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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Electroporation of influenza virus ribonucleoprotein complexes for rescue of the nucleoprotein and matrix genes.

Reverse genetics has been successfully used for the generation of recombinant influenza virus with altered biological properties. The standard method is based on DEAE-dextran transfection of in vitro reconstituted influenza virus ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) into helper virus infected cells with subsequent selection of the recombinant viruses. Here we report the utilization of electroporation for reverse genetics of influenza virus as an improvement over the standard method. In a neuraminidase (NA) gene rescue system, we were able to demonstrate that electroporation of in vitro reconstituted NA RNP of influenza A/WSN/33 (H1N1) virus into WSN/HK virus infected cells allows the rescue of the transfectant WSN virus. The titer of transfectant virus obtained using electroporation is comparable to that generated using the DEAE-dextran transfection method. More significantly, the ratio of transfectant virus to helper virus is as much as 20-fold greater than that achieved using the DEAE-dextran system. We have also used electroporation to generate recombinant influenza virus carrying cDNA-derived matrix (M) gene or nucleoprotein (NP) gene of the WSN virus by using the temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants ts51 and ts56 as helper viruses. In the case of electroporation of M gene RNP, 88% of the viruses isolated after selection at 39 degrees C were transfectants. In contrast, the majority of viruses obtained using the DEAE-dextran transfection method were revertants of the helper virus. The NP-gene transfectant was only generated by the electroporation method. Our results suggest that electroporation of influenza virus RNP may be a useful method for generation of recombinant influenza viruses, especially in a system in which a ts mutant is used as helper virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Improved helper virus-free packaging system for HSV amplicon vectors using an ICP27-deleted, oversized HSV-1 DNA in a bacterial artificial chromosome.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) amplicons are prokaryotic plasmids containing one or more transcriptional units and two cis-acting HSV-1 sequences: a viral origin of DNA replication and a viral DNA cleavage/packaging signal. In the presence of HSV-1 "helper" functions, amplicons are replicated and packaged into HSV-1 virions. Despite recent improvements in packaging methods, stocks of amplicon vectors are still contaminated with replication-competent helper virus at a frequency of 10(-4)-10(-6). To overcome this problem, we report that: (i) genetic modifications of HSV-1 genomes can be routinely achieved in Escherichia coli, either by homologous or site-specific recombination, (ii) a novel HSV-1 bacterial artificial chromosome (fHSVDeltapacDelta27 0+), which has a deletion in the essential gene encoding ICP27 and an addition of ICP0 "stuffer" sequences to increase its size to 178 kb, supports the replication and packaging of cotransfected amplicon DNA without generating replication-competent helper virus (<1 helper virus per 10(8) TU amplicon vectors), and (iii) the resulting amplicon stocks have titers of up to 3-10 x 10(8) TU/ml after concentration. Elimination of replication-competent helper virus from HSV-1 amplicon vector stocks further improves safety in gene transfer applications.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Factors involved in production of helper virus-free retrovirus vectors.

Retrovirus vectors allow efficient transfer of genetic material into cells. We describe an improved method for making cell lines which secrete broad host range retrovirus vectors in the absence of helper virus. This method was used to make virus-producing cell lines from several retrovirus vector constructions that encode dominant selectable markers. Virus titers from such lines exceeded 10(6) colony-forming units per milliliter of medium exposed to the cells. Cell lines that secreted certain vectors remained free of helper virus, while cell lines made using other vectors always secreted helper virus. Secretion of helper virus apparently depended on recombination between vector and the retrovirus packaging system, and factors involved in this event were investigated.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Production of hepatitis delta virus and suppression of helper hepatitis B virus in a human hepatoma cell line.

