bacteria tested. High VLP:bacterium ratios result in VLPs binding to large percentages of the bacterial population. However, when VLP quantities are decreased, the percent of bacteria bound also decreases. Ultimately, this method can be employed in future experiments elucidating the specific conditions and structural components that regulate norovirus:bacterial interactions.
Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are the leading cause of gastrointestinal illness worldwide, responsible for 685 million infections and over 200,000 deaths each year1. As with other enteric viruses, the presence of commensal bacteria has been shown to enhance infection of this pathogen as well as its surrogate virus, murine norovirus2,3. There are also conflicting reports that bacteria may inhibit infection by human norovirus4,5,6. For several viruses, direct interaction between the virus and bacteria appear to underlie the mechanisms that impact viral infection2,7,8,9,10, and it has been shown through electron microscopy that human noroviruses bind directly to the surfaces of bacteria11,12. Therefore, characterizing these interactions has become critical to determining the mechanisms by which bacteria impact viral infection. This characterization has classically begun with quantifying viral binding to an array of bacterial species that are components of the host microbiome7,12,13. These attachment assays not only reveal the amount of virus bound to bacteria, but also aid in determining the impact of this interaction on viral fitness and survival.
To quantify viral attachment, traditionally employed methods include PCR-based assays which quantify viral genomes12 or the generation of radiolabeled virus and the use of scintillation counting to quantify viral particles7,8,9,13. The use of these methods generally require access to high-titer virus stocks and in vitro cultivation techniques with which to generate them. While several culture systems for human norovirus now exist2,14,15, none support the robust replication required to generate these highly concentrated stocks which restricts or eliminates the use of PCR and scintillation counting to quantify human norovirus/bacterial interactions.
To circumvent this issue, virus-like particles (VLPs) can be used as a surrogate to live virus to investigate interactions between human norovirus and bacteria16,17. VLPs are non-infectious particles that closely resemble the virus from which they are derived. In the case of human norovirus, these particles are generated from the expression of the VP1 (and sometime the VP2) protein, which self-assemble to create intact viral capsids lacking genetic material (i.e., RNA for noroviruses). These VLPs have been well characterized, are structurally and antigenically similar to the wild-type viruses from which they are derived18,19,20,21,22,23. Therefore, VLPs serve as an ideal surrogate for investigating the surface interactions between human norovirus and commensal bacteria. Given that VLPs lack genetic material, PCR-based assays cannot be used to quantify viral binding. An antibody-based flow cytometry method was previously described and able to detect low levels of VLP binding to bacteria in a semi-quantitative manner16. This method was optimized to allow for accurate quantification of human norovirus VLP binding to both gram-negative and gram-positive commensal bacteria16.
NOTE: The bacterial growth conditions outlined in the protocol are standard culture conditions for Enterobacter cloacae and Lactobacillus gasseri. To perform the virus:bacteria attachment assay with other bacterial species, the chosen bacteria should be cultured under standard conditions appropriate for the bacterium.
1. Preparing Bacterial Growth Medium
2. Establishing a Standard Curve Correlating Optical Density (OD) and Bacteria Concentration
3. VLP-bacteria Attachment Assay
CAUTION: Human norovirus VLPs are a biosafety level (BSL)-2 hazard and all work involving VLPs should be performed in a biosafety cabinet. Preparation of the bacterial cultures, prior to the attachment assay, should be performed using safety conditions appropriate for the organism.
4. Flow Cytometry
NOTE: The voltage settings described below are based on the flow cytometer and software listed in the Table of Materials and will likely vary with different flow cytometers. Settings should be optimized for each bacterium. Ensure that the axes for all graphs are in biexponential phase.
The gating strategies used to quantify human norovirus VLP binding to commensal bacteria are shown in Figure 1. Representative density dot provides an overview of how samples were gated to eliminate cellular debris and cell clumps so VLP attachment was determined on singlet populations (Figure 1A). Representative histograms demonstrate low levels of anti-norovirus antibody signal in bacteria only samples lacking ...
The ability to quantify binding of enteric viruses to bacteria is a critical first step for elucidating the mechanisms by which these bacteria alter viral infection. The methods described herein have been optimized to measure human norovirus VLP interactions with both E. cloacae (gram-negative bacterium) and L. gasseri (a gram-positive bacterium), but can be adapted for use with any mammalian virus and bacterium of interest. While VLPs are an ideal alternative to live vi...
The authors do not have any conflicts of interest.
We would like to thank Sutonuka Bhar and Chanel Mosby-Haundrup for their critical review of the written manuscript, as well as Alfonso Carrillo for assistance with generating bacterial standard curves. This work is funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Health (R21AI140012) and by a seed grant from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
5ml Polystrene Round-Bottom Tubes with Cell-Strainer Cap | Corning | 352235 | After antibody staining, sample are transferred into tubes for flow cytometry analysis. |
Agar | Sigma | A7002 | Used for media preparation |
AnaeroPack | Thermo Scientific | R681001 | Anaerobic gas pack used for culture of Lactobacillus gasseri |
BD FacsDiva software | |||
BD LSR Fortessa flow cytometer | |||
Bovine Serum Albumin | Fisher Bioreagents | BP1605 | Used for flow cytometry |
Flow Cytometry Stain Buffer (FCSB) | BD Biosciences | 554657 | Used for flow cytometry |
Mouse IgG2b kappa Isotype Control (eBMG2b), PE, eBioscience | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 12473281 | Isotype control. This antibody is purchased in the conjugated form from the manufacturer. |
MRS Powder | BD Biosciences | 288130 | Used for media preparation and to culture Lactobacillus gasseri. |
Norovirus capsid G2 Monoclonal Antibody (L34D) | Thermo Fisher Scientific | MA5-18241 | Norovirus GII antibody. This antibody is only available in the unconjugated form and thus must be fluorescently conjugated prior to use in the outlined flow cytometry assays. In this protocol, PE was the chosen fluor, however, other fluorescent molecules can be chosen as best suits the flow cytometer being used by the researcher. |
Norovirus GII.4 VLP | Creative Biostructure | CBS-V700 | human norovirus virus like particle, VLPs were generated using the baculovirus system and resuspended in phosphate buffered saline with 10% glycerol. The authors performed independent nanosight tracking analysis to determine the particle concentration of the VLPs. The concentration is approximately 1011 VLPs per milliliter. Based on the protein concentration of the VLPs, approximately 200 particles are added per bacterium in VLP attachment assays. |
PBS 10X | Fisher Bioreagents | BP665 | Dilute to 1X prior to use. |
SiteClick R-PE Antibody Labeling Kit | Thermo Fisher Scientific | S10467 | Conjugation kit used for labling of unconjugated antibody. |
Sodium Chloride | Fisher Scientific | S271 | Used for media preparation |
Tryptone | Oxoid | LP0042 | Used for media preparation |
Tube Revolver | ThermoFisher Scientific | 88881001 | Used in virus:bacterium attachment assay. Set to max speed (40 rpm). |
Yeast Extract | BD Biosciences | 212750 | Used for media preparation |
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