title: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus nucleocapsid protein expressed by an adenovirus vector is phosphorylated and immunogenic in mice.
abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been identified as the aetiological agent of SARS. Thus, vaccination against SARS-CoV may represent an effective approach towards controlling SARS. The nucleocapsid (N) protein is thought to play a role in induction of cell-mediated immunity to SARS-CoV and thus it is important to characterize this protein. In the present study, an E1/partially E3-deleted, replication-defective human adenovirus 5 (Ad5) vector (Ad5-N-V) expressing the SARS-CoV N protein was constructed. The N protein, expressed in vitro by Ad5-N-V, was of the expected molecular mass of 50 kDa and was phosphorylated. Vaccination of C57BL/6 mice with Ad5-N-V generated potent SARS-CoV-specific humoral and T cell-mediated immune responses. These results show that Ad5-N-V may potentially be used as a SARS-CoV vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E3.
authors.forename: Alexander N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Zakhartchouk
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E3.
authors.forename: Sathiyanarayanan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viswanathan
authors.affiliation: St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 4A6.|Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3Z5.
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mahony
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3Z5.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gauldie
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E3.
authors.forename: Lorne A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Babiuk
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008970:Molecular Weight; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines