SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus responsible for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, single viruses were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) operating directly in a level 3 biosafety (BSL3) facility, which appeared as a fast and powerful method to assess at the nanoscale level and in 3D infectious virus morphology in its native conformation, or upon inactivation treatments. AFM imaging reveals structurally intact infectious and inactivated SARS-CoV-2 upon low concentration of formaldehyde treatment. This protocol combining AFM and plaque assays allows the preparation of intact inactivated SARS-CoV-2 particles for safe use of samples out of level 3 laboratory to accelerate researches against the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, we illustrate how adapted BSL3-AFM is a remarkable toolbox for rapid and direct virus analysis based on nanoscale morphology.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Atomic force microscopy, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Treatment, coronavirus disease, viruses, Coronavirus disease 2019, pandemic, protocol, COVID-19 pandemic, virus, Laboratory, biosafety, inactivation, Microscopy, morphology, enveloped virus, inactivated, Plaque assay, Concentration, Infectious virus, Analysis, AFM, Safe, level 3, formaldehyde, the preparation, preparation, BSL3, plaque assays, responsible, analyzed, atomic, reveal, accelerate, SARS-CoV-2 particle, 【제목키워드】 Microscopy, inactivated, Analysis, SARS-CoV-2 virion,