Gene Transfer Vector Derived from Jembrana Disease Virus: A Review

Asmarani Kusumawati,Wasito Wasito,Basofi A Mappakaya,Pudji Astuti,Tenri A Wanahari

doi:10.3844/ajbbsp.2015.176.181

Abstract

The etiological agent of Jembrana disease is a virus which was accordingly named Jembrana Disease Virus (JDV). JDV was a member of the family of Retroviridae, of the subfamily of lentiviruses. As a member of the lentivirus, JDV has general property to integrate their genome into the chromosomal DNA of the host-cells. It is one of their common properties which is not shared by simple retroviruses such as murine leukimia virus or avian sarcoma virus. Lentiviruses are highly species-specific and share the property of replicating in dividing and non-dividing terminally differentiated cells. JDV-based gene transfer vector which had been developed is appeared to possess a broad tropism and a unique capacity of mediating efficient gene transfer. This review summarize JDV-based viral vector system that has been developed. The main principles and components of JDV viral gene transfer system and its implication in the future research will be discussed.

Highlights

Jembrana disease poses the major problem in Bali cattle industry especially in Indonesia and Australia due to the high mortality of the infected cattle, resulting in economic loss (Chadwick et al, 1998; Soesanto et al, 1990)
The introduced Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) which provides a second entry site for ribosomes and allows the simultaneous translation of a second gene, i.e., the gene for neomycin resistance, in addition to the gene coding for Enhanced Green Fluorescence Protein (EGFP), used as reporter, in testing experiments
The final products resulting from the three initial components are Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV)-G pseudotyped Jembrana Disease Virus (JDV) lentivirus vectors, i.e., JDV RNA viral particles with VSV-G envelope that are disabled in replication for they are devoid of gag, pol, env, vif, tat and rev

Summary

Introduction

Jembrana disease poses the major problem in Bali cattle industry especially in Indonesia and Australia due to the high mortality of the infected cattle, resulting in economic loss (Chadwick et al, 1998; Soesanto et al, 1990). The final products resulting from the three initial components are VSV-G pseudotyped JDV lentivirus vectors, i.e., JDV RNA viral particles with VSV-G envelope that are disabled in replication for they are devoid of gag, pol, env, vif, tat and rev. They are produced by transient co-transfection of the 3 plasmids in the human embryonic 293T cells. Along with several modifications that have been made to disable the construct replication, the packaging plasmid contains all of the viral genes including trans sequences gag, pol, vif, tat, rev genes but devoid of functional env gene to prevent the production of JDV envelope. The JDV vector may potentially lead to the development of bovine vaccines for JDV that are able to elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses as efficiently as livevirus vaccines but without the pathogenic consequences of live viruses because the vectors is defective (Metharom et al, 2000; 2001)

Conclusion

Funding Information