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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
A Simple and Efficient Approach to Construct Mutant Vaccinia Virus Vectors
Published on: October 30, 2016
Construction and evaluation of live attenuated myxoma virus vaccines with targeted virulence gene deletions
Mathew M Adams1, Barbara H van Leeuwen, Peter J Kerr
1School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
Abstract:
Three deletion mutant viruses were constructed as potential vaccines against myxomatosis using the naturally attenuated Uriarra strain of myxoma virus. The viruses had the M007 (encodes a secreted gamma-interferon receptor homologue), M010 (encodes an epidermal growth factor homologue) and M011 (encodes an inhibitor of apoptosis in T lymphocytes) genes insertionally inactivated as either DeltaM007, DeltaM010/M011 or DeltaM007/M010/M011. All three viruses induced high serum antibody titres. Rabbits immunized with these deletion mutants were protected from lethal challenge. However, immunization of adult rabbits with DeltaM007 or DeltaM010/M011 was associated with mild clinical signs that would make these viruses unacceptable as vaccines. The triple gene knock-out virus (DeltaM007/M010/M011) termed Ur-TKO was very well tolerated by adult and juvenile rabbits. The low pathogenicity of Ur-TKO was confirmed by pathogenesis studies in domestic and wild rabbits.
