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Mimiviruses: Replication, Purification, and Quantification.
Jônatas Santos Abrahão1,2, Graziele Pereira Oliveira1,2, Lorena Christine Ferreira da Silva1
1Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Vírus, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Current Protocols in Microbiology
|May 7, 2016
Summary
This protocol details methods for replicating, purifying, and titrating mimiviruses, giant viruses that infect Acanthamoeba. These unique viruses offer insights into viral evolution and complexity.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Mimiviruses, belonging to the Mimiviridae family, were first isolated in 1992 from a cooling tower.
- Recent isolations show mimiviruses from diverse environmental sources.
- These giant viruses exhibit unique characteristics, including large particle and genome size and complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe established methods for mimivirus replication.
- To outline procedures for mimivirus purification.
- To detail techniques for mimivirus titration.
Main Methods:
- Replication in Acanthamoeba, the natural host.
- Purification techniques for isolating mimivirus particles.
- Titration methods to quantify mimivirus infectivity.
Main Results:
- Established protocols for mimivirus culture and handling.
- Purified mimivirus stocks suitable for further study.
- Quantified mimivirus titers for experimental use.
Conclusions:
- The described methods facilitate the study of mimiviruses.
- Mimiviruses continue to be a significant area of research due to their unique biology.
- Further research into mimivirus origin and evolution is warranted.
