Human P-glycoprotein (Pgp) confers multidrug resistance (MDR) to otherwise sensitive cells. The homologous mouse Pgps, which are encoded by mouse mdr1a (also known as mdr3) and mdr1b (also known as mdr1), confer different degrees of resistance to the same MDR drugs and inhibitors. To create recombinants for the study of sequences responsible for these differences in drug-resistance, chimeric cD...

Virus-like particles (VLPs), comprised of viral structural proteins devoid of genetic material, are tunable nanoparticles that can be chemically or genetically engineered, to be used as platforms for multimeric display of foreign antigens. Here, we report the engineering of chimeric VLPs, derived from rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) for presentation of foreign B-cell antigens to the imm...

The novel viral vectors PVX-CP AltMV and PVXdt-CP AltMV are superexpressors of the capsid protein (CP). These viral vectors were constructed on the basis of the potato virus X (PVX) genome andAlternantheramosaic virus (AltMV) CP gene. The expression, based on the hybrid viral vectors, is genetically safe, since the systemic transport and formation of infective viral particles are blocked. CP Al...

Background: Contraceptive vaccines (CVs) can be used as a valuable and alternative method for the prevention of gestation in humans and animals. These vaccines can have several targets, such as superficial sperm proteins. Vaccines based on sperm antigens are quite efficacious to create a contraceptive effect. However, multi-epitope vaccines are more effective in stimulating the immune system an...

The aim of this study was to produce gene transfer vectors consisting of plasmid DNA packaged into virus-like particles (VLPs) with different cell tropisms. For this purpose, we have fused the N-terminally truncated VP60 capsid protein of the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) with sequences which are expected to be sufficient to confer DNA packaging and gene transfer properties to the chi...

The Runt domain transcription factor, PEBP2/CBF, is a heterodimer composed of 2 subunits. The DNA-binding alpha subunit, or RUNX protein, interacts with a partner PEBP2beta/CBFbeta through the evolutionarily conserved Runt domain. Each of the genes encoding RUNX1 and PEBP2beta/CBFbeta is frequently involved in acute myeloid leukemia. The chimeric protein, CBFbeta(PEBP2beta)/SMMHC, is generated ...

BACKGROUND Development of chimeric Cry toxins by protein engineering of known and validated proteins is imperative for enhancing the efficacy and broadening the insecticidal spectrum of these genes. Expression of novel Cry proteins in food crops has however created apprehensions with respect to the safety aspects. To clarify this, premarket evaluation consisting of an array of analyses to evalu...

Papillomavirus-like particles (VLPs) are a promising prophylactic vaccine candidate to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and associated epithelial neoplasia. However, they are unlikely to have therapeutic effects because the virion capsid proteins are not detected in the proliferating cells of the infected epithelia or in cervical carcinomas. To increase the number of viral antigen ...

A chimeric enzyme associating feruloyl esterase A (FAEA) from Aspergillus niger and dockerin from Clostridium thermocellum was produced in A. niger. A completely truncated form was produced when the dockerin domain was located downstream of the FAEA (FAEA-Doc), whereas no chimