Reporter Viruses

Because of the small size of the NanoLuc^® luciferase reporter gene and the HiBiT tag, they can be inserted into the viral genome without disrupting packaging or enzyme activities, for easy monitoring of viral processes in vivo.

Small Reporters Advance Virology Research

Recombinant reporter viruses are important tools for furthering our understanding of viral life cycles and lethality in cell and animal models. Reporter viruses make it easier to follow infection in the same animal over time and quantify events such as cellular entry and replication.

Insertion of large reporter genes (e.g., firefly luciferase) into the genome often causes defects in viral processes. Because of their small size, NanoLuc^® and HiBiT tags can be stably inserted into the viral genome without disrupting the natural biology of the virus. This article highlights several recent studies that use NanoLuc^® and NanoBiT^® technologies to create stable reporter viruses to investigate viral pathogenecity and transmission in vitro and in vivo.

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Luciferase Size Comparison

Recombinant Reporter Viruses with NanoLuc^® Luciferase

A number of recombinant viruses and virus-like particles have been created with NanoLuc^® Luciferase. To search for a citation featuring a recombinant NanoLuc^® virus, enter the virus name in the Search box below.

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Adenovirus	Zhang, W. et al. (2017) An engineered virus library as a resource for the spectrum-wide exploration of virus and vector diversity. Cell Rep. 19, 1698–709.
Arenavirus (Junín Virus)	Dunham, E.C. et al. (2018) Lifecycle modelling systems support inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) as a pro-viral factor and antiviral target for new world arenaviruses. Antivir. Res. 157, 140–50.
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus	Büning, M.K. et al. (2017) Nonreplicative RNA recombination of an animal plus-strand RNA virus in the absence of efficient translation of viral proteins. Genome Biol. Evol. 9, 817–29.
Chikungunya Virus	Wada, Y. et al. (2017) Discovery of a novel antiviral agent targeting the nonstructural protein 4 (nsP4) of chikungunya virus. Virology 505, 102–12.
Coronavirus (Feline)	Terada, Y.et al. (2019) Establishment of a virulent full-length cDNA clone for type I feline coronavirus strain C3663. J. Virol. 93, e01208–19.
Coronavirus (MERS & SARS)	Sheahan, T.P. et al. (2017) Broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734 inhibits both epidemic and zoonotic coronaviruses. Sci. Transl. Med. 9, eaal3653.
Coronavirus (SARS)	Agostini, M.L. et al. (2018) Coronavirus susceptibility to the antiviral Remdesivir (GS-5734) Is mediated by the viral polymerase and the proofreading exoribonuclease. mBio 9, e00221–18.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus	Schotte, F.E.M. et al. (2017) Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus suppresses innate immune responses via a ubiquitin and ISG15 specific protease. Cell Rep. 20, 2396–407.
Dengue Virus	Eyre, N.S. et al. (2017) Genome-wide mutagenesis of Dengue virus reveals plasticity of the NS1 protein and enables generation of infectious tagged reporter viruses. J. Virol. 91, e01455–17.
Duck Tembusu Virus	He, Y. et al. (2019) Genetically stable reporter virus, subgenomic replicon and packaging system of duck Tembusu virus based on a reverse genetics system. Virology 533, 86–92.
Ebola VIrus	Urata, S., Ishikawa, T. and Yasuda, J. (2019) Roles of YIGL sequence of Ebola virus VP40 on genome replication and particle production. J. Gen. Virol. 100, 1099–111.
Eilat Virus	Reynaud, J.M. et al. (2015) IFIT1 differentially interferes with translation and replication of alphavirus genomes and promotes induction of type I interferon. PLoS Pathog. 11, e1004863
Enterovirus	Wu, K.X. and Chu, J.J.-H. (2017) Antiviral screen identifies EV71 inhibitors and reveals camptothecin-target, DNA topoisomerase 1 as a novel EV71 host factor. Antivir. Res. 143, 122–33.
Equine Encephalitis Virus (Venezuelan)	Reynaud, J.M. et al. (2015) IFIT1 differentially interferes with translation and replication of alphavirus genomes and promotes induction of type I interferon. PLoS Pathog. 11, e1004863.
Foot and Mouth Disease Virus	Zhang, F. et al. (2017) A replication-competent foot-and-mouth disease virus expressing a luciferase reporter. J. Virol. Meth. 247, 38–44.
Hepatitis A	Yamane, D.et al. (2019) Basal expression of interferon regulatory factor 1 drive intrinsic hepatocyte resistance to multiple RNA viruses. Nat. Microbiol. 4, 1096–104.
