title: RNA viruses as vectors for the expression of heterologous proteins.
abstract: RNA viruses comprise a wide variety of infectious agents, some of which are the cause of disease in humans, animals, and plants. Recombinant DNA technology is now making it feasible to modify these genomes and engineer them to express heterologous proteins. Several different schemes are being employed that depend on the genome organization of the virus and on the strategy of replication of the particular virus. Several different examples are illustrated and potential uses as well as possible problems are discussed. In the future reverse genetics may convert some of these viruses from agents of disease to agents of cure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlesinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods*; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D005814:Genes, Viral; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D016679:Genome, Viral; D010944:Plants / Q000821:virology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins