The Texas A&M University System

Christian E Oker-Blom

Max D Summers

This invention relates to specifically designing and genetically engineering recombinant baculovirus for producing, in a compatible insect system, a desired protein, virus, protein hybrid, or virus hybrid. In particular aspects, this invention relates to the use of different baculovirus promoters for the ultimate purpose of constructing a recombinant baculovirus designed for the investigator's specific need. For example, the recombinant baculovirus of this invention can be designed to produce a viral pesticide. This invention also describes the construction of a genetically engineered virus or virus hybrid (e.g. animal or human pathogen) which is not capable of replicating itself but is essentially identical to the authentic pathogen in terms of structure and antigenicity. This baculovirus is constructed such that the non-structural viral genes are truncated, mutated or both and are located 3' and directly under the control of an early baculovirus gene promoter and the structural viral genes are located 3' and directly under the control of a late baculovirus gene promoter. This genetically engineered baculovirus is therefore capable of temporal regulation and successive synthesis of non-structural and structural proteins. The truncated or mutated non-structural viral genes creates the non-replicative aspect of this invention. Since the genetically produced virus or virus hybrid is essentially identical to the authentic pathogen, the product is thereby highly antigenic and potent in terms of efficacy and efficiency. This invention enables the design and constructure of a virus particle or virus hybrid with specific antigenic properties which further allows for the safe and inexpensive production of vaccines or diagnostics.

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Turku, Finland

Christian E Oker-Blom