Sustained expression of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B (UL55) in the seeds of homozygous rice plants.
Production of recombinant subunit vaccines in transgenic plants may be a means of reducing vaccine costs while increasing availability and safety. A plant-derived product found safe and effective for oral administration would provide additional advantages when used as a vaccine. Outstanding issues with the technology include transgene stability through successive generations and consistent bioproduction. We previously reported expression of glycoprotein B (gB) of human cytomegalovirus in seeds of transgenic tobacco. Here the goal was to determine if gB could be similarly expressed in rice, and if so, to examine expression over several plant generations. Results show that immunoreactive gB was successfully expressed in transgenic rice seeds, with sustained expression over three generations. The gB contained several neutralizing epitopes and was stable over 27 months.
Tackaberry
Eilleen S
ES
Sir Frederick Banting Research Centre, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. eilleen_tackaberry@hc-sc.gc.ca
Prior
Fiona A
FA
Rowlandson
Karen
K
Tocchi
Monika
M
Mehic
Jelica
J
Porter
Suzanne
S
Walsh
Mike
M
Schleiss
Mark R
MR
Ganz
Peter R
PR
Sardana
Ravinder K
RK
Altosaar
Illimar
I
Dudani
Anil K
AK
D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006720:Homozygote; D012275:Oryza / Q000196:embryology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C040495:glycoprotein B, Simplexvirus