Use of baculovirus expression vectors: development of diagnostic reagents, vaccines and morphological counterparts of bluetongue virus

Abstract The productivity and flexibility of insect baculovirus expression vectors and the ability of the baculovirus genome to incorporate (and express) large amounts of foreign DNA allows this system to be used for both single and multiple gene expression. Using the system, bluetongue virus (BTV) genes have been expressed to develop diagnostic reagents and vaccines as well as to understand the basic structures of virions. BTV which causes disease in ruminants in many parts of the world, consists of 10 double-stranded RNA segments enclosed by double capsids that are composed by 7 structural proteins. Since each protein is encoded by a single RNA species, DNA clones of all 10 RNA species were synthesized and individually expressed in baculovirus vectors at high levels. This has yielded proteins that have been shown to be excellent diagnostic and vaccine reagents. In addition, multiple expression vectors have been used to synthesize morphological structures (viral and subviral) representing BTV.     

Baculovirus multigene expression vectors and their use for understanding the assembly process of architecturally complex virus particles

The baculovirus expression vector is a eukaryotic DNA viral vector for the cloning and expression of foreign genes in cultured lepidopteran insect cells and insects. It has become an important tool for the large-scale production of recombinant proteins for a variety of applications including the structure-function analysis of genes and their gene products. We have developed a number of baculovirus multigene expression vectors and utilized these to understand the assembly process of multicomponent capsid structures of large viruses such as bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of the Orbivirus genus within the family Reoviridae. BTV is some 810 Å in diameter and comprised of two protein shells containing four major proteins, VP2, VP5, VP7 and VP3, surrounding a genome of ten double-stranded RNA segments and three minor proteins (VP2, VP4 and VP6). BTV is the etiological agent of a sheep disease that is sometimes fatal in certain parts of the world (e.g., Africa, Asia, and the Americas). Using baculovirus multigene vectors, we have co-expressed various combinations of BTV genes in insect cells and produced structures that mimic the various stages of BTV assembly. For example, co-expressed VP3 and VP7 form BTV core-like particles, while co-expressed VP2, VP5, VP7 and VP3 form BTV virus-like particles. Using deletion, point and domain switching analyses of each protein, we have been able to identify certain sequences in the VP7 and VP3 proteins that are essential for the assembly of core-like particles. These expression and biochemical studies have been complemented by collaboration studies using cryoelectron microscopy and image processing analyses to provide the three-dimensional structure of the expressed particles. In addition and with other associates, we have used X-ray crystallography of VP7 to deduce its atomic structure. Extensive studies on the immune responses elicited by these self-assembled particles, and chimeric derivatives involving various foreign antigens, have been carried out. Finally, using as little as 10 μg of the self-assembled virus-like particles, we have shown that they can confer long-lasting protection in sheep against BTV.     

在昆虫细胞中同时表达蓝舌病毒VP3与VP7蛋白可装配成核心样颗粒

将蓝舌病毒（ＢＴＶ）１３型Ｓ７与Ｌ３基因同时插入杆状病毒双表达载体ｐＥａｓｔＢａｃＤｕａｌ,获得重组杆状病毒ｒｖＢａｃＢＴＶＰ３７。该病毒在昆虫细胞中同时高水平表达ＢＴＶ１３ ＶＰ３与ＶＰ７蛋白,可以高效自动装配出２０面体的６０￣７０ｎｍ空心颗粒。分析表明,所获颗粒为空心的ＢＴＶ核心样颗粒（ＣＬＰ）,其成分为ＶＰ３与ＶＰ７,不含ＢＴＶ其它任何蛋白与核酸。这种装配需要ＶＰ３与ＶＰ７的共同参与,二者缺     

Assembly of double-shelled, viruslike particles of bluetongue virus by the simultaneous expression of four structural proteins.

Bluetongue is a disease of ruminants. The etiologic agent is bluetongue virus (BTV), a gnat-transmitted member of the Orbivirus genus of the Reoviridae. The virus has a genome of 10 double-stranded RNA species L1 to L3, M4 to M6, S7 to S10). The L2 and M5 genes of BTV which encode the outer capsid proteins VP2 and VP5, respectively, were inserted into a recombinant baculovirus downstream of duplicated copies of the baculovirus polyhedrin promoter. Insect cells coinfected with this virus plus a recombinant baculovirus expressing the two major core proteins VP3 and VP7 of BTV (T.J. French and P. Roy, J. Virol. 64:1530-1536, 1990) synthesized noninfectious, double-shelled, viruslike particles. When purified, these particles were found to have the same size and appearance as authentic BTV virions and exhibited high levels of hemagglutination activity. Antibodies raised to the expressed particles contained high titers of neutralizing activity against the homologous BTV serotype. The assembly of these bluetongue viruslike particles after the simultaneous expression of four separate proteins is indicative of the potential of this technology for the production of a new generation of viral vaccines and for the study of complex, multiprotein structures.     

