Helper virus-free herpesvirus vector packaging system
AssigneeChildren's Medical Center Corporation
InventorsCornel Fraefel, Alfred I. Geller, Filip Lim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
We have now discovered a helper virus free herpesvirus packaging system. This system can be used to package a wide range of desired nucleotide segments, preferably a DNA segment, into an empty herpesvirus particle because of the large genomes of herpesviruses. Preferably, the herpesvirus is an alpha herpesvirus. More preferably, the herpesvirus is an alpha herpesvirus such as Varicella-Zoster virus, pseudorabies virus, or a herpes simplex virus such as HSV-1 or HSV-2. Another preferred herpesvirus is Epstein-Barr virus.
Claims19
A system for packaging a herpesvirus vector in the absence of a helper virus comprising:
- a) at least one first vector which upon delivery into a cell capable of supporting herpesvirus DNA replication can form a DNA segment or segments that can express structural herpesvirus proteins, but wherein said at least one vector lacks a functional herpesvirus cleavage/packaging site-containing sequence, said DNA segment or segments referred to as a herpesvirus DNA segment;
- b) a packaging vector containing a herpesvirus packaging site-containing sequence and an origin of DNA replication which is recognized by the herpesvirus DNA replication proteins and enzymes, wherein the herpesvirus is a herpes simplex virus.
A method for producing a herpes simplex virus particle in the absence of a helper virus, said particle containing at least one heterologous DNA sequence, said method comprising:
- a) delivering at least one first vector into a cell capable of supporting herpes simplex virus DNA replication, wherein said at least one vector forms a DNA segment or segments that express structural herpes simplex virus proteins, but wherein said at least one vector lacks a functional herpes simplex virus cleavage/packaging site-containing sequence,
- b) delivering into said cell a packaging vector containing a herpes simplex virus packaging site-containing sequence and an origin of DNA replication which is recognized by the herpes simplex virus DNA replication proteins and enzymes, wherein the packaging vector additionally contains a promoter sequence operably linked to at least one heterologous DNA sequence and at least one sequence sufficient to permit transcription and processing of an RNA, the translation of which results in an expressed protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.