Viral vector targeting

The field of viral vector targeting is advancing rapidly. Recent advances i nclude the successful use of bifunctional crosslinkers to target adenoviral and retroviral vectors, elucidation of the crystal structures of an adenov iral and a retroviral receptor-binding domain, and definition of strategies for inserting short targeting peptides and larger polypeptide-binding doma ins into the coat proteins of a number of different viral vectors. Novel ta rgeting strategies based on host range restriction and protease activation have been developed, targeted replication-competent vectors have shown prom ise as anti-cancer agents and the possibility of selecting targeted vectors from vector display libraries has been established.