A Gel-Free Budget-Friendly Approach to GFP-Tagged Viruses Quantification in Plant Samples

Abstract

Abstract Viral diseases are an important threat to crop yield, as they are responsible for losses greater than US$30 billion annually. Thus, understanding the dynamics of virus propagation within plant cells is essential for devising effective control strategies. However, viruses are complex to propagate and quantify. Existing methodologies for viral quantification tend to be expensive and time-consuming. Here, we present a rapid cost-effective approach to quantify viral propagation using an engineered virus expressing a fluorescent reporter. Using a microplate reader, we measured viral protein levels and we validated our findings through comparison by western blot analysis of viral coat protein, the most common approach to quantify viral titer. Our proposed methodology provides a practical and accessible approach to studying virus-host interactions and could contribute to enhancing our understanding of plant virology