Hepatitis B	Nishitsuji, H. et al. (2018) TIP60 complex inhibits HBV transcription. J. Virol. 92, e01788–17.
Hepatitis C	Eyre, N.S. et al. (2017) Sensitive luminescent reporter viruses reveal appreciable release of hepatitis C virus NS5A protein into the extracellular environment. Virology 507, 20–31.
Hepatitis E	Szkolnicka, D. et al. (2019) Recombinant hepatitis E viruses harboring tags in the ORF1 protein. J. Virol. 93, e00459–19.
HIV-1	Astronomo, R.D. et al. (2017) Neutralization takes precedence over IgG or IgA isotype-related functions in mucosal HIV-1 antibody-mediated protection. EbioMedicine 14, 97–111.
Human Papillomavirus	Piirsoo, A. et al. (2019) Activity of CK2α protein kinase is required for efficient replication of some HPY types. PLoS Pathog.15, e1007788.
Influenza A	Diot, C. et al. (2016) Influenza A virus polymerase recruits the RNA helicase DDX19 to promote the nuclear export of viral mRNAs. Sci. Reports 6, 33763.
Influenza B	Fulton, B.O. Palese, P. and Heaton, N.S. (2015) Replication-competent influenza B reporter viruses as tools for screening antivirals and antibodies. J. Virol. 89, 12226–31.
Japanese Encephalitis Virus	Honjo, S., Masuda, M. and Ishikawa, T. (2019) Effects of the Japanese Encephalitis Virus genotype V-derived sub-viral particles on the immunogenicity of the vaccine characterized by a novel virus-like particle-based assay. Vaccines 7, 81.
JC Polyomavirus	Geoghegan, E.M.et al. (2017) Infectious entry and neutralization of pathogenic JC polyomaviruses. Cell Rep. 21, 1169–79.
Mayaro Virus	Weger-Lucarelli, J. et al. (2019) Host nutritional status affects alphavirus virulence, transmission and evolution. PLoS Pathog. 15, e1008089.
Orthoreovirus (Mammalian)	Kanai, Y. et al. (2019) In vivo live imaging of oncolytic mammalian orthoreovirus expressing NanoLuc luciferase in tumor xenograft mice. J. Virol. 93, e00401–19.
Rabies Virus	Nakagawa, K. et al. (2017) Molecular function analysis of rabies virus RNA polymerase L protein by using an L gene-deficient virus. J. Virol. 91, e00826–17.
Ross River Virus	Belarbi, E. et al. (2019) Bioluminescent Ross River Virus allows live monitoring of acute and long-term alphaviral infection by in vivo imaging. Viruses 11, 584.
Rotavirus	Kanai, Y. et al. (2017) Entirely plasmid-based reverse genetics system for rotaviruses. PNAS 114, 2349–54.
Semliki Forest Virus	Sarén, T. et al. (2017) Insertion of the type-I IFN decoy receptor B18R in a miRNA-tagged Semliki Forest virus improves oncolytic capacity but results in neurotoxicity. Mol. Ther. Oncolytics 7, 67–75.
Sendai Virus	Goto, H.et al. (2016) Evidence that receptor destruction by the Sendai virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein is responsible for homologous interference. J. Virol. 90, 7640–6.
Sindbis Virus	Sokoloski, K.J. et al. (2017) Identification of interactions between Sindbis virus capsid protein and cytoplasmic vRNA as novel virulence determinants. PLoS Pathog. 13, e1006473.
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus	Halbherr, S.J. et al. (2015) Biological and protective properties of immune sera directed to the influenza virus neuraminidase. J. Virol. 89, 1550–63.
West Nile Virus	Setoh, Y.X. et al. (2017) Helicase domain of West Nile virus NS3 protein plays a role in inhibition of type I interferon signalling. Viruses 9, 326.
Zika Virus	Mutso, M. et al. (2017) Reverse genetic system, genetically stable reporter viruses and packaged subgenomic replicon based on a Brazilian Zika virus isolate. J. Gen. Virol. 98, 2712–24

Additional Resources

Reporter Technologies for Virology Applications

Watch this presentation to learn about luminescence-based technologies that enable viral research applications not possible in the past.

Understanding Hepatitis C Viral Particle Formation

Learn more about a system used for investigating the process of hepatitis C virus assembly in this paper.

Tracking Influenza Infection in Mice in vivo

This blog discusses a paper on constructing an influenza reporter virus that does not affect virulence.

Reporter Viruses

Small Reporters Advance Virology Research

Luciferase Size Comparison

Recombinant Reporter Viruses with NanoLuc® Luciferase

Additional Resources

Reporter Technologies for Virology Applications

Understanding Hepatitis C Viral Particle Formation

Tracking Influenza Infection in Mice in vivo

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Recombinant Reporter Viruses with NanoLuc^® Luciferase