Expression of two related nonstructural proteins of bluetongue virus (BTV) type 10 in insect cells by a recombinant baculovirus: production of polyclonal ascitic fluid and characterization of the gene product in BTV-infected BHK cells.

In vitro translation of bluetongue virus (BTV) double-stranded RNA in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system has shown segment 10 (S10) to code for two related proteins, NS3 and NS3A. The presence of both products in vivo, however, has remained unconfirmed owing to the very low level of synthesis of the S10 gene product(s) in BTV-infected BHK cells. In the present work, a cDNA copy of BTV type 10 (BTV-10) S10 RNA was inserted into Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis baculovirus (AcNPV) in lieu of the 5' coding region of the AcNPV polyhedrin gene. Spodoptera frugiperda cells infected with the recombinant baculovirus synthesized two polypeptides, which were shown to represent NS3 and NS3A by Western blot (immunoblot) and peptide map analysis. Antibodies raised to the expressed NS3 by immunization of mice detected both NS3 and NS3A in BTV-10-infected BHK cells but not in purified BTV-10 virus particles. In contrast to in vitro translation of BTV S10 RNA in which NS3 and NS3A are synthesized in equimolar amounts, NS3 was the principle product both in the baculovirus expression system and in vivo in BTV-infected cells. The results indicate the caution which should be exercised when using the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system to predict the pattern of protein synthesis from a gene with alternative start codons. The expressed NS3 and NS3A proteins reacted strongly with sera from sheep infected with homologous and heterologous BTV serotypes, suggesting that the S10 gene products are highly conserved group-specific antigens.     

Synthesis of bluetongue virus (BTV) corelike particles by a recombinant baculovirus expressing the two major structural core proteins of BTV.

The L3 and M7 genes of bluetongue virus (BTV), which encode the two major core proteins of the virus (VP3 and VP7, respectively), were inserted into a baculovirus dual-expression transfer vector and a recombinant baculovirus expressing both foreign genes isolated following in vivo recombination with wild-type Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus DNA. Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells infected with the recombinant synthesized large amounts of BTV corelike particles. These particles have been shown to be similar to authentic BTV cores in terms of size, appearance, stoichiometric arrangement of VP3 to VP7 (ratio, 2:15), and the predominance of VP7 on the surface of the particles. In infected insect cells, the corelike particles were observed in paracrystalline arrays. The formation of these structures indicates that neither the BTV double-stranded viral RNA species nor the associated minor core proteins are necessary for assembly of cores in insect cells. Furthermore, the three BTV nonstructural proteins NS1, NS2, and NS3, are not required to assist or direct the formation of empty corelike particles from VP3 and VP7.     

Synthesis and characterization of chimeric particles between epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus and bluetongue virus: functional domains are conserved on the VP3 protein.

A functional assay has been developed to determine the conservative nature of the interacting sites of various structural proteins of orbiviruses by using baculovirus expression vectors. For this investigation, proteins of two serologically related orbiviruses, bluetongue virus (BTV) and the less studied epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), were used to synthesize chimeric particles. The results demonstrate that the inner capsid protein VP3 of EHDV-1 can replace VP3 protein of BTV in formation of the single-shelled corelike particles and the double-shelled viruslike particles. Moreover, we have demonstrated that all three minor core proteins (VP1, VP4, and VP6) can be incorporated into the homologous and chimeric corelike and viruslike particles, indicating that the functional epitopes of the VP3 protein are conserved for the morphological events of the virus. This is the first evidence of assembly of seven structural proteins of the virus by a baculovirus expression system. Confirmation at the molecular level was obtained by determining the EHDV-1 L3 gene nucleic sequence and by comparing it with sequences available for BTV. The analysis revealed a high degree homology between the two proteins: 20% difference, 50% of which is conservative. The consequences for Orbivirus phylogeny and the possibility of gene reassortments are discussed.     

