Flaviviridae Reporter Virus Particles

Flaviviridae is a family of enveloped positive-strand RNA viruses. These viruses have monopartite, linear, single-stranded RNA genomes of positive polarity, ranging from 9.6 to 12.3 kilobases in total length. Among the members of this family are Dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), Yellow fever virus (YFV), and West Nile virus (WNV):

DNV is an enveloped single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus with approximately 11,000 nucleotides. The genome encodes three structural proteins (C, Env, and M) and seven non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5). There are four different serotypes of dengue virus (DENV 1-4), and the classification is based on structural antigens that induce type-specific antibodies at the time of infection.
ZIKV is enveloped, spherical, and ~50 nm in diameter with an electron-dense core of ~30 nm. It contains a genome of ~10.8 kb positive-sense, single-stranded RNA and a proteome of a single polyprotein, co- and post-translationally cleaved into 11 mature proteins, which mainly include the E, M, and C proteins.

YFV is a positive-sense, single-stranded, ribonucleic acid (RNA)-enveloped flavivirus with a diameter of about 50–60 nm. The virus is transmitted via the saliva of an infected mosquito. The genome encodes three structural proteins (C, Env, and M) and five non-structural proteins (NS1–NS5).

The WNV genome is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus with approximately 11,000 nucleotides. The genome functions as the only viral mRNA and also as the template for the synthesis of the complementary minus-strand RNA.

The measurement of neutralizing and enhancing antibodies against viruses is commonly employed to assess the efficacy of potential viral vaccines and to determine the protective and pathogenic humoral response to a natural infection in serum samples.

Reporter Virus Particles (RVPs) are used to assess the efficacy of serum, antibodies, and drugs to neutralize infection. RVPs structurally resemble virus-like particles, facilitating a single round of infection and expressing a luciferase optical reporter gene upon infection. RVPs are designed to have antigenic equivalence to live viruses and are highly unlikely to produce a fully infectious virus. However, RVPs are derived from biological materials and should be handled with caution within a BSL2 laboratory environment.

To support research and advances in the treatment of dengue, BTL Biotechno Labs Pvt. Ltd., as a leading supplier of life science research products, is offering Dengue virus, Zika virus, yellow fever virus, and West Nile virus Reporter Virus Particles to the Indian scientific community, assisting in understanding the physiology of these strains for vaccine development purposes.

For more details, please connect with us at info@biotechnolabs.com.

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