Interaction analysis of viral cytokine-binding proteins using surface plasmon resonance

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors have become an increasingly popular technology for characterizing the protein-protein interactions of virus-host interactions. Various studies have exploited the versatility of SPR to probe the interaction between virus and host components, including constituents of virus particles and host cellular receptors, as well as interactions between viral proteins and host immune molecules. This chapter describes basic procedures for employing SPR to study the interaction between poxvirus proteins and host immune-signaling proteins. We also identify how this methodology may be adapted toward other applications relevant in the study of poxvirus-host interactions.