Bluetongue virus tubules made in insect cells by recombinant baculoviruses: expression of the NS1 gene of bluetongue virus serotype 10.

Bluetongue virus (BTV) forms tubules in mammalian cells. These tubules appear to be composed of only one type of protein, NS1, a major nonstructural protein of the virus. To obtain direct evidence for the origin of the tubules, the complete M6 gene of BTV serotype 10 was inserted into the baculovirus transfer vector pAcYM1, so that it was under the control of the polyhedrin promoter of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus. After cotransfection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells with wild-type A. californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus DNA in the presence of recombinant transfer vector DNA, polyhedrin-negative baculoviruses were recovered. When S. frugiperda cells were infected with one of the derived recombinant viruses, a protein similar in size and antigenic properties to the authentic BTV NS1 protein was made (representing ca. 50% of the stained cellular proteins). The protein reacted with BTV antibody and formed numerous tubular structures in the cytoplasm of S. frugiperda cells. The tubular structures have been purified to homogeneity from infected-cell extracts by gradient centrifugation. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the recombinant virus antigen has been used to identify antibodies to five United States BTV serotypes in infected sheep sera, indicating the potentiality of the expressed protein as a group-reactive antigen in the diagnosis of BTV infections.     

Identification of bluetongue virus VP6 protein as a nucleic acid-binding protein and the localization of VP6 in virus-infected vertebrate cells.

Recently the insect baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) has been effectively adapted as a highly efficient vector in insect cells for the expression of various genes. A cDNA sequence of RNA segment 9 of bluetongue virus serotype 10 (BTV-10, an orbivirus member of the Reoviridae family) encoding a minor core protein (VP6) has been inserted into the BamHI site of the pAcYM1 transfer vector derived from AcNPV. Spodoptera frugiperda cells were cotransfected with the derived vector in the presence of authentic AcNPV DNA to produce recombinant viruses. These synthesized significant amounts of a protein (representing ca. 50% of the stained cellular protein) similar in size and antigenicity to the authentic BTV VP6. The expressed protein was identified as a nucleic acid-binding protein by using an RNA overlay-protein blot assay. A polyclonal anti-VP6 serum prepared by using the expressed VP6 protein has been used in an immunogold procedure to locate VP6 in BTV-infected mammalian cells. Gold was found to be associated with the matrix of virus inclusion bodies (VIB), with viruslike particles in the VIB, as well as with mature virion particles that were in close proximity to the VIB or were released from cells and adsorbed to cell surfaces. The recombinant virus antigen has also been used to identify antibodies to different BTV serotypes in infected sheep sera, indicating the potential of the expressed protein as a group-reactive antigen for the diagnosis of BTV infections.     

Expression of a full-length nonstructural protein NS1 of bluetongue virus serotype 17 in Escherichia coli.

The relative abundance of the nonstructural protein NS1 in bluetongue virus (BTV)-infected cells, the existence of NS1 in the BTV particles and the highly conserved NS1 gene among BTV serotypes indicate the diagnostic potential of using NS1 in detecting BTV infections. In this study a NS1 gene was expressed with the T7 RNA polymerase expression system to produce a full-length NS1 protein. Sheep anti-NS1 antibodies were raised with the E. coli-produced NS1 and used to show that the NS1 proteins of the five BTV serotypes in the Unites States were immunologically indistinguishable.     

汉坦病毒H8205株G1P基因片段重组杆状病毒表达载体的构建及表达

将汉坦病毒H8205株G1P基因的保守序列(约1000bp)作为目的基因插入到BactoBac杆状病毒表达系统的pFastBacHTb供体质粒中,利用Tn7转座子同BacmidDNA同源重组,获得了含目的基因片段的重组杆状病毒DNA,并利用其转染Sf9昆虫细胞,72h后收集细胞悬液,再用该悬液侵染Sf9昆虫细胞,48h后收获病毒.采用IFA分析收获的产物,观察到了特异性的荧光,并且采用SDSPAGE和Western印迹也获得了与预期一致的结果.证明感染后的Sf9昆虫细胞所表达的蛋白中含有能与抗汉坦病毒H8205株多克隆抗体特异性结合目的蛋白.研究表明,采用杆状病毒表达系统可以成功表达出汉坦病毒H8205株包膜糖蛋白G1基因片段,为开发适合的以G1P为抗原的汉坦病毒诊断试剂进行了前期的探索.     

