title: Glycoprotein gene relocation in rabies virus.
abstract: Unlike vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies virus glycoprotein gene has not been successfully relocated closer to promoter-proximal regions by reverse genetics. Here we describe an efficient system for the Evelyn-Rokitnicki-Abelseth (ERA) rabies virus with the glycoprotein gene switched with the matrix protein gene, creating a reshuffled virus ERAgm (gene order N-P-G-M-L). With the aid of an autogene plasmid, the T7 RNA polymerase containing a nuclear location signal from the SV40 large T antigen facilitated virus recovery. The rearranged ERAgm rabies virus replicated as well as the parental ERA (gene order N-P-M-G-L) virus, reaching 10(9) ffu/ml in infected BSR cells. The altered glycoprotein gene position in viral genome presented an alternative way to study the pathogenicity of rabies virus. This also provides a potential novel method for rabies vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rabies Program/PRB /DVRD/CDC, Building 17, Room 6045, MS-G33, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. XAW6@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Xianfu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005814:Genes, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000502:physiology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins