Quantitative analysis used in baculovirus study

Scientists have used quantitative analysis to determine the purification of functional baculovirus particles from silkworm larval hemolymph.

The study, published in the BMC Biotechnology Journal, also looked into their use as nanoparticles for the detection of human prorenin receptor (PRR) binding.

Tatsuya Kato, Fumiaki Suzuki and Enoch Y Park used the functionality of the baculovirus, which can display peptides, receptors and antigens, to determine if it could be used to detect protein-protein interactions.

Based on the results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), over three per cent of the total proteins were GFPuv-hPRR, a similar value to those calculated from the western blot by a densitometry of 2.7 per cent.

To determine whether the particles were bound to human proprenin, ELISA results were compared with those from ELISAs using protease negative BmNPV, which do not display on their surfaces.

In conclusion, the scientists found that the surface display of the BmNPV particles will be useful for the detection of protein-protein interactions and the screening of drugs in their roles as nanobioparticles.