Novel rabies virus-neutralizing epitope recognized by human monoclonal antibody: fine mapping and escape mutant analysis

Anti-rabies virus immunoglobulin combined with rabies vaccine protects humans from lethal rabies infections. For cost and safety reasons, replacement of the human or equine polyclonal immunoglobulin is advocated, and the use of rabies virus-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) is recommended. We produced two previously described potent rabies virus-neutralizing human MAbs, CR57 and CRJB, in human PER.C6 cells. The two MAbs competed for binding to rabies virus glycoprotein. Using CR57 and a set of 15-mer overlapping peptides covering the glycoprotein ectodomain, a neutralization domain was identified between amino acids (aa) 218 and 240. The minimal binding region was identified as KLCGVL (aa 226 to 231), with key residues K-CGV- identified by alanine replacement scanning. The critical binding region of this novel nonconformational rabies virus epitope is highly conserved within rabies viruses of genotype 1. Subsequently, we generated six rabies virus variants escaping neutralization by CR57 and six variants escaping CRJB. The CR57 escape mutants were only partially covered by CRJB, and all CRJB-resistant variants completely escaped neutralization by CR57. Without exception, the CR57-resistant variants showed a mutation at key residues within the defined minimal binding region, while the CRJB escape viruses showed a single mutation distant from the CR57 epitope (N182D) combined with mutations in the CR57 epitope. The competition between CR57 and CRJB, the in vitro escape profile, and the apparent overlap between the recognized epitopes argues against including both CR57 and CRJB in a MAb cocktail aimed at replacing classical immunoglobulin preparations.     

Fine mapping and interaction analysis of a linear rabies virus neutralizing epitope

A novel human antibody AR16, targeting the G5 linear epitope of rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) was shown to have promising antivirus potency. Using AR16, the minimal binding region within G5 was identified as HDFR (residues 261–264), with key residues HDF (residues 261–263) identified by alanine replacement scanning. The key HDF was highly conserved within phylogroup I Lyssaviruses but not those in phylogroup II. Using computer-aided docking and interaction models, not only the key residues (Asp30, Asp31, Tyr32, Trp53, Asn54, Glu99, Ile101, and Trp166) of AR16 that participated in the interaction with G5 were identified, the van der Waals forces that mediated the epitope–antibody interaction were also revealed. Seven out of eight presumed key residues (Asp30, Asp31, Tyr32, Trp53, Asn54, Glu99, and Ile101) were located at the variable regions of AR16 heavy chains. A novel mAb cocktail containing AR16 and CR57, has the potential to recognize non-overlapping, non-competing epitopes, and neutralize a broad range of rabies virus.     

Expression of rabies virus glycoprotein gene into eukaryotic system and determination of potential T-cell epitopes

The present study was undertaken to clone, express rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) and to identify potential T-cell epitopes on it. RVG gene (1590 bp) was amplified using gene specific primers. The amplified product was cloned into pTZ57R/T cloning vector by TA cloning. RVG gene was subcloned into pcDNA3.1 (+) expression vector. In this study, cloning and expression of rabies virus glycoprotein gene was done under CMV promoter and an expression construct (pcDNA.RVG) was prepared and clones were confirmed by restriction digestion, colony PCR and nucleotide sequencing. The expression construct was further characterized by western blotting and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). In silico analysis of this protein was done to find out potential antigenic sites so that it can be further evaluated for its potential as candidate for epitope vaccine against rabies.     

Structural and immunological characterization of a linear virus-neutralizing epitope of the rabies virus glycoprotein and its possible use in a synthetic vaccine.

We have mapped a linear epitope recognized by the virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibody 6-15C4 within the primary sequence of the G protein from the Evelyn-Rokitnicki-Abelseth strain of rabies virus. This was accomplished by using fragments of the rabies virus G protein and deduced amino acid sequences of neutralization-resistant variant rabies viruses. The monoclonal antibody 6-15C4 specifically recognized a synthetic peptide (peptide G5-24) which resembles the 6-15C4 epitope in structure. In addition, a tandem peptide constructed from the G5-24 peptide and a dominant TH cell epitope of the rabies virus N protein induced protective immunity against lethal rabies virus challenge infection in mice.     

