Visualization and identification of hepatitis C viral particles by atomic force microscopy combined with MS/MS analysis

Abstract

Possibility of detection and identification of hepatitis C viral particles with mass spectrometry (MS) in combination with atomic force microscopy (AFM) had been investigated. AFM/MS approach is based on two technologies: 1. AFM-biospecific fishing that allows to detect, concentrate from solution and to count protein complexes on a surface of AFM-nanochip; 2. mass spcctrometric identification of these complexes. AFM-biospecific fishing of HCVcoreAg from solution was carried onto surface of AFM-nanochips with immobilized anti-HCVcoreAg. It was shown that HCVcoreAg/anti-HCVcorejm complexes were formed onto AFM-nanochips in quantity sufficient for mass spectrometric identification. Thus, AFM/MS approach allows to identify fragments of hepatitis C virus fished onto a surface of AFM-nanochip from serum.