CHARACTERIZATION OF PSEUDORABIES VIRUS GLYCOPROTEIN GII EXPRESSED BY RECOMBINANT BACULOVIRUS

The gene encoding the complete glycoprotein gII (homologue of gB of he rpes simplex virus) of pseudorabies virus (PrV) was inserted into a ba culovirus transfer vector, and a recombinant virus expressing gII was isolated. Three gII-related recombinant baculovirus-expressed peptides of 100, 60, and 45 to 50 kDa were detected with a polyclonal antibody against gII; these correspond to the authentic subunits gIIa and its cleavage products gIIb and gIIc, respectively. These proteins were sub jected to N-terminal sequencing, and the results showed that the prote ase cleavage sites were identical to those of authentic gII. The expre ssed gII was shown to be transported to the surface of infected cells as judged by an indirect immunofluorescence test. Antibodies raised in mice immunized with the recombinant gII neutralized the infection of PrV in vitro. Mice inoculated with the recombinant gII were completely protected from lethal challenge with PrV.