重组人源抗狂犬病毒单克隆抗体SO57、SOJB对狂犬病毒G蛋白亲和力的比较研究

一直以来,狂犬病是一种严重的人类致死性传染病。对狂犬病暴露后的预防主要是采用抗狂犬病毒免疫球蛋白（RIG）结合狂犬疫苗注射的方法。目前使用的两类RIG为人RIG（HRIG）和马RIG（ERIG）,它们都是从免疫血清中分离出来的。由于HRIG成本高且产量少,质量难以控制,有潜在病毒污染的风险;而ERIG存在引起过敏反应等问题,因此,人们期望抗狂犬病毒人单克隆抗体能够取代RIG,用于狂犬病的暴露后预防。在狂犬病毒的多种免疫原物质中,狂犬病毒糖蛋白（以下简称G蛋白）是诱导产生抗病毒免疫保护的一种主要抗原,同时也是诱导产生病毒中和抗体并与之反应的唯一抗原。针对G蛋白的抗狂犬病毒抗体中和细胞外的狂犬病毒,并介导感染细胞的裂解及抗体依赖性的细胞毒性。在Dietzschold等发现的几株针对G蛋白的人单克隆中和抗体中,中和毒株的范围最广、抗体效价最高的为SO57,除此之外,SOJB也是目前研究较多的针对G蛋白的人单克隆中和抗体。     

SOE-PCR法合成狂犬病毒单链抗体基因Fv57

目的:通过一系列短引物拼接合成狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体基因Fv57.方法:采用SOE-PCR的方法,利用多条短的寡核苷酸引物,经过6轮PCR,拼接合成800bp左右的狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体基因Fv57,并利用此方法修正了上述PCR过程中产生的多处突变,从而获得正确的单链抗体基因序列.结果:采用SOE-PCR法合成的基因序列经测序及酶切鉴定,与预期结果一致.结论:成功地利用SOE-PCR法合成了狂犬病毒糖蛋白单链抗体基因Fv57,为其下一步构建原核表达载体,在大肠杆菌中进行表达奠定基础.     

Novel human monoclonal antibody combination effectively neutralizing natural rabies virus variants and individual in vitro escape mutants

The need to replace rabies immune globulin (RIG) as an essential component of rabies postexposure prophylaxis is widely acknowledged. We set out to discover a unique combination of human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) able to replace RIG. Stringent criteria concerning neutralizing potency, affinity, breadth of neutralization, and coverage of natural rabies virus (RV) isolates and in vitro escape mutants were set for each individual antibody, and the complementarities of the two MAbs were defined at the onset. First, we identified and characterized one human MAb (CR57) with high in vitro and in vivo neutralizing potency and a broad neutralization spectrum. The linear antibody binding site was mapped on the RV glycoprotein as antigenic site I by characterizing CR57 escape mutants. Secondly, we selected using phage display a complementing antibody (CR4098) that recognized a distinct, nonoverlapping epitope (antigenic site III), showed similar neutralizing potency and breadth as CR57, and neutralized CR57 escape mutants. Reciprocally, CR57 neutralized RV variants escaping CR4098. Analysis of glycoprotein sequences of natural RV isolates revealed that the majority of strains contain both intact epitopes, and the few remaining strains contain at least one of the two. In vitro exposure of RV to the combination of CR57 and CR4098 yielded no escape mutants. In conclusion, a novel combination of human MAbs was discovered suitable to replace RIG.     

人源抗狂犬病毒单链抗体基因原核表达质粒的构建及高效表达

在原核系统中高效表达抗狂犬病毒单链抗体scFv41,以便进一步研究其生物学功能,预测临床应用前景。以重组质粒pCANTABscFv41为模板,PCR扩增带NcoI和NotI位点的scFv41基因,克隆入原核表达载体pET-22b( ),酶切鉴定重组表达质粒,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导表达。竞争ELISA检测表达蛋白的特异结合活性。酶切鉴定证实scFv41基因已插入原核表达载体pETl-22b( ),重组表达质粒pET-scFv41在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中获得了高效表达,表达量约占菌体蛋白总量的30％。竞争ELISA检测结果表明scFv41表达蛋白可特异抑制抗狂犬病毒IGY与狂犬病毒的特异性结合。该实验为进一步研究scFv41的生物学特性和免疫保护作用,及基因工程抗体的制备奠定了基础。     

