'Dye' virus to track them in the body

Biologists from Austria and Singapore have developed a unique technique that marks a new development in the relationship between biology and art. The researchers said they were able to coat, or stain, viruses with proteins.

This breakthrough has the effect of increasing the effectiveness of some forms of gene therapy, helping to monitor the progress and treatment of viral diseases, improving the effectiveness of vaccines and the basic It allows professionals to monitor the progress of viral infection within the body. In particular, this new method will make it easier to monitor and treat infectious diseases such as HIV / AIDS, influenza, hepatitis C and dengue fever.

And because the virus is also used to introduce biotechnology drugs and alternative genes, and it acts as vaccines, this study will lead to new treatments for Critical diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic and genetic disorders.

(Photo: Sebastian Kaulitzki)

"This technology will provide a new tool in treating many diseases," said Brian Salmons, one of the scientists involved in the study. 'Even if you are studying a strange virus or have not been described, you still have the ability to modify and color it. This is very significant for newly emerging diseases'.

In the study published in FASEB, Salmons and colleagues, they conducted mixing of pure proteins (Glycosylphophatidylinositol protein anchor) with lipid films to make them possible to bind these proteins. with the outer 'skin' (lipid cover) of viruses. Even when stained, the virus remains infectious.

While the experiment was only conducted with a protein form and two types of viral vectors, Salmons said the technique could be developed and stained with proteins, dyes and other markers.

'Biology and art are becoming more and more converging: people paint their nails, dye their hair and tattoo their skin,' said Gerald Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief, FASEB Magazine. 'Now this convergence is entering a new dimension, which is the virus staining that allows scientists to monitor, cure and prevent disease'.