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Modifying Baculovirus Expression Vectors to Produce Secreted Plant Proteins in Insect Cells
Published on: August 20, 2018
Insect cells as a production platform of complex virus-like particles
Fabiana Fernandes1, Ana P Teixeira, Nuno Carinhas
1ITQB-Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
Abstract:
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are multiprotein structures that resemble the conformation of native viruses but lack a viral genome, potentiating their application as safer and cheaper vaccines. The production of VLPs has been strongly linked with the use of insect cells and the baculovirus expression vector system, especially those particles composed of two or more structural viral proteins. In fact, this expression platform has been extensively improved over the years to address the challenges of coexpression of multiple proteins and their proper assembly into complexes in the same cell. In this article, the role of insect cell technology in the development and production of complex VLPs is overviewed; recent achievements, current bottlenecks and future trends are also highlighted.
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