Mapping of the low pH-sensitive conformational epitope of rabies virus glycoprotein recognized by a monoclonal antibody #1-30-44

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) #1-30-44 recognized an acid-sensitive conformational epitope of rabies virus glycoprotein (G). The antigenicity of G protein exposed on the cell surface was lost when the infected cells were exposed to pH 5.8. By comparing the deduced amino acid sequence of G protein between the HEP-Flury strain and the epitope-negative CVS strain as well as the mAb-resistant escape mutants, two distant sites that contained Lys-202 and Asn-336 were shown to be involved in the epitope formation. Lys-202 is located in the so-called neurotoxin-like sequence, while Asn-336 is included in antigenic site III and is very near the amino acid at position 333, which is known to affect greatly the neuropathogenicity of rabies virus when changed. Consistent with this finding, antigenicity of a neurovirulent revertant of the HEP-Flury strain, in which Gln-333 of G protein was replaced by Arg, was also affected as shown by its greatly decreased reactivity with mAb #1-30-44 compared to that of the original avirulent HEP virus. Based on these results, we hypothesize that the neurotoxin-like domain and some amino acids in antigenic site III come into contact with each other to form a conformational epitope for mAb #1-30-44, and such a configuration would be lost when exposed to acidic conditions to perform a certain low pH-dependent function of G protein.     

Rabies virus binding to an acetylcholine receptor alpha-subunit peptide

The binding of 125I-labeled rabies virus to a synthetic peptide comprising residues 173-204 of the alpha 1-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor was investigated. Binding of rabies virus to the receptor peptide was dependent on pH, could be competed with by unlabeled homologous virus particles, and was saturable. Synthetic peptides of snake venom, curaremimetic neurotoxins and of the structurally similar segment of the rabies virus glycoprotein, were effective in competing with labeled virus binding to the receptor peptide at micromolar concentrations. Similarly, synthetic peptides of the binding domain on the acetylcholine receptor competed for binding. These findings suggest that both rabies virus and neurotoxins bind to residues 173-204 of the alpha 1-subunit of the acetylcholine receptor. Competition studies with shorter alpha-subunit peptides within this region indicate that the highest affinity virus binding determinants are located within residues 179-192. A rat nerve alpha 3-subunit peptide, that does not bind alpha-bungarotoxin, inhibited binding of virus to the alpha 1 peptide, suggesting that rabies binds to neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These studies indicate that synthetic peptides of the glycoprotein binding domain and of the receptor binding domain may represent useful antiviral agents by targeting the recognition event between the viral attachment protein and the host cell receptor, and inhibiting attachment of virus to the receptor.     

Cross-recognition of two middle T protein epitopes by immunodominant polyoma virus-specific CTL

We recently identified the immunodominant epitope for polyoma virus-specific CTL as the Dk-associated peptide MT389-397 derived from the middle T (MT) viral oncoprotein. Another Dk-restricted peptide corresponding to residues 236-244 of MT was recognized by nearly all MT389-397-reactive CTL clones, but required concentrations at least 2 logs higher to sensitize syngeneic target cells for lysis. Except for identity at the three putative Dk-peptide anchor residues, MT236-244 shares no homology with MT389-397. Using a novel europium-based class I MHC-peptide binding immunoassay, we determined that MT236-244 bound Dk 2-3 logs less well than MT389-397. Infection with a mutant polyoma virus whose MT is truncated just before the MT389-397 epitope or immunization with MT389-397 or MT236-244 peptides elicited CTL that recognized both MT389-397 and MT236-244. Importantly, infection with a polyoma virus lacking MT389-397 and mutated in an MT236-244 Dk anchor position induced polyoma virus-specific CTL recognizing neither MT389-397 nor MT236-244 epitopes. Despite predominant usage of the Vbeta6 gene segment, MT389-397/MT236-244 cross-reactive CTL clones possess diverse complementarity-determining region 3beta domains; this is functionally reflected in their heterogeneous recognition patterns of alanine-monosubstituted MT389-397 peptides. Using Dk/MT389-397 tetramers, we directly visualized MT236-244 peptide-induced TCR down-modulation of virtually all MT389-397-specific CD8+ T cells freshly explanted from polyoma-infected mice, suggesting that a single TCR recognizes both Dk-restricted epitopes. The availability of immunodominant epitope-specific CTL capable of recognizing a second epitope in MT, a viral protein essential for tumorigenesis, may serve to amplify the CTL response to the immunodominant epitope and prevent the emergence of immunodominant epitope-loss viruses and virus-induced tumors.     

