FIGURE 1.

siRNA screen for WNV particle release. A, strategy of siRNA screening. siRNAs were introduced into 293T cells, and these cells were transfected with plasmids expressing WNV structural proteins (C, prM, and E) and replicon. Vero cells were inoculated with the harvested culture fluid containing VLPs. The plasmids-transfected 293T cells and VLPs-infected Vero cells were harvested, and the luciferase activities were measured. B, quantification of released VLPs from siRNA-transfected 293T cells. VLP release efficiency was calculated as the ratio of luciferase activity of Vero cells/luciferase activity of 293T cells. Data represent mean ± S.D. of three independent experiments. Statistical significance was assessed using the Steel test, and is indicated by asterisks (*, p < 0.05).