Spying on SARS-CoV-2 with Fluorescent Tags and Protease Reporters
Name
viruses-15-02005.pdf
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1.62 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
b9a6c5b574aca24998fd7f88f0045d26
Author(s)
To, Tsz-Leung
Li, Xiaoquan
Shu, Xiaokun
Date Issued
September 27, 2023
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Citation
Viruses 15 (10): 2005 (2023)
Version
Final published version
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has caused worldwide disruption through the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a sobering reminder of the profound impact viruses can have on human well-being. Understanding virus life cycles and interactions with host cells lays the groundwork for exploring therapeutic strategies against virus-related diseases. Fluorescence microscopy plays a vital role in virus imaging, offering high spatiotemporal resolution, sensitivity, and spectroscopic versatility. In this opinion piece, we first highlight two recent techniques, SunTag and StayGold, for the in situ imaging of viral RNA translation and viral assembly. Next, we discuss a new class of genetically encoded fluorogenic protease reporters, such as FlipGFP, which can be customized to monitor SARS-CoV-2’s main (Mpro) or papain-like (PLpro) protease activity. These assays have proven effective in identifying potential antivirals through high-throughput screening, making fluorogenic viral protease reporters a promising platform for viral disease diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Creative Commons Attribution
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.3390/v15102005
