Modular Surface Engineering of Feline Parvovirus Virus-Like Particles for Antigen Presentation and Receptor-Mediated Cell Targeting
- 1Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-infectious, multiprotein nanostructures that mimic the architecture of viruses while lacking genetic material. Their structural versatility and safety profile make them promising platforms for biomedical applications, including vaccine development, targeted drug delivery, and diagnostics. Among various functionalization strategies, click-chemistry has emerged as a precise and efficient method for attaching bioactive molecules to VLP surfaces. In this study, we report the production and functionalization of VLPs derived from the feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a parvovirus closely related to the well-characterized canine parvovirus (CPV). We demonstrate successful expression, assembly, and purification of FPV VLPs, followed by their modification with fluorophores, peptides, oligonucleotides, and proteins using copper-free click-chemistry. Furthermore, using cryo-EM, we structurally characterize FPV VLP functionalized with antigenic peptides, providing detailed insights for further development of such vaccine prototype. Finally, we demonstrate that our FPV VLP specifically transduce feline and human cells expressing transferrin receptor type 1 (TfR), thus validating their potential as a unique platform for future nanotechnological and therapeutic applications.
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BibTeX
@misc{naskalska2026modular,
title = {{Modular Surface Engineering of Feline Parvovirus Virus-Like Particles for Antigen Presentation and Receptor-Mediated Cell Targeting}},
author = {A. Naskalska and A. Biela and J. Rozycki and K. Fic and E. Kus and J. Nowak},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.09.750088},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.09.750088v1},
note = {CC BY-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Modular Surface Engineering of Feline Parvovirus Virus-Like Particles for Antigen Presentation and Receptor-Mediated Cell Targeting
AU - A. Naskalska
AU - A. Biela
AU - J. Rozycki
AU - K. Fic
AU - E. Kus
AU - J. Nowak
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/09
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.09.750088
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.09.750088v1
AB - Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-infectious, multiprotein nanostructures that mimic the architecture of viruses while lacking genetic material. Their structural versatility and safety profile make them promising platforms for biomedical applications, including vaccine development, targeted drug delivery, and diagnostics. Among various functionalization strategies, click-chemistry has emerged as a precise and efficient method for attaching bioactive molecules to VLP surfaces. In this study, we report the production and functionalization of VLPs derived from the feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a parvovirus closely related to the well-characterized canine parvovirus (CPV). We demonstrate successful expression, assembly, and purification of FPV VLPs, followed by their modification with fluorophores, peptides, oligonucleotides, and proteins using copper-free click-chemistry. Furthermore, using cryo-EM, we structurally characterize FPV VLP functionalized with antigenic peptides, providing detailed insights for further development of such vaccine prototype. Finally, we demonstrate that our FPV VLP specifically transduce feline and human cells expressing transferrin receptor type 1 (TfR), thus validating their potential as a unique platform for future nanotechnological and therapeutic applications.
ER -