Use of the confocal microscope to determine polyomavirus recombinant capsid-like particle entry into mouse 3T6 cells

The structural protein genes of polyomavirus were expressed in the baculovi rus system, and the proteins were found to assemble into capsid-like partic les capable of packaging insect cell DNA. Recombinant capsid-like particles could be produced that were composed of the various structural proteins (V P1, VP1/2, VP1/3 and VP1/2 + VP3). Laser scanning confocal microscopy was u sed to determine if the various capsid-like particles could infect (enter) mouse 3T6 cells. Each of the various capsid-like particles was equally capa ble of cell entry as determined by indirect immunofluorescence confocal mic roscopy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.