Development of baculovirus triple and quadruple expression vectors: co-expression of three or four bluetongue virus proteins and the synthesis of bluetongue virus-like particles in insect cells.

Baculovirus multiple gene transfer vectors pAcAB3 and pAcAB4 have been developed to facilitate the insertion of three or four foreign genes respectively into the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) genome by a single co-transfection experiment. The pAcAB3 vector contains a polyhedrin promoter and two p10 promoters on either side of the polyhedrin promoter but in opposite orientations. The pAcAB4 vector has an additional polyhedrin promoter in opposite orientation to the first copy that is in juxtaposition to the first p10 promoter. Each of these derived vectors (pAcAB3, pAcAB4) have been used for the simultaneous expression of three or four bluetongue virus (BTV) genes respectively. When Spodoptera frugiperda cells were infected with the recombinant virus (AcBT-3/2/7/5) expressing the four major structural genes of BTV, double-capsid, virus-like particles consisting of VP2, VP3, VP5 and VP7 of BTV were assembled.     

Baculovirus-mediated gene silencing in insect cells using intracellularly produced long double-stranded RNA

Double-stranded RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) has recently emerged as a powerful reverse genetics tool to silence gene expression in multiple organisms, including plants, nematodes and insects. In this study, DNA vectors capable of promoting the synthesis of long hairpin dsRNAs in vivo from a DNA template to suppress gene expression in insect cells have been successfully constructed. The inhibition of the expression of a gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in insect cells was demonstrated by using plasmid or baculovirus vectors. Both plasmid and baculovirus vectors were able to inhibit eGFP expression in a dose dependent manner. Complete inhibition was obtained when co-transfection ratios of target plasmid to inhibition plasmid were 1:1 and 1:0.1. Eighty percent suppression was still maintained even when the ratio of eGFP plasmid to 'hairpin' plasmid was as high as 1:0.01. When the hairpin dsRNAs were encoded in a baculovirus, the suppression was about 50% when the ratio of 'target' baculovirus to 'inhibition' baculovirus reached 1:10. Therefore, the designed plasmid and baculovirus vectors are useful to induce RNAi in insect cell systems.     

一种简单高效扩增人杯状病毒ORF2区RT-PCR方法的建立及其意义

人杯状病毒(human calicivirus,HuCV)属于杯状病毒科(Caliciviridae),是单股正链RNA病毒,长约7·5 kb,其3′末端有poly(A)结构。它可分为两个属:诺如病毒(Norovirus)和札如病毒(Sapovirus)[1],根据病毒抗原性和核苷酸序列的多样性,目前将诺如病毒和札如病毒分别划分为三个遗传组(group),每一遗传组依据RNA多聚酶及衣壳蛋白区域序列的差异,可进一步划分为不同群或基因型(cluster or genotype)。病毒基因组包括3个开放读码框(open reading frame,ORF),5′端和3′端各有一个小的非编码区。ORF1编码非结构蛋白的前体聚蛋白,其中包括RNA…     

Comparison of recombinant protein expression in a baculovirus system in insect cells (Sf9) and silkworm

Using a hybrid baculovirus system, we compared the expression of 45 recombinant proteins from six categories using two models: silkworm (larvae and pupae) and an Sf9 cell line. A total of 45 proteins were successfully expressed; preparation of hybrid baculovirus was unsuccessful for one protein, and two proteins were not expressed. A similar pattern of expression was seen in both silkworm and Sf9 cells, with double and multiple bands found in immunoblotting of the precipitate of both hosts. Degraded proteins were seen only in the silkworm system (particularly in the larvae). Production was more efficient in silkworms; a single silkworm produced about 70 times more protein than 10(6) Sf9 cells in 2 ml of culture medium.     

Directional and direct cloning strategy for high-throughput generation of recombinant baculoviruses

The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) has become one of the most widely used systems for routine protein expression. We have developed an improved strategy to clone foreign genes directionally and directly into the baculovirus genome vector via a one-step procedure to generate recombinant viruses in a week. In this work, we constructed a host strain Escherichia coli DH10BacHB1.1, which contains the modified baculovirus shuttle genome vector pHBMBacmid1.1 for the cloning vector. The treated PCR products of foreign genes were ligated with the Bsu36I-digested vector. Then Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells were transfected directly with the ligation mixture. Using this method, the DsRed fluorescence protein and mannanase genes have been cloned in the baculovirus genome and expressed in the Sf9 cells. This strategy not only provides a means for high-throughput construction of recombinant baculoviruses, but also offers an idea of constructing other large plasmids and DNA virus-based expression vectors.     

