title: Engineering influenza viral vectors.
abstract: The influenza virus is a respiratory pathogen with a negative-sense, segmented RNA genome. Construction of recombinant influenza viruses in the laboratory was reported starting in the 1980s. Within a short period of time, pioneer researchers had devised methods that made it possible to construct influenza viral vectors from cDNA plasmid systems. Herein, we discuss the evolution of influenza virus reverse genetics, from helper virus-dependent systems, to helper virus-independent 17-plasmid systems, and all the way to 3- and 1- plasmid systems. Successes in the modification of different gene segments for various applications, including vaccine and gene therapies are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Junwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Arévalo
authors.forename: Mingtao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology