Quantification of recombinant core-like particles of bluetongue virus using immunosorbent electron microscopy

Immunosorbent electron microscopy was used to quantify recombinant baculovirus-generated bluetongue virus (BTV) core-like particles (CLP) in either purified preparations or lysates of recombinant baculovirus-infected cells. The capture antibody was an anti-BTV VP7 monoclonal antibody. The CLP concentration in purified preparations was determined to be 6.6 x 10(15) particles/l. CLP concentration in lysates of recombinant baculovirus-infected cells was determined at various times post-infection and shown to reach a value of 3 x 10(15) particles/l of culture medium at 96 h post-infection. The results indicated that immunosorbent electron microscopy, aided by an improved particle counting method, is a simple, rapid and accurate technique for the quantification of virus and virus-like particles produced in large scale in vitro systems.