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Production of HIV-based virus-like particles
Virus engineering
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Complex problems often require elegant solutions. Virus-like particles have potential as non-infectious vaccines & as delivery vehicles for heterologous antigens & therapeutic proteins. The toxicity of HIV glycoprotein expression in mammalian cells limited production of recombinant particles. Re-engineering the HIV genome enabled efficient production of budded VLPs.
Structure of a minimal HIV construct expressing Gag, Tat & Rev proteins & containing regulatory elements tar & rre
Example:
Production of HIV-based Virus-like particles
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Problem:
The HIV glycoprotein is "toxic" & cannot be overexpressed in mammalian cells
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Solution:
Re-engineer the HIV genome to express Gag within a natural Tat/tar, Rev/rre regulatory & RNA splicing context. Electron micrographs of transfected Vero cells demonstrated expression of budding virus-like particles
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Patent Link:
Czaplewski LGÂ PROTEINACEOUS PARTICLES CONTAINING RETROVIRAL ELEMENT
