(In)validating experimentally derived knowledge about influenza A defective interfering particles.

ABSTRACT: A defective interfering particle (DIP) in the context of influenza A virus is a virion with a significantly shortened RNA segment substituting one of eight full-length parent RNA segments, such that it is preferentially amplified. Hence, a cell co-infected with DIPs will produce mainly DIPs, suppressing infectious virus yields and affecting infection kinetics. Unfortunately, the quantification of DIPs contained in a sample is difficult because they are indistinguishable from standard virus (STV). Using a mathematical model, we investigated the standard experimental method for counting DIPs based on the reduction in STV yield (Bellett & Cooper, 1959, Journal of General Microbiology 21, 498-509 (doi:10.1099/00221287-21-3-498)). We found the method is valid for counting DIPs provided that: (i

SUBMITTER: Liao LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5134007 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature