title: Heterologous Expression of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein in Oil Seeds of Brassica napus L.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis c virus (HCV), prevalent among 3% of the world population, is a major worldwide public health concern and an effective vaccination could help to overcome this problem. Plant seeds as low-cost vaccine expression platforms are highly desirable to produce antigens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed at investigating the possible expression of recombinant HCV core protein, as a leading HCV vaccine candidate, in canola (Brassica napus) plant seeds in order to be used as an effective immunogen for vaccine researches.
  
  
  METHODS
  A codon-optimized gene harboring the Kozak sequence, 6 × His-tag, HCVcp (1 - 122 residues) and KDEL (Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu) peptide in tandem was designed and expressed under the control of the seed specific promoter, fatty acid elongase 1 (FAE1), to accumulate the recombinant protein in canola (B. napus L.) seeds. Transgenic lines were screened and the presence of the transgene was confirmed in the T0 plants by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The quantity and quality of the HCV core protein (HCVcp) in transgenic seeds were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Western blot analysis using anti-His antibody confirmed the presence of a 15 kDa protein in the seeds of T1 transgenic lines. The amount of antigenic protein accumulated in the seeds of these transgenic lines was up to 0.05% of the total soluble protein (TSP).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The canola oilseeds could provide a useful expression system to produce HCV core protein as a vaccine candidate.
authors: Molecular Biology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Mohammadzadeh
authors: Virology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Farzin
authors: F
authors: Roohvand
authors: Immunology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Soheila
authors: S
authors: Ajdary
authors: Molecular Biology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Parastoo
authors: P
authors: Ehsani
authors: Agricultural Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Hatef Salmanian
keywords: Brassica napus; HCV Core Protein; Transgenic Plant