Proteomics of viruses

Proteomics is a promising approach for the study of viruses allowing a better understanding of disease processes and the development of new biomarkers for diagnosis and early detection of disease, thus accelerating drug development. Viral proteomics has included the analysis of viral particles to determine all proteins that compose the infectious virus, the examination of cellular proteins associated with a single viral protein in the hopes of determining all the functions of that viral protein, or the determination of cellular proteins induced or altered during a particular disease state. Viral particles of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV/HHV-8) have been recently examined. During the herpesviral replicative cycle, different viral particles are formed. For HCMV, this includes mature, infectious virions, noninfectious enveloped particles, and dense bodies. A proteome database of B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), before and after transformation, has been developed to identify the cellular mechanisms of virus-induced immortalization. 2DE is used to first separate proteins based on their relative charge (pI) and then based on their molecular weight. Proteomic analysis has provided a unique tool for the identification of diagnostic biomarkers, evaluation of disease progression, and drug development. It is also an important approach for clinical diagnostics.