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a defective virus with a coat composing of the surface antigen of its helper virus, hepatitis B virus (HBV). Replication of HDV in the absence of HBV has been shown in cell cultures by transient transfection of the HDV plasmid. However, the formation and release of HDV virions have not been observed. In this report, a human hepatoma cell line HuH-7 was transiently cotransfected with HDV and HBV plasmids. The production of monomeric and multimeric antigenomic RNAs of HDV in the transfected cells indicated replication of the HDV genome. The major 3.5- and 2.1-kb RNAs of HBV were also expressed. Virions of both HDV and HBV were released from the cotransfected cells, as shown by the detection of monomeric genomic HDV RNA and partially double-stranded HBV DNA in the culture medium. Thus, this is the first report that describes the assembly and the release of HDV viral particles in an in vitro cell culture. The HDV virions released possessed physicochemical properties identical to those of the HDV virions found in infected human serum. Furthermore, expression of both the 3.5- and 2.1-kb RNAs of HBV was shown to be dramatically decreased by the presence of HDV, indicating suppression of the expression of HBV genes by HDV. The amount of HBV virions released was similarly suppressed by HDV. Cotransfection of HBV with an expression plasmid of the HDV delta antigen remarkably reduced the levels of the 3.5- and 2.1-kb HBV RNAs, indicating that suppression of the expression of HBV RNAs by HDV occurs via the action of the delta antigen. This HBV- and HDV-cotransfected human hepatoma cell line should provide an excellent system for the study of the function of the delta antigen and the interaction between HDV and its helper, HBV.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1991

Production of high-titer helper virus-free retroviral vectors by cocultivation of packaging cells with different host ranges.

The titer of retroviral vectors can be increased by cocultivation of retrovirus packaging cells that produce a vector with packaging cells having a different host range. Multiple rounds of infection occur in such cultures, producing an amplification of vector copy number and titer. Production of a vector with a very high titer of over 10(10) CFU per ml of conditioned medium has been reported, although replication-competent helper virus was also present. Since helper-free virus is a requirement for many applications of retroviral vectors, we repeated this procedure with a modified vector and achieved a 2- to 10-fold amplification of vector titer in the absence of helper virus, up to 2 x 10(7) CFU/ml. We have also repeated these experiments with the same vector and methods described previously or have assayed virus from the high-titer vector-producing cell line reported previously and observed maximum titers of 10(8) CFU/ml, invariably accompanied by helper virus. Thus, while amplification of vector titer in the absence of helper virus is possible, some unexplained difference in the assays for virus titer must account for our inability to obtain the exceptionally high vector titers that were reported previously.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Some biological properties of two new avian sarcoma viruses.

The new avian retroviruses UR1 and UR2 were isolated from spontaneous tumors of chickens by cocultivation of tumor material with susceptible chicken embryo fibroblasts. In vitro, UR1 induced formation of small foci of round and fusiform cells. On the other hand, cells infected by UR2 assumed an extremely elongated morphology. In vivo, both viruses induced fibrosarcomas and myxosarcomas with short latencies. Infectivity assays with and without mitomycin C showed that both viruses were defective for replication, but transformed nonproducing cell clones were obtained only with UR1. UR1-infected transformed nonproducing clones did not release particles detectable by reverse transcriptase assays, and fusion of transformed nonproducing cells with quail cells chronically infected with Rous sarcoma virus (a Bryan strain) failed to rescue infectious virus. This suggested that UR1 does not code for functional envelope glycoproteins. In this regard, UR1 appeared to be similar to Fujinami, PRCII, and Y73 viruses. The helper viruses of partially purified stocks of UR1 and UR2 appeared to belong to subgroup A, but these helper viruses were distinguishable from each other, as shown by host range experiments and neutralization tests. Hybridization studies with DNA complementary to the src gene of Rous sarcoma virus and RNAs extracted from both UR1 and UR2 showed no homology between the genomes of the new isolates and the transforming gene of Rous sarcoma virus.

Alpharetrovirus↗
PubMed2006

DNA-based methods to prepare helper virus-free herpes amplicon vectors and versatile design of amplicon vector plasmids.

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) amplicon vector is a versatile plasmid-based gene delivery vehicle with a large transgene capacity (up to 150 kb) and the ability to infect a broad range of cell types. The vector system was originally developed by Frenkel and her colleagues in 1980. Ever since, a great deal of effort by various investigators has been directed at minimizing the toxicity associated with the inevitable contamination by helper virus. In 1996, Fraefel and his colleagues successfully devised a cosmid-based packaging system that was free of contamination by helper virus (so-called helper virus-free packaging), which utilized as helper a set of 5 overlapping cosmid clones that covered the entire HSV genome, which lacked the DNA packaging/cleavage signals. With the helper virus-free system, broader applications of the vector became possible. Cloning of the entire HSV genome in bacteria artificial chromosome (BAC) plasmids enabled stable maintenance and propagation of the helper HSV genome in bacteria. It also allowed for the development of BAC-based helper virus-free packaging systems. In this article, we review various versions of DNA-based methods to prepare HSV amplicon vectors free of helper virus contamination. We also examine recent advances in vector design, including methods of vector construction, hybrid amplicon vectors, and the infectious BAC system. Future directions in improving packaging systems and vector designs are discussed.

Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial↗
PubMed1995

Genetic analysis of helper virus-specific selective amplification of cucumber mosaic virus satellite RNAs.

Satellite RNAs (sat-RNAs) are small molecular parasites associated with a number of plant RNA viruses. The cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) sat-RNAs are ca. 335 nucleotides and have evolved to produce a large number of closely related sat-RNAs. Different cucumoviruses can act as helper viruses in the amplification of CMV sat-RNAs. We have found that different helper viruses show a preference for a particular sat-RNA in a mixed infection. In this study the specificity of WL47 sat-RNA amplification by LS-CMV and of D4 sat-RNA amplification by tomato aspermy virus in mixed infections was examined. Recombinant cDNA clones of D4 sat-RNA and WL47 sat-RNA were used to map the sat-RNA sequences responsible for the helper virus selection of a specific sat-RNA for amplification.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Helper virus-free transfer of herpes simplex virus type 1 plasmid vectors into neural cells.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) plasmid vectors have promise for genetic intervention in the brain, but several problems caused by the helper virus have compromised their utility. To develop a helper virus-free packaging system for these vectors, the DNA cleavage/packaging signals were deleted from a set of cosmids that represents the HSV-1 genome. Following cotransfection into cells, this modified cosmid set supported replication and packaging of vector DNA. However, in the absence of the DNA cleavage/packaging signals, the HSV-1 genome was not packaged, and consequently vector stocks were free of detectable helper virus. In the absence of helper virus, the vectors efficiently infected rat neural cells in culture or in the brain with minimal cytopathic effects. beta-galactosidase-positive cells were observed for at least 1 month in vivo, and vector DNA persisted for this period. This system may facilitate studies on neuronal physiology and potential therapeutic applications.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Phenotypically distinct target cells for murine sarcoma virus and murine leukemia virus marrow transformation in vitro.

An in vitro hematopoietic microenvironment was established from explained fragments of bone marrow from adult noninbred NIH Swiss mice with the use of corticosteroid-reconstituted horse serum. Infection with Kirsten murine sarcoma virus (Ki-MuSV) with either a Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV) or Balb:virus-1 helper virus coat reduced proliferation of granulocytic and pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells and produced neoplastic transformation of both macrophages and preadipocytes in the adherent cell population within a 4-week period. Ki-MuSV-transformed, virus-releasing macrophages formed clusters of 4-49 cells in 0.8% methylcellulose-containing medium in the absence of added colony-stimulating factor (CSF), synthesized lysozyme, ASD-chloroacetate substrate-specific esterase-M, and CSF, and produced tumors following inoculation iv into adult NIH Swiss mice or ip into newborn NIH Swiss mice. In cultures infected with helper leukemia viruses R-MuLV or Balb:virus-1, gradual transformation of a distinct cell phenotype was observed over a 9-week period with generation of increasing numbers of atypical myeloblasts and promyelocytes which showed dyssynchronous nuclear-cytoplasmic maturation, basophilic granulation, cytoplasmic vacuolation, and formation of incompletely maturing CSF-dependent granulocyte-macrophage colonies in vitro and small spleen colonies in vivo. These data demonstrated that rapid biologic expression of the murine sarcoma virus genome in specific adherent "stromal" marrow cells prevents detection of a more subtle helper-virus-induced dysmyelopoiesis in a distinct nonadherent cell population.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Reactive T cells in the immune repertoire: self-restricted and allo-restricted helper T-cell clones to Epstein-Barr virus.

Helper T-cell clones were generated by stimulation with autologous or allogeneic lymphoblastoid B cells (B-LCL) transformed by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Some of these T-cell clones were allo-reactive and others were specific to EBV-transformed B-LCL. Helper T-cell clones specific to EBV-transformed B-LCL were restricted either by class-I or by class-II HLA molecules of self. T-cell clones restricted by class-I HLA molecules were stained by OKT3 and OKT8 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), whereas class-II-restricted clones stained with OKT3 and OKT4. Not all helper T-cell clones specific to EBV-transformed B-LCL were restricted to self: one clone restricted by allo-HLA antigen was established. This finding suggests that in humans, as in mice, some T cells in the T-cell repertoire can be allo-restricted. This allo restriction may represent cross-reactivity of T cells, whereby "self + X" equals "allo + Y." Activation of these cross-reacting T cells restricted by allogeneic HLA molecules during infectious mononucleosis will give a T-cell response which may appear unrestricted by self HLA molecules. This mechanism helps to explain, at least in part, the HLA unrestricted cytotoxicity to B-LCL observed in infectious mononucleosis.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1982

Friend erythroleukemia virus complex: role of viral components in modifying erythroid differentiation in mice.

