Question

How are viruses extracted using suitable buffers?

Answer 1

Extraction of viruses:

1. The extraction media is used to extract the viruses, minimize host contaminants and set up viruses in an infective, stable, and aggregation state.
2. To avert oxidation, buffers of appropriate pH and molarity along with additives are used.
3. Use of borate buffers and phosphate acetate at varying pH and molarity.
4. Few viruses require a cation such as Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺ to preserve their infectivity, given the ionic strength of the buffer.
5. Food blenders, mortar pestles, meat mincer, and electrically operated glass mortars are used to homogenize virus-infected plant matter in an appropriate buffer.
6. At 4°C, all extraction of the viruses can be carried out in colder conditions or with the use of a salt-ice bath around the mortar to avert oxidation reactions. The cell components must be removed in the process of extraction, which leaves infectious viruses in the solution.
7. This can be done through – centrifugation, heating, crystallization, gel filtration, precipitation at the Selectric point, and density gradient electrophoresis.