Mutation of either of two cysteine residues or deletion of the amino or carboxy terminus of nonstructural protein NS1 of bluetongue virus abrogates virus-specified tubule formation in insect cells.

Virus-specific tubules are characteristic of orbivirus infections and are likely to play an important role in virus morphogenesis. It has been shown that for bluetongue virus (BTV), the prototype orbivirus in the family Reoviridae, the virus-encoded NS1 protein forms tubules in insect cells when the BTV segment M6 gene is expressed by using a baculovirus vector. To understand the function of NS1 tubules and to identify the sequences involved in their polymerization, a series of mutant NS1 genes was generated and expressed in insect cell cultures by using baculovirus vectors. Three of the mutants were deletion mutants. One (AcNS1.dNT10) lacked 10 of the amino-terminal amino acids, and the other two mutants (AcNS1.dCT20 and AcNS1.dCT43) lacked 20 or 43 of the carboxy-terminal amino acids. In addition, site-directed mutants were constructed in which various single cysteines or pairs of cysteines were changed to serines. The ability of each mutant protein to form tubules was investigated. None of the deletion mutants formed tubules. The constructs in which the cysteines at amino acid positions 337 and/or 340 were replaced by serines (e.g., AcNS1.C337S,C340S) also did not form tubules. Instead, the NS1 protein of these and the deletion mutants made ribbon-like structures which formed large aggregates. Mutations involving six other cysteines (i.e., AcNS1.C37S,C43S,AcNS1.C462S,C465S, AcNS1.C104S, and AcNS1.C364S) produced tubules. The results show that both the amino and carboxy termini of the NS1 protein molecule and the cysteines at residues 337 and 340 are essential for tubule formation.     

Suitability and perspectives on using recombinant insect cells for the production of virus-like particles

Virus-like particles (VLPs) can be produced in recombinant protein production systems by expressing viral surface proteins that spontaneously assemble into particulate structures similar to authentic viral or subviral particles. VLPs serve as excellent platforms for the development of safe and effective vaccines and diagnostic antigens. Among various recombinant protein production systems, the baculovirus–insect cell system has been used extensively for the production of a wide variety of VLPs. This system is already employed for the manufacture of a licensed human papillomavirus-like particle vaccine. However, the baculovirus–insect cell system has several inherent limitations including contamination of VLPs with progeny baculovirus particles. Stably transformed insect cells have emerged as attractive alternatives to the baculovirus–insect cell system. Different types of VLPs, with or without an envelope and composed of either single or multiple structural proteins, have been produced in stably transformed insect cells. VLPs produced by stably transformed insect cells have successfully elicited immune responses in vivo. In some cases, the yield of VLPs attained with recombinant insect cells was comparable to, or higher than, that obtained by baculovirus-infected insect cells. Recombinant insect cells offer a promising approach to the development and production of VLPs.     

Improved efficient gene transfer into insect and mammalian cells by baculovirus vectors

The fragments of genomics DNA of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) containing genes of late viral proteins p10, p35, p39, were cloned, the promoter regions of this genes were used to design baculovirus transfer vectors. A double-promoter and triple-promoter baculovirus transfer vectors were obtained. Recombinant baculovirus vectors containing mammalian expression cassette with cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter, the gene for green or red fluorescent protein, SV40pA and polylinker MCS were constructed for the delivery of foreign genes into mammalian cells.     

外源基因在昆虫杆状病毒表达系统中的表达

随着杆状病毒载体和筛选方法的不断改进,通过Bac-to-Bac方法可以使杆状病毒最大重组率达到100%,缩短了构建重组载体的时间,极大提高了工作效率。另外,研究者开发了一些新的宿主域扩大的昆虫杆状病毒载体,能够在家蚕或蛹内进行高水平表达重组蛋白。昆虫杆状病毒表达系统具有完备的翻译后加工修饰功能和高效表达外源蛋白的能力等特点,是一种非常理想的真核表达系统。利用该表达系统现已成功表达了约千种外源蛋白。以重组杆状病毒为载体的昆虫表达系统、外源基因在该表达系统中的表达情况及在农业领域中的应用进行了介绍。