Volume 5, Issue 6 pp. 718-726
Full Paper

Imaging Viral Behavior in Mammalian Cells with Self-Assembled Capsid–Quantum-Dot Hybrid Particles

Feng Li

Feng Li

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences No.19, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan, Beijing 100049 (China)

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Zhi-Ping Zhang

Zhi-Ping Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

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Jun Peng

Jun Peng

College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University Luojiashan, Wuhan 430072 (China)

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Zong-Qiang Cui

Zong-Qiang Cui

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

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Dai-Wen Pang

Dai-Wen Pang

College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University Luojiashan, Wuhan 430072 (China)

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Ke Li

Ke Li

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences No.19, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan, Beijing 100049 (China)

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Hong-Ping Wei

Hong-Ping Wei

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

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Ya-Feng Zhou

Ya-Feng Zhou

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

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Ji-Kai Wen

Ji-Kai Wen

School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (UK)

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Xian-En Zhang

Corresponding Author

Xian-En Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China)

State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology Chinese Academy of Sciences No.44, Xiaohongshan, Wuhan 430071 (China).Search for more papers by this author
First published: 22 March 2009
Citations: 124

Abstract

Unique spectral properties of quantum dots (QDs) enable ultrasensitive and long-term biolabeling. Aiming to trace the infection, movement, and localization of viruses in living cells, QD-containing virus-like particles (VLPs) of simian virus 40 (SV40), termed SVLP-QDs, are constructed by in vitro self-assembly of the major capsid protein of SV40. SVLP-QDs show homogeneity in size (≈24 nm), similarity in spectral properties to unencapsidated QDs, and considerable stability. When incubated with living cells, SVLP-QDs are shown to enter the cells by caveolar endocytosis, travel along the microtubules, and accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum. This process mimics the early infection steps of SV40. This is the first paradigm of imaging viral behaviors with encapsidated QDs in living cells. The method may provide a new alternative for various purposes, such as tracing viruses or viral components, targeted nanoparticle delivery, and probing of drug delivery.

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