QuickFit: A high-throughput RT-qPCR-based assay to quantify viral growth and fitnessin vitro

ABSTRACT The quantification of viral growth rates is key to understanding evolutionary dynamics and the potential for mutants to escape antiviral drugs. Defining evolutionary escape paths and their impact on viral fitness allows for the development of drugs that are resistant to escape. In the case of HIV, combination antiretroviral therapy can successfully prevent or treat infection, but it relies on strict adherence to prevent escape. Here, we present a method that enables the quantification of viral fitness termed QuickFit, which employs large numbers of parallel viral cultures to accurately measure growth rates. QuickFit consistently recapitulated HIV growth measurements obtained by traditional approaches but with significantly higher throughput and lower error. This method represents a promising tool for rapid and consistent evaluation of viral fitness.