Viral proteomics: The emerging cutting-edge of virus research

Zhou, ShengTao; Liu, Rui; Zhao, Xia; Huang, CanHua; Wei, YuQuan

Host-virus interactions have been explored ever since the discovery of viruses in 1898, when Martinus Beijerinck described tobacco mosaic virus [34] . However, only after the invention of the electron microscope, protein biochemistry, and ultimately, nucleic acid sequencing, has the systematic molecular definition of these interactions become achievable. Many studies have focused on the interaction of viral proteins with viral and host cellular proteins (interactomics) and on alterations in cellular protein abundance during infection. Despite of the documentation of many thousands of protein-protein interactions between virus and human proteins, we are still far from a complete comprehension of the different kinds of virus biology. Thus, novel technology suitable for molecular biology is vital for uncovering the complexities of each infection process. The most frequently used techniques for interactomics include yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening and co-immunoprecipitation of interacting proteins, followed by MS analysis. In particular, the Y2H method can be applied to highthroughput screening of interactions between any two pro-teins. As for host cell proteomics, 2DE coupled with MS and stable isotope labeling methods have been successfully applied (Table 2) .