Expression and immunogenicity of the S1 subunit of the spike glycoprotein of turkey coronavirus in an avian hepatoma cell line.

摘要

Turkey Coronavirus (TCV) is the causative agent of an acute, highly infectious enteritis of turkey poults. The S1 subunit of the spike glycoprotein of TCV is the major inducer of virus neutralizing antibodies. The long range goal of this work is to prevent TCV infection using vaccination. In this study we constructed a recombinant plasmid DNA coding the S1 glycoprotein of one isolate of TCV, and expressed the protein in an avian hepatoma cell line. The gene coding for the full-length S1 glycoprotein was inserted in a mammalian expression vector under the control of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early promoter. This gene was transiently expressed as a glycoprotein in a chicken liver tumor cell line (LMH). This glycoprotein was detected by immunological techniques using homologous polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies produced against a homologous TCV strain. Immunogenicity was demonstrated by hyperimmunizing rabbits and mice with the glycoprotein and examining for the presence of antibodies against TCV in the serum.