Generation and Optimization of a Green Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Transcription and Replication-Competent Virus-Like Particle System for Ebola Virus

Abstract

Work with infectious Ebola virus is restricted to biosafety level (BSL) 4 laboratories. To overcome this limitation, life cycle modeling systems, which recapitulate part or all of the virus life cycle under BSL-1 or -2 conditions, have been developed. The tetracistronic transcription and replication-competent virus-like particle (trVLP) system is currently the most advanced of these systems and is particularly useful for drug screening. However, previous versions have used luciferase reporters, limiting the types of screening assays that can be performed. Here we describe the generation and optimization of a green fluorescent protein-expressing tetracistronic trVLP system, enabling high-content imaging and flow cytometry approaches.Summary: Transcription and replication-competent virus-like particle (trVLP) systems are powerful tools to model the life cycle of highly pathogenic Ebola viruses. Here we describe the generation of a novel, GFP-based trVLP system that allows high content imaging and flow cytometry approaches.