基于狂犬病病毒G蛋白scFv介导的靶向shRNA制备与鉴定

【目的】探讨以狂犬病病毒G糖蛋白单链抗体介导的载体表达shRNA靶向制剂,靶向抑制狂犬病毒复制的可行性。【方法】应用PCR技术获得狂犬病毒G糖蛋白单链抗体scFv(G)和绿脓杆菌跨膜区-酵母DNA结合结构域ETA-GAL4基因,通过搭桥PCR法获得scFv(G)-ETA-GAL4(SEG)嵌合基因;克隆至原核表达载体pET28a(+),构建重组表达质粒pET28a(+)-scFv(G)-ETA-GAL4(pET28a-SEG);在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中经IPTG诱导表达,利用镍柱亲和层析法纯化包涵体,经复性、鉴定制得SEG蛋白;ELISA法检测表达蛋白与狂犬病毒特异结合活性;将SEG蛋白与含shRNA的质粒(pRNATU6.3-shRNA)连接制成靶向shRNA,接入100 TCID50狂犬病毒感染BHK-21细胞,35 h观察细胞中绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)表达情况;48 h用直接免疫荧光抗体试验测定复合物抑制病毒效果。【结果】克隆得到1557 bp的SEG蛋白编码基因,大肠杆菌中成功表达57 KDa的SEG蛋白,能与抗His的单克隆抗体发生特异性反应,SEG蛋白经镍柱纯化、复性后得率为2.8 mg/mL。ELISA试验证明SEG蛋白在一定浓度范围内与RV结合呈正相关。细胞试验表明GFP在细胞内得到表达;直接免疫荧光试验测定该复合物能抑制76%病毒复制。【结论】SEG蛋白能与携带shRNA的质粒结合,可运送该质粒至RV感染BHK-21细胞中,抑制狂犬病毒的复制。     

Studies on the escape mutants of rabies virus which are resistant to neutralization by a highly conserved conformational epitope-specific monoclonal antibody #1-46-12

We investigated a virus-neutralizing conformational epitope of the rabies virus glycoprotein (G) that is recognized by an anti-G monoclonal antibody (mAb; #1-46-12) and shared by most of the laboratory strains of the virus. To investigate the epitope structure, we isolated escape mutants from the HEP-Flury virus (wild-type; wt) after repeated passages in culture in the presence of the mAb. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that the mutants could be classified into two groups; the Group I lacked the epitope, while Group II preserved the epitope. The latter was dominant under the passage conditions, since Group I disappeared during the continuous passages. G proteins showed different electrophoretic mobilities; G protein of Group I migrated at the same rate as wt G protein, while that of Group II migrated at a slower rate, which was shown to be due to acquisition of an additional oligosaccharide side chain. Nucleotide sequencing of the G gene strongly suggested that amino acid substitutions at Thr-36 by Pro and Ser-39 by Thr of the G protein are responsible for the escape mutations of Groups I and II, respectively. The latter is a unique mutation of the rabies virus that allows the G protein to be glycosylated additionally at Asn-37, a potential glycosylation site that is not glycosylated in the parent virus, in preserving the epitope-positive conformation. These results suggest that to keep the 1-46-12 epitope structure is of greater survival advantage for the virus to escape the neutralization than to destroy it, which could be achieved by acquiring an additional oligosaccharide chain at Asn-37.     

