I know that SYBR cannot distinguish between dsDNA and dsRNA, but how efficient is SYBR binding RNA molecules?
Do you know other method for counting RNA viruses? maybe other dyes?
Dear Dr Huerta,
First, if your query is concerned with quantification of viral nucleic acids of specific viruses, then I would suggest qPCR approach. However, if you are concerned about counting a mix of intact virus particles, then yu have to use a different approach. In literature, specially related to environmental samples, I have seen people using epifluorescence based approaches to count virus particles, which include DNA/RNA viruses. I would also suggest you to check the following website, which uses a fluorescence based flow approach for virus counting. There are chemistries available for non-specific as well as specific virus counting using ViroCyte. You will also get a number of white papers as well as literature related to the technology.
https://iq.intellicyt.com/acton/attachment/9318/f-048c/1/-/-/-/-/White%20Papers%20-%20White%20Paper_%20Overview%20of%20Virus%20Quantification.pdf
http://virocyt.com/virus-counter/
best wishes
SD
Dr. Sibnarayan Datta,
thank you again for your generous answer.
Indeed, I'm interested in counting accurately viral particles. It's a dsRNA phage, Phi6. SYBR count method yields poor and fuzzy image, what makes difficult to count the virions. The method you proposed with the Virocyt system could work pretty well for our purposes. Cell debris from lysis present in the sample might interfere with this epifluorescent counting, but it is certainly the best chance we have!
Best wishes,
Guillermo
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