Baculovirus not only as an Insect Expression Vector but as a Gene Trasfer Vector

Abstract

Since the first high-level expression of human s interferon in cultured insect cells using a genetically engineered baculovirus, the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcNPV), was reported in 1983 [1] and the expression of human interferon-α was expanded to the silkworm using the Bombyx mori NPV (BmNPV) in 1984 [2], the baculovirus expression vector (BEV) systems have been widely used in many laboratories throughout the world [3-6]. Many modifications have been added to the systems to improve their productivity as well as make them more user friendly. Recently, other insect cell lines, insect hosts and baculoviruses have been investigated for identifying and developing novel BEV systems with improved recombinant protein production capabilities [4,6]. New applications for the BEV systems have also emerged, such as gene transfer vectors for mammalina cells [7-11] and for constructing transgenic silkworms [12], biological insecticides [13-24] and expression libraries [25]. This paper describes our recent works on constructing two novel BEV systems, Hyphantria cunea NPV (HycuNPV)/FRI-SpIm-1229 (SpIm) cell system and Antheraea pernyi NPV (AnpeNPV)/giant silkworm system, and also reviews the recent progress in the use of the baculovirus as gene transfer vectors.