Antigenic and Functional Analyses of Glycoprotein of Rabies Virus Using Monoclonal Antibodies

Thirty-five monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against glycoprotein (G protein) of the RC-HL strain of the rabies virus have been established. Using these MAbs, two antigenic sites (I and II) were delineated on the G protein of the RC-HL strain in a competitive binding assay. Of these, 34 MAbs recognized the epitopes on site IL Site II was further categorized into 10 subsites according to their patterns in a competitive binding assay. Each site II-specific MAb showed 5 to 23 nonreciprocal competitions. The reactivities of 35 MAbs to rabies and rabies-related viruses in an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test showed that six MAbs in group A binded to rabies and rabies-related viruses and eight MAbs in group E reacted only with rabies viruses, considering that the former represent the genus-specific of Lyssavirus and the latter are rabies virus-specific. From biological assays, 28 of the 35 MAbs showed neutralization activity, 31 showed hemagglutination inhibition (HI) activity, and 18 showed immunolysis (IL) activity. The MAbs recognizing neutralization epitopes fell into at least three groups: those exhibiting both HI and IL activity, those showing only HI activity, and those showing neither HI nor IL activity. All IL epitopes overlap with HA epitopes. Five of the nine MAbs which reacted with the antigen treated by sodium dodecyl sulfate in ELISA were not reduced, or reduced only slightly, in the titer. None of the MAbs reacted with 2-mercaptoethanol-treated antigen. Only one MAb that recognized site I reacted with the denatured G protein in a Western blotting assay, indicating that its epitope is linear. These results suggest that almost all of the epitopes on the G protein of the rabies virus are conformation-dependent and the G protein forms a complicated antigenic structure.     

Molecular and biological characterization of human monoclonal antibodies binding to the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were selected from semisynthetic antibody phage display libraries by using whole irradiated severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) virions as target. We identified eight human MAbs binding to virus and infected cells, six of which could be mapped to two SARS-CoV structural proteins: the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins. Two MAbs reacted with N protein. One of the N protein MAbs recognized a linear epitope conserved between all published human and animal SARS-CoV isolates, and the other bound to a nonlinear N epitope. These two N MAbs did not compete for binding to SARS-CoV. Four MAbs reacted with the S glycoprotein, and three of these MAbs neutralized SARS-CoV in vitro. All three neutralizing anti-S MAbs bound a recombinant S1 fragment comprising residues 318 to 510, a region previously identified as the SARS-CoV S receptor binding domain; the nonneutralizing MAb did not. Two strongly neutralizing anti-S1 MAbs blocked the binding of a recombinant S fragment (residues 1 to 565) to SARS-CoV-susceptible Vero cells completely, whereas a poorly neutralizing S1 MAb blocked binding only partially. The MAb ability to block S1-receptor binding and the level of neutralization of the two strongly neutralizing S1 MAbs correlated with the binding affinity to the S1 domain. Finally, epitope mapping, using recombinant S fragments (residues 318 to 510) containing naturally occurring mutations, revealed the importance of residue N479 for the binding of the most potent neutralizing MAb, CR3014. The complete set of SARS-CoV MAbs described here may be useful for diagnosis, chemoprophylaxis, and therapy of SARS-CoV infection and disease.     

Preparation and diagnostic use of a novel recombinant single-chain antibody against rabies virus glycoprotein

Rabies virus (RABV) causes a fatal infectious disease, but effective protection may be achieved with the use of rabies immunoglobulin and a rabies vaccine. Virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNA), which play an important role in the prevention of rabies, are commonly evaluated by the RABV neutralizing test. For determining serum VNA levels or virus titers during the RABV vaccine manufacturing process, reliability of the assay method is highly important and mainly dependent on the diagnostic antibody. Most diagnostic antibodies are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) made from hybridoma cell lines and are costly and time consuming to prepare. Thus, production of a cost-effective mAb for determining rabies VNA levels or RABV titers is needed. In this report, we describe the prokaryotic production of a RABV-specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) protein with a His-tag (scFv98H) from a previously constructed plasmid in a bioreactor, including the purification and refolding process as well as the functional testing of the protein. The antigen-specific binding characteristics, affinity, and relative affinity of the purified protein were tested. The scFv98H antibody was compared with a commercial RABV nucleoprotein mAb for assaying the VNA level of anti-rabies serum samples from different sources or testing the growth kinetics of RABV strains for vaccine manufactured in China. The results indicated that scFv98H may be used as a novel diagnostic tool to assay VNA levels or virus titers and may be used as an alternative for the diagnostic antibody presently employed for these purposes.     

