title: Semliki Forest virus-derived virus-like particles: characterization of their production and transduction pathways.
abstract: A procedure for the mobilization of Semliki Forest virus (SFV)-derived replicons using virus-like particles (VLPs) has been recently proposed. VLPs were obtained from 293T cells co-expressing the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) and a modified SFV replicon. Advantages of SFV VLPs include improved safety with a lack of sequence homology between components and reducing the risk of recombination events that could lead to the formation of autonomous particles. Characterization of SFV VLPs reveals a discrepancy in their ability to infect cells reported to be permissive. Furthermore, it was noted that not all viral envelopes were able to promote VLP release equally from transfected cells. These observations encouraged the examination of the molecular mechanisms supporting the different steps of VLP assembly and transduction. The use of a VSV-G related pathway for VLP entry into target cells was demonstrated; it was also observed that an internal ribosome entry site may not be adapted to control transgene expression in all cells. Finally, the need for a membrane-binding domain to obtain a fully active SFV replication complex and VLP formation was documented.
authors.affiliation: The Vector Group, EA 3856, Faculté de Médecine, 2 Bd Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diatta
authors.affiliation: The Vector Group, EA 3856, Faculté de Médecine, 2 Bd Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piver
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry, Tours University Hospital, 37000 Tours, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.affiliation: The Vector Group, EA 3856, Faculté de Médecine, 2 Bd Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaudin
authors.affiliation: The Vector Group, EA 3856, Faculté de Médecine, 2 Bd Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pagès
mesh_terms: D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012093:Replicon / Q000502:physiology*; D012672:Semliki forest virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins