Abstract: A novel chimeric protein of rabies virus designed to express a chimeric G protein at a high level in transgenic plants. A gene was also designed and chemically synthesised to encode the chimeric G protein and expressed at high level in plant tissue. The gene was expressed in transgenic tobacco plants to examine its therapeutic efficacy against infection by rabies virus. The chimeric G protein was enriched in plant membranes. The BalbC mice were immunised with the plant leaf expressed G-protein. Plant derived chimeric G protein elicited higher immune response as compared to the commercial vaccine. The mice displayed protective immunity when they were challenged with live virus. Chimeric G protein expressed at high level in plant leaves was demonstrated to function as a commercially valuable subunit vaccine against rabies virus infection.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 12, 2005
Date of Patent:
March 8, 2011
Assignees:
Council of Scientific and Indistrial Research, Unichem Laboratories Ltd., Indian Veterinary Research Institute