Single-cell Herpes Simplex Virus type-1 infection of neurons using drop-based microfluidics reveals heterogeneous replication kinetics.

ABSTRACT: Single-cell analyses of viral infections often reveal heterogeneity that is not detected by traditional population-level studies. This study applies drop-based microfluidics to investigate the dynamics of HSV-1 infection of neurons at the single-cell level. We used micron-scale Matrigel beads, termed microgels, to culture individual murine Superior Cervical ganglia (SCG) neurons or epithelial cells. Microgel-cultured cells are subsequently enclosed in individual media-in-oil droplets with a dual fluorescent-reporter HSV-1, enabling real-time observation of viral gene expression and replication. Infection within drops revealed that the kinetics of initial viral gene expression and replication were dependent on the inoculating dose. Notably, increasing inoculating doses led to earlier onset

SUBMITTER: Fredrikson JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10542126 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature