Expression of grass carp growth hormone by baculovirus in silkworm larvae

A total of five recombinant Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis viruses (BMNPV) carrying the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) growth hormone (GH) cDNA were constructed in this study. Two of them were able to express the hormone up to a level of 12 microgram/ml medium when cultured B. mori cells were infected for 4 days. Inoculation of the viruses into silkworm (B. mori) host significantly increased the level of GH achievable. The amount of hormone produced per larva was estimated to be around 1 mg. The recombinant grass carp GH had immunological and biological activities similar to the native hormone. The N-terminal sequence of the recombinant hormone was the same as the native one, indicating that the fish signal peptide was correctly processed by the insect cells. Silkworm powder prepared from larvae infected with the recombinant virus was used as food supplement for fish. Compared with the control, this dietary supplement was effective in increasing the growth rate of juvenile carp.