title: Engineering of cytomegalovirus genomes for recombinant live herpesvirus vaccines.
abstract: The advances of sequence knowledge and genetic engineering hold a great promise for a rational approach to vaccine development. Herpesviruses are important pathogens of all vertebrates. They cause acute and chronic infections and persist in their hosts for life. In man there are eight herpesviruses known and most of them can be linked to diseases. To date only one licensed vaccine against a human herpesvirus exists and there is no proven successful concept on rational design for herpesvirus vaccines available. Here, we use new reverse genetic systems, based on the 230-kb mouse cytomegalovirus genome to explore new methods of vaccine delivery and of virus attenuation. With regard to virus delivery, we show that the bacterial transfer of the infectious DNA in vivo is theoretically possible but not yet a practical option. With regard to a rational approach of virus attenuation, we consider a selective deletion of viral genes that modulate the immune response of the host.
authors: Max von Pettenkofer-Institut, Pettenkoferstrasse 9a, D-80336 Munich, Germany.
authors: Christian A
authors: CA
authors: Mohr
authors: Luka
authors: L
authors: Cîcîn-Saîn
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Wagner
authors: Torsten
authors: T
authors: Sacher
authors: Margit
authors: M
authors: Schnee
authors: Zsolt
authors: Z
authors: Ruzsics
authors: Ulrich H
authors: UH
authors: Koszinowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA