Recombinant Expression Of Rotavirus Proteins In Baculovirus Expression System And The Construction Of Virus-Like Particles In Insect Cells

Rotaviruses, belonging to family Reoviridae, are the most important agent of severe diarrhea in animals and human being (majoring in infants). Especially in developing countries, the morbidity rate and mortality of diarrhea are higher, thereby, more attentions are paid to it. A series of researches indicate rotavirus vaccine may mimic natural immune course, inducing anti-rotavirus (anti-RV) protection immunization. Vaccine with high safety and efficiency will play an important role in controlling rotavirus infections.Rotavirus is double-stranded RNA(ds-RNA) virus, the diameter of intact rotavirus particle is about 70 run, with icosahedral structure. Morphologically and biologically, the triple-layered rotavirus particles are composed of three protein capsids, outer capsid includes VP4 and VP7, the middle is VP6, and the core is composed of VP2. VP1, VP3 and the 11 segments of double-stranded genomic RNA . VP6, one of the major structure proteins of rotavirus, about 41 KDa, accounts for 51 percent of total viral proteins. VP7 possesses type-specific, subtype-specific, and crossreactive neutralizing determinants, determining rotavirus G serotype specificity. At present, 14 G serotypes (G1-G14) of rotavirus have been identified, according to the antigenicity of VP7. in human infections, G1-G4 serotypes are most commonly seen. VP7 may induce neutralizing antibodies, and many studies indicate that VP7 plays an important role in inducing anti-rotavirus protection immunization.It was found that recombinant VP7, if linked to an appropriate vector, shows higher immunogenicity, thus, gaining better anti-RV effect. Recombinant VP2, VP6, VP7 may form a consolidate triple-layer virus-like particle (VLPs) by self-assembling process. Animal experiments indicate that these VLPs can provide anti-RV protection.Although great progress has been made in the study of live RV vaccine, many researchers are still endeavoring to find a more safe and efficient vaccine. The studies to the structure, functions and immunology of VLPs give some hints that it is possible that the recombinant VLPs are applied to anti-rotavirus protection as subunit vaccine. The vaccine...