PERIPLASMIC EXPRESSION OF PART OF THE MAJOR ROTAVIRUS CAPSID PROTEIN VP7 CONTAINING ALL THE 3 ANTIGENIC REGIONS IN ESCHERICHIA-COLI

Part of the porcine rotavirus outer capsid protein VP7 containing all the three antigenic regions was expressed as a chimeric protein with b acterial alkaline phosphatase (AP) in E. coli. The construct contains an ompF promoter, the DNA encoding the signal sequence and the first 1 2 amino acids of mature OmpF, part of vp7 and the DNA encoding mature AP. The chimeric protein is stable, retains the biological property of AP and ability to react with polyclonal antiserum against the virus, and can be exported through the bacterial inner membrane into the peri plasm.