Award details

Development of Novel, Highly Protective Foot and Mouth Disease Virus vaccines in conjunction with the Global FMDV Research Alliance

Reference	BBS/E/J/000CA326
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor George Lomonossoff
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	29,944
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/01/2007
End date	30/07/2010
Duration	42 months

Abstract

The overall aim of the project is to perform small scale pilot studies to determine the suitability of plant-based vector systems for the expression of assembled capsids of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Suitable FMDV sequences for subcloning into plant-based expression systems will be provided by IAH-P or Reading University. Using Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) we have already established that virus-like particles (VLPs) can be produced and assembled in plants using vectors based on both full-length and deleted versions of Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) RNA-2. The advantage of the deleted version of RNA-2 (delRNA-2) is that it can tolerate large inserts and no longer has the capacity for unwanted spread in the environment. For this reason we will utilise the delRNA-2 approach for this project. To achieve expression of assembled of FMDV capsids, sequencing encoding the P1 region of various FMDV serotypes will be inserted into delRNA-2. To achieve processing, the enzyme responsible for proteolytic cleavage, 3CPro, will be provided either in cis (i.e. fused to the P1 sequence) or in trans (on a separate construct). We will initially concentrate on serotype A as a suitable construct is available at the start of the project and serotype A capsids are known to be particularly stable. The P1 construct with and without 3CPro will be agroinfiltrated into leaves and the expression and processing of P1 into the mature capsid proteins will be monitored immunologically. The ability of the cleaved P1 proteins to assemble into VLPs will be assessed by a number of criteria (electron microscopy, sucrose gradients) and there ability to raise an immune response in animals will be determined in collaboration with IAH.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	Animal Health, Immunology, Microbiology, Plant Science
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

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search