Expression and purification of chicken beta interferon and its antivirus immunological activity

Interferon beta (IFN-β) belongs to a class of natural proteins that can inhibit virus replication. In this paper, nucleic acid sequence encoding chicken interferon beta (chIFN-β) mature protein was cloned and highly expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) by 1 mM IPTG induction. The expressed chIFN-β was about 20% of total bacterial protein. The recombinant protein in form of inclusion body was then solubilised, refolded and purified to a purity of greater than 95% by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC). This recombinant chIFN-β could inhibit vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus (VSV) and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) replication in vitro. Animal experiments showed that the recombinant chIFN-β could decrease pathological lesions caused by the IBDV in bursa of Fabricius. These results will provide useful information for further investigations on veterinary clinical applications and fundamental research.

► All the mistakes and shortcomings have been corrected or been further explained.
► The sequenced map of chIFN-β mature protein gene has been uploaded.
► The pathological lesions of bursa of Fabricius have been re-analysed.
► Some pictures have been optimised and the description have been re-written.