Mammalian cell production of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) candidatevaccine recovered using a product-specific affinity column

The recombinant production of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) candidate vaccine BBG2Na in baby hamster kidney cells (BHK-21 cells) was investigate d. BBG2Na consists of a serum-albumin-binding region (BB) fused to a 101-am ino-acid fragment of the RSV G-protein. Semliki Forest virus-based expressi on vectors encoding both intracellular and secreted forms of BBG2Na were co nstructed and found to be functional. Affinity recovery of BBG2Na employing human serum albumin columns was found to be inefficient due to the abundan ce of BSA in the applied samples. Instead, a strategy using a tailor-made a ffinity ligand based on a combinatorially engineered Staphylococcus aureus protein A domain, showing specific binding to the G-protein part of the pro duct, was evaluated. In conclusion, a strategy for production and successfu l recovery of BBG2Na in mammalian cells was created, through the developmen t of a product-specific affinity column.