Evaluation of Structurally Distorted Split GFP Fluorescent Sensors for Cell-Based Detection of Viral Proteolytic Activity

Cell-based assays are essential for virus functional characterization in fundamental and applied research. Overcoming the limitations of virus-labelling strategies while allowing functional assessment of critical viral enzymes, virus-induced cell-based biosensors constitute a powerful approach. Herein, we designed and characterized different cell-based switch-on split GFP sensors reporting viral proteolytic activity and virus infection. Crucial to these sensors is the effective—yet reversible—fluorescence off-state, through protein distortion. For that, single (protein embedment or intein-mediated cyclization) or dual (coiled-coils) distortion schemes prevent split GFP self-assembly, until virus-promoted proteolysis of a cleavable sequence. All strategies showed their applicability in detecting viral proteolysis, although with different efficiencies depending on the protease. While for tobacco etch virus protease the best performing sensor was based on coiled-coils (signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, 97), for adenovirus and lentivirus proteases it was based on GFP11 cyclization (SNR 3.5) or GFP11 embedment distortion (SNR 6.0), respectively. When stably expressed, the sensors allowed live cell biosensing of adenovirus infection, with sensor fluorescence activation 24 h post-infection. The structural distortions herein studied are highly valuable in the development of cellular biosensing platforms. Additionally highlighted, selection of the best performing strategy is highly dependent on the unique properties of each viral protease.