Construction of Recombinant Baculoviruses Carrying the Gene Encoding the Major Capsid Protein, VP1, From Calicivirus Strains (Including Norovirus Strains Toronto, Hawaii, Desert Shield, Snow Mountain, and MD145-12)
Description of Invention:
The noroviruses (known as "Norwalk-like viruses") are associated with an estimated 23,000,000 cases of acute gastroenteritis in the United States each year. Norovirus illness often occurs in outbreaks, affecting large numbers of individuals, illustrated recently by well-publicized reports of gastroenteritis outbreaks on several recreational cruise ships and in settings such as hospitals and schools. Norovirus disease is clearly important in terms of medical costs and missed workdays, and accumulating data support its emerging recognition as important agents of diarrhea-related morbidity.
Because the noroviruses cannot be propagated by any means in the laboratory, an important strategy in their study is the development of molecular biology-based tools. This invention reports the development of recombinant baculoviruses carrying the capsid gene from several caliciviruses associated with human disease. Growth of these baculovirus recombinants in insect cells results in the expression of virus-like particles (VLPs) that are antigenically indistinguishable from the native calicivirus particle. These VLPs can be purified in large quantities for use as diagnostic reagents and potential vaccine candidates.
Inventors: Kim Y. Green (NIAID) Judy F. Lew (NIAID) Adriene D. King (NIAID) Stanislav V. Sosnovtsev (NIAID) Gael M. Belliot (NIAID)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-198-2003/0 -- Research Material
Related Technologies:
DHHS Reference No. E-212-2003/0 – Research Material
Full-Length cDNA Clone Representing the Consensus Sequence of the RNA Genome of a Human Norovirus (strain MD145-12) that Encodes Biologically Active Proteins
DHHS Reference No. E-214-2003/0 -- Research Material
Construction of an Infectious Full-Length cDNA Clone of the Porcine Enteric Calicivirus RNA Genome
DHHS Reference No. E-283-2003/0 -- Research Material
Enzymatically-Active RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase From a Human Norovirus (Calicivirus)
Relevant Publication: An example of the application of these materials is further described in KY Green et al., "A predominant role for Norwalk-like viruses as agents of epidemic gastroenteritis in Maryland nursing homes for the elderly," J. Infect. Dis. 2002 Jan. 15;185(2):133-146. [PubMed abs]
Licensing Status: The materials embodied in this invention are available nonexclusively through a biological materials license.
Collaborative Research Opportunity:
The Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, NIAID, NIH, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize norovirus VLP antigens. Please contact Kim Y. Green at kgreen@niaid.nih.gov for more information.
For Additional Information Please Contact: Peter A. Soukas J.D.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-4646
Email: soukasp@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
