Award details

Manipulation of a coronavirus genome to control RNA replication and packaging

Reference	BBS/E/I/00000180
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor David Cavanagh
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Pirbright Institute
Department	The Pirbright Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	14,275
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1997
End date	30/09/1998
Duration	18 months

Abstract

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a major pathogen of poultry. It has an RNA genome of 27.6 kb. One objective is to identify which sequences in the RNA genome are essential for replication of the RNA and its packaging into virus particles and to deduce the structures formed by these sequences. A 9.1 kb defective IBV RNA is the basis of this work. A related objective is to utilise this defective RNA as an expression vector, initially replicated by helper IBV and subsequently made to be self-replicating, by inclusion of a complete polymerase gene. One output will be a version of the IBV defective RNA into which genes encoding protection-inducing proteins from various serotypes of IBV or other pathogens can be inserted. These genes will be transcribed by the helper IBV and the resultant proteins will induce immunity against the pathogen which donated the heterologous gene. A related output is a vector containing the whole IBV polymerase gene; helper IBV would not be required for that function. It can be used to study polymerase function. Live vaccines are frequently superior than inactivated or subunit vaccines, especially in relation to pathogens of mucosal surfaces. They are also far cheaper to apply, an important consideration in the poultry industry. However, live vaccines can sometimes cause or exacerbate problems and authorities are increasingly reluctant to license live vaccines. Our IBV-based vector containing genes from other pathogens would, in the first instance, involve using only a safe live helper IBV vaccine to express these genes. Ultimately the objective is to produce a system, involving an IBV vector with a complete polymerase gene, in which helper IBV is not required, producing an even safer vaccine approach.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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