Generation of a non ‐transmissive Borna disease virus vector lacking both matrix and glycoprotein genes

In this study, we report a novel non‐transmissive rBoDV, rBoDV ΔMG, which lacks both matrix (M) and G genes in the genome. The rBoDV‐ΔMG expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP), rBoDV ΔMG‐GFP, was efficiently generated in Vero/MG cells stably expressing both BoDV M and G proteins. The infection of rBoDV ΔMG‐GFP was persistently maintained in the parent Vero cells without propagation within the cell culture. We also demonstrated an optimal ratio between M and G for efficient viral particle production by transient transfection of M and G expression plasmids into cells persistently infected with rBoDV ΔMG‐GFP. Our results demonstrate that the rBoDV ΔMG‐based BoDV vector may provide a highly safe virus vector system and could be a novel strategy to investigate the function of M and G proteins, as well as the host range, of bornaviruses.

Source: Microbiology and Immunology - July 1, 2017 Category: Microbiology Authors: Kan Fujino, Yusuke Yamamoto, Takuji Daito, Akiko Makino, Tomoyuki Honda, Keizo Tomonaga Tags: Original Article Source Type: research