The present study was carried out to determine which component of the polycythemic strain of Friend erythroleukemia virus (FV-P)--Friend helper virus [Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV)] of the replication-defective spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV)--is responsible for inducing erythropoietin-independent erythropoiesis and expansion of the erythroid compartment in infected mice. F-MuLV and SFFV were cloned in SC1 cells to give a cell line 643/22N, which released only F-MuLV and SC204, a nonproducer cell line carrying SFFV. On superinfection with specific helper viruses, SC204 yielded further cell lines, which released SFFV in conjunction with 1) Friend, 2) Moloney, or 3) Gross helper viruses. With the use of an in vitro colony formation assay to monitor erythropoiesis in the bone marrow of inbred DBA/2J mice infected with any of the virus preparations containing SFFV plus helper virus, the erythroid precursor cell population was found to become erythropoietin-independent and amplified; adult mice infected with any of the helper viruses alone did not develop any symptoms of Friend disease. Thus the biologic activity of the FV-P complex was unaffected by replacement of the F-MuLV with an unrelated helper virus (Moloney or Gross). These results indicated that the SFFV component of FV-P is responsible for modifying erythroid differentiation in adult mice.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A tyrosine hydroxylase-neurofilament chimeric promoter enhances long-term expression in rat forebrain neurons from helper virus-free HSV-1 vectors.

Helper virus-free herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) plasmid vectors are attractive for neural gene transfer, but a promoter that supports neuronal-specific, long-term expression is required. Although expression from many promoters is unstable, a 6.8-kb, but not a 766-bp, fragment of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter supports long-term expression. Thus, 5' upstream sequences in this promoter may enhance expression. In this study, we evaluated expression from vectors that contain 5' upstream sequences from this promoter (-0.5 to -6.8 kb) inserted at the 5' end of either a neurofilament heavy subunit (NF-H) promoter or the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter. The TH-NFH promoter supported expression for 6 months in the striatum, 2 months in the hippocampus, and for 1 month in both perirhinal and postrhinal cortex (the longest time points examined). Expression was targeted to neurons. The enhanced expression may require specific sequences in the TH promoter fragment because replacing this fragment with a similar sized fragment of bacteriophage lambda DNA did not enhance expression. The reverse orientation of the TH promoter fragment also enhanced expression. Insertion of insulators from the chicken beta-globin locus between the TH-NFHlac transcription unit and the vector backbone may support a modest additional enhancement in expression. Other eucaryotic sequences may also enhance expression; a S. cerevisiae (40-kb fragment)-NFH promoter enhanced expression. In contrast, the TH-CMV promoter did not enhance expression. Thus, the TH-NFH promoter may support some physiological studies that require long-term expression in forebrain neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Expression of vhs and VP16 during HSV-1 helper virus-free amplicon packaging enhances titers.

Recently developed helper virus-free methods of herpes simplex virus (HSV) amplicon vector packaging provide stocks that are virtually devoid of the cytotoxic component normally associated with traditional helper virus-based packaging methods. These approaches involve cotransfection of amplicon plasmid DNA with either a five-cosmid set or a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) that contains the HSV genome without its cognate pac signals. Helper virus-free amplicon packaging produces low-titer stocks (<10(5) expressing particles/ml) that exhibit a high frequency of pseudotransduction. In an effort to enhance amplicon titers, we introduced in trans a genomic copy of the virion host shutoff (vhs) protein-encoding gene UL41 into both cosmid- and BAC-based packaging strategies. Cotransfection of this plasmid with the amplicon and packaging reagents results in a 10-fold higher amplicon titer, and stocks that do not exhibit the pseudotransduction phenomenon. To further enhance packaging efficiency, the HSV transcriptional activator VP16 was introduced into packaging cells 1 day before the packaging components. Pre-loading of packaging cells with VP16 led to an additional enhancement of amplicon titers, an effect that did not occur in the absence of vhs. Increased helper virus-free amplicon titers resulting from these modifications will make in vivo transduction experiments more feasible.

Animals↗