Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV)

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family and the Vesiculovirus genus, is an enveloped, single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus. The two main serotypes of VSV are the Indiana and New Jersey strains. VSV has become a widely used tool for anterograde transsynaptic tracing in neural circuit studies, especially in rodent and larger animal models. It can also infect a wide range of species, including fish, poultry, and non-human primates. Its characteristics include rapid replication and transsynaptic transmission, ultra-high expression of exogenous genes, and the ability to produce fine morphological details of neurons.

VSV exhibits specific anterograde transsynaptic properties. When injected into a targeted experimental region, it infects nerve cells and replicates, expressing the fluorescent protein gene carried by the virus. The progeny virus is transported along the axon to the presynaptic terminal, where it crosses the synapse into downstream neurons, initiating another round of replication, packaging, and transsynaptic propagation. The envelope glycoprotein (G) of VSV is essential for this anterograde transsynaptic transport. VSV lacking the G protein (VSV-ΔG) loses its ability to cross synapses but retains the capacity to replicate and express exogenous genes at high levels. This property makes VSV-ΔG a valuable tool for quickly mapping neuronal projection patterns and developing anterograde transsynaptic tracing systems.​