An optimized method for high-titer lentivirus preparations without ultracentrifugation

Sci Rep. 2015 Sep 8:5:13875. doi: 10.1038/srep13875.

Abstract

Lentiviral technology has proven to be a powerful tool to express exogenous genes in dividing and non-dividing cells. Currently, most protocols for generating high-titer lentivirus require ultracentrifugation, which can be an instrumental barrier for routine operations in a laboratory. In this study, the effect of relative centrifugal force (RCF) on the concentration efficiency of the lentivirus was systematically explored, and it was found that sucrose gradient centrifugation with a relatively low speed (≤10,000 g) robustly produces a high-titer virus (up to 2×10(8) TU/ml). The optimal sucrose concentration is 10%, and the recovery rate of the functional virus is greater than 80%. The infection efficiency of both concentrated and un-concentrated lentivirus decreases rapidly when the viruses are stored at 4 °C (τ≈1.3 days) or subjected to multiple freeze-thaw cycles (τ=1.1 rounds). In summary, we describe an efficient and easy-to-handle protocol for high-titer lentivirus purification.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biotechnology* / methods
  • Cell Line
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Lentivirus* / genetics
  • Mice
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Transduction, Genetic
  • Ultracentrifugation
  • Viral Load*
  • Virus Replication*