Morphology and antigenic properties of recombinant analogs of the Marburg virus nucleoprotein

The full-length gene for Marburg virus (MV) nucleoprotein (NP) was cloned i n prokaryotic pQE32 under the control of the T5 promoter and in eukaryotic pTM1 under the control of the T7 RNA polymerase promoter Recombinant NP was synthesized in Escherichia coli and in human kidney cell line 293 cotransf ected with recombinant vaccinia virus vTF7-3 expressing T7 RNA polymerase. On evidence of electron microscopy with immune detection, recombinant NP fo rmed tubules of two types in E. roll and of a single type in cell line 293. ELISA and immunoblotting with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies reveale d common antigenic determinants in recombinant NP and natural MV NP.