Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus-based surface display system for recombinant proteins

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Eukaryotic display systems are valuable tools for protein research and biotechnology.
• Previous systems utilized Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV).
• There is a need for alternative viral display systems for enhanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a new eukaryotic display system for heterologous protein expression on viral and host cell surfaces.
• To utilize Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) as a platform for protein display.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the BmNPV-based system for protein expression and display.

Main Methods:

• Fusion of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene with the gp64 gene of BmNPV.
• Generation of recombinant BmNPV expressing GP64-GFP fusion proteins under the polyhedrin promoter.
• Infection of Bombyx mori insects and BmN cells with recombinant viruses.

Main Results:

• Successful and abundant expression of the GP64-GFP fusion protein on host cell surfaces.
• Demonstration of the fusion protein's presence on budded virions.
• The BmNPV-based system offers an alternative to existing AcMNPV display systems.
• Recombinant viruses were used for preliminary pathological investigations and antiviral screening.

Conclusions:

• The developed BmNPV-based eukaryotic display system effectively presents heterologous proteins on viral and host cell surfaces.
• This system serves as a viable alternative to AcMNPV display systems.
• The system shows potential for applications in virus pathology studies and antiviral drug discovery.