Methods and kits for quantifying the removal of mock virus particles from a purified solution
The present invention relates to a method of quantifying the amount of Mock Virus Particles (MVP) removed from a solution as a result of processing that solution through a purification technique. This method involves the steps of adding MVP to a solution, processing the solution through a purification technique, quantifying the amount of MVP removed from the solution. The present invention also relates to a kit that can be used in conjunction with the method. This kit will comprise at least one stock solution of MVP and at least one quantification solution.
1. A kit comprising:
a stock solution comprising a modified Mouse Minute Virus (MMV) Mock Viral Particle (MVP), wherein the MMV MVP is a non-infectious, non-replicating assembled unit comprising a MMV VP2 viral capsid protein comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 99% identity to SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein said stock solution comprises at least 1×10 10 MMV MVP/ml of said MMV MVP and wherein non-MMV MVP proteins are less than 25% of all proteins in the stock solution.
2. The kit of claim 1 , wherein said viral capsid protein is produced in a bacterium, yeast, plant, insect cell, animal or human cell.
3. The kit of claim 1 , wherein non-MMV MVP proteins are less than 5% of all proteins in the stock solution.
4. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the MMV MVP does not comprise a MMV VP1 viral capsid protein.
5. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the MMV VP2 viral capsid protein is encoded by a nucleic acid comprising SEQ ID NO: 5.
6. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the MMV VP2 capsid protein comprises SEQ ID NO: 6.
7. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the kit further comprises an antibody that specifically binds to the MMV VP2 capsid protein comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 99% identity to SEQ ID NO: 6.
8. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the kit further comprises an antibody that specifically binds to SEQ ID NO: 6.