EXPRESSION OF FOREIGN PROTEINS ON THE SURFACE OF AUTOGRAPHA-CALIFORNICA NUCLEAR POLYHEDROSIS-VIRUS

Based on the method of direct cloning into the baculovirus genome by l inearizing and re-ligation in presence of the target insert, we design ed viral constructs that express foreign genes on the surface of bacul ovirus particles. We chose the glycosylated envelope protein gp41 of h uman immunodeficiency virus type I (HN-I) as a model for displaying re combinant proteins on budded virus. The ectodomain of the envelope pro tein gp41 of HIV-I was being fused to the entire baculovirus major coa t protein gp64 (Ac-cops41) and to the membrane anchor sequence of gp64 (Ac-mars41). Two different promoters, the ''very late'' polyhedrin pr omoter (Ac-mars41) and the ''early and late'' gp64 promoter (Ac-promar s41) were compared. The expression of gp41 in infected cells and its p resence on viral particles was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorben t assay (ELISA), Western blot and electron microscopy.