1. High-throughput Confocal Imaging of Quantum Dot-Conjugated SARS-CoV-2 Spike Trimers to Track Binding and Endocytosis in HEK293T Cells
- Author
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Kirill Gorshkov, Mason Wolak, Kimihiro Susumu, Eunkeu Oh, and Bruce Nguyen Tran
- Subjects
HEK293 Cells ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,SARS-CoV-2 ,General Chemical Engineering ,General Neuroscience ,Quantum Dots ,Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus ,Humans ,Endocytosis ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology - Abstract
The development of new technologies for cellular fluorescence microscopy has facilitated high-throughput screening methods for drug discovery. Quantum dots are fluorescent nanoparticles with excellent photophysical properties imbued with bright and stable photoluminescence as well as narrow emission bands. Quantum dots are spherical in shape, and with the proper modification of the surface chemistry, can be used to conjugate biomolecules for cellular applications. These optical properties, combined with the ability to functionalize them with biomolecules, make them an excellent tool for investigating receptor-ligand interactions and cellular trafficking. Here, we present a method that uses quantum dots to track the binding and endocytosis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This protocol can be used as a guide for experimentalists looking to utilize quantum dots to study protein-protein interactions and trafficking in the context of cellular physiology.
- Published
- 2022