Simultaneous synthesis of luciferase and human nerve growth factor in caterpillars infected with a recombinant baculovirus

Human nerve growth factor (hNGF) gene was proliferated with human leucocyte DNA as template by PCR. Then a fusion gene coding hNGF and luciferase (Luc) cDNAs was inserted into transfer vector pSXIVVI⁺X3/3 with the control of Syn XIV promoter. Luc and hNGF were simultaneously synthesized in Spodoptera larvae upon infection with a recombinant baculovirus, TnNPV-Luc-NGF-OCC⁺. Densitometric scanning of SDS-PAGE revealed that ∼18% of the total Coomassie blue-stainable protein of the infected larvae was represented by Luc protein, while the hNGF level was ∼8%. Both proteins were similar to their authentic counterparts in terms of immunoreactivity. Received 16 August 1998/ Accepted in revised form 14 October 1998