title: High level expression of surface glycoprotein of rabies virus in tobacco leaves and its immunoprotective activity in mice.
abstract: A synthetic gene coding for the surface glycoprotein (G protein) of rabies virus was strategically designed to achieve high-level expression in transgenic plants. The native signal peptide was replaced by that of the pathogenesis related protein, PR-S of Nicotiana tabacum. An endoplasmic reticulum retention signal was included at C-terminus of the G protein. Tobacco plants were genetically engineered by nuclear transformation. Selected transgenic lines expressed the chimeric G protein at 0.38% of the total soluble leaf protein. Mice immunized intraperitoneally with the G protein purified from tobacco leaf microsomal fraction elicited high level of immune response as compared to the inactivated commercial viral vaccine. The plant-derived G protein induced complete protective immunity in mice against intracerebral lethal challenge with live rabies virus. The results establish that plants can provide a safe and effective production system for the expression of immunoprotective rabies virus surface protein.
authors.affiliation: National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226001, India.
authors.forename: Shadma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Dinesh K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Md
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahnawaz
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Samir V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Sawant
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006031:Glycosylation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011818:Rabies / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C064951:glycoprotein G, Rabies virus