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Updated: Apr 16, 2026
Method for Measurement of Viral Fusion Kinetics at the Single Particle Level
Published on: September 7, 2009
Single particle tracking assay to study coronavirus membrane fusion
Deirdre A Costello1, Susan Daniel
1School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Researchers developed a new method to study virus-host interactions. This technique enables single particle tracking of coronavirus fusion with host cell membranes using supported lipid bilayers and protein receptors.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Single particle tracking (SPT) using total internal reflection microscopy (TIRFM) quantifies virus-host interactions.
- A key limitation is incorporating protein receptors into supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) for enveloped viruses like coronaviruses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for incorporating proteinaceous viral receptors into SLBs.
- To enable quantitative analysis of coronavirus fusion kinetics using SPT.
Main Methods:
- Utilized cell blebbing of mammalian cells expressing feline aminopeptidase N (fAPN).
- Incorporated fAPN into SLBs to create a platform for studying feline coronavirus (FECV) fusion.
- Employed SPT with TIRFM to monitor FECV 1683 virion fusion events.
Main Results:
- Successfully incorporated the protein receptor fAPN into SLBs.
- Demonstrated the ability to track individual FECV 1683 virion fusion events in real-time.
- Obtained quantitative data on the kinetics of coronavirus-host cell membrane fusion.
Conclusions:
- The developed SLB platform with incorporated protein receptors facilitates the study of enveloped virus fusion.
- This method overcomes a significant limitation in using SPT for diverse enveloped viruses.
- Enables detailed kinetic analysis of virus-host membrane fusion events.
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