We’ve said it enough times; the plaque-assay is the ‘gold standard’ for determining virus infectivity. But this doesn’t make the procedure any easier! Whether it’s the agonising 5 day waiting period or the disorientating number of steps, plaque-assays can seem like a chore and we’ve heard of more than enough non-virologists admit to skipping this laborious technique in favour of a simpler solution. More often than not this isn’t a problem as other methods for titrating virus stocks are available. At OET our personal favourite is the baculoQUANT all-in-one kit which utilises qPCR to measure virus concentration in a matter of hours, however we could be biased! Even so, you should always aim to utilise the plaque-assay when working with virus stocks that are more than 3 months old as the infectivity of virus particles can decrease in this time and alternative titration techniques may not reflect this change.
To make life a little easier OET now has a simple to follow plaque-assay schematic which clearly outlines each of the key stages to achieving beautiful plaques every time. Paired with our detailed protocol, which we have perfected over more years than we would like to say, the OET plaque-assay guide includes helpful hints and advice for avoiding common pitfalls and wasted reagents.
If you’re still not convinced, OET offers a convenient and affordable virus titration service using either the baculoQUANT all-in-one qPCR kit or traditional plaque-assay. Click here for further information.