| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23584 | Journal of Biotechnology | 2013 | 7 Pages |
Virus-like particles (VLPs) displaying antigen have been increasingly recognized as a potential vaccine in the livestock industry. In this study, Neospora caninum surface protein related sequence (NcSRS)2 was displayed on the surface of Rous sarcoma virus group-antigen protein (RSV-gag) VLPs. Two types of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmids, encoding RSV-gag and NcSRS2 genes, were co-injected into silkworm larvae to produce VLPs-NcSRS2. At 7 days post-injection, VLPs-NcSRS2 were collected from hemolymph and purified. The antigenicity of the purified protein was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using neosporosis-positive bovine serum. ELISA revealed that ∼0.16 μg rNcSRS2 was displayed per 1 μg VLPs-NcSRS2. To develop an antibody specific for VLPs-NcSRS2, purified VLPs-NcSRS2 were used to immunize mice in a three-dose regimen without adjuvant and the production of antibodies was confirmed in serum samples. By using a silkworm expression system, we demonstrated the display, expression and immunization of neosporosis-targeting membrane proteins, which are vaccine candidates for neosporosis.
► Rous sarcoma virus group-antigen protein virus-like particles (RSV-gag VLPs) were expressed easily in silkworm. ► N. caninum surface protein related sequence 2 (rNcSRS2) was displayed on the surface of RSV-gag VLPs. ► rNcSRS2 displayed VLP showed the antigenicity against NcSRS2 without adjuvant.
