2 - Analysis of Lipid Components of Viruses

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the analysis of lipid components of viruses. The primary function of the lipids present in viruses seems to be to maintain the structural integrity of their membrane. The lipids may also play an important role in the interaction of virus with host cells and in their agglutination of erythrocytes. The present state of development of lipid methodology makes possible the separation and identification of all classes of viral lipids. If less than 50 mg of a lipid extract is available, it is desirable to separate lipids by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Alternately, this technique may be used as a tool to authenticate the homogeneity of lipid fractions obtained by column chromatography. TLC is a more convenient, more economical, and more rapid technique than column chromatography, as less solvent and much less time is required to achieve separations. The most widely used adsorbent for TLC is silica gel G, which is a mixture of silicic acid containing calcium sulfate as a binder. After chromatographic fractionation of the lipid extract is achieved, an estimate of the amount of each type of lipid may be obtained by colorimetry. The chapter highlights the colorimetric methods most commonly used for analysis of each type of lipid or for functional groups contained in the lipid.