Crystal structure of a hydrophobic immunodominant antigenic site on hepatitis C virus core protein complexed to monoclonal antibody 19D9D6

The first crystal structure of a complex between a hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein-derived peptide (residues 13-40) and the Ab fragment of a murine mAb (19D9D6) has been solved, allowing determination of the recognized epitope and elucidation of its conformation. This Ab, raised against the first 120 residues of the core protein, recognizes core particles and strongly competes with anticore human Abs, suggesting that it is highly representative of the human anti-HCV core response. Its epitope lies within the first 45 aa of the protein, the major antigenic segment of core recognized both by murine and human Abs. Surprisingly, the recognized epitope (29-37: QIVGGVYLL) has an unusual preponderance of hydrophobic residues, some of which are buried in a small hydrophobic core in the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the peptide (2-45) in solution, suggesting that the Ab may induce a structural rearrangement upon recognition. The flexibility may reside entirely within the Ag, since the Fab'-peptide complex structure at 2.34 A shows that the Ab binding site is hardly perturbed by complexation. Given that the recognized residues are unlikely to be solvent exposed, we are left with the interesting possibility that Ab-core interactions may take place in a nonaqueous environment.     

Further characterization of the rabies virus glycoproteins produced by virus-infected and G cDNA-transfected cells using a monoclonal antibody, #1-30-44, which recognizes an acid-sensitive epitope

Expression of rabies virus glycoprotein (G) by G cDNA-transfected mammalian cells resulted in the production of only a fusion-negative form. Low pH-dependent fusion activity, however, was seen when the expression was done under control of the T7 promoter with the help of recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV-T7) that provided T7 RNA polymerase. Fusion-inactive G proteins were transported to the cell surface as being detected by a conformational epitope-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb; #1-46-12). The fusion-inactive G proteins were recognized by most of our 13 conformation-specific mAbs, except for one mAb, #1-30-44, that recognized the low pH-sensitive conformational epitope. When the G gene expression was done with the help of RVV-T7, although most G proteins remained in the epitope-negative form, a small fraction of G gene products were 1-30-44 epitope-positive, and cell fusion activity could be seen when cells were exposed to low pH conditions. From these results, we conclude that acquisition of low pH-dependent fusion activity is closely related to structural maturation of the G protein to form the low pH-sensitive 1-30-44 epitope. Such maturation seems to be dependent on certain rabies virus-induced cellular conditions or functions, which might also be provided in part by the vaccinia virus infection. We further assume that expression of G cDNA alone mostly results in the production of mis-folded and/or differently folded forms of G protein, and only a small fraction is correctly folded even under RVV-T7-mediated expression conditions.     

Coexpression of double or triple copies of the rabies virus glycoprotein gene using a ‘self-cleaving’ 2A peptide-based replication-defective human adenovirus serotype 5 vector

Rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) is a major structural protein and antigen of rabies virus that induces a highly immunogenic response. In the present study, we have used 2A self-cleaving sequence of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) to express double or triple copies of the RVG from a single open reading frame derived from human adenovirus 5 (AdHu5). The recombinant adenoviruses produce similar virus titers, indicating that the insertion of double or triple copies of the RVG gene linked with the FMDV 2A sequence does not affect virus replication. The RVG was efficiently expressed by constructs containing the 2A sequence and retained its antigenic property. The 2A self-cleaving peptide mediated efficient generation of individual glycoprotein in transient expression assay and did not lead to an altered surface distribution of RVG. Flow cytometry demonstrated that the expression levels of RVG were improved in recombinant Ads carrying multiple RVG gene copies. We conclude that ribosome skipping induced by the FMDV 2A sequence is an effective strategy to express multiple glycoprotein genes of rabies virus in adenoviruses and 2A-containing recombinant Ads may represent an attractive alternative to other coexpression strategies for multiple gene expression.