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Abstract
Since viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) viruses such as Lassa virus (LASV) and Ebolavirus (EBOV) are classified as biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) pathogens, research with these viruses are limited. However, the glycoprotein is sufficient to study entry and can be performed in BSL-2 facilities. Here we constructed recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (rVSV) expressing the LASV and EBOV glycoprotein to monitor luciferase expression real-time during infection. This assay can be useful to study entry kinetics into cells in the presence or absence of receptors/attachment factors rendering high sensitivity, low background, and flexible experimental procedures with quick outputs. One limitation of this assay is that the bullet-shaped morphology of VSV is unique and distinct from most viruses, therefore, studying endocytosis pathways may not reflect those used by the authentic viruses.