Basic surface properties of Aedes albopictus cells: effect of Mayaro virus infection on electrostatic charge and surface tension.

Aedes albopictus cells possess a negative cell surface charge of -12.7 mV with an isoelectrophoretic point (IEP) located between pH 3.0 and 4.0. Infection with Mayaro virus rendered the surface of A. albopictus cells less negative reaching a zeta-potential value of -9.7 mV after 100 h of infection. Concomitantly, the IEP of the infected cells were also altered from 3.0-4.0 to 4.0-5.0. Furthermore, the contact angle measurements clearly showed qualitative alterations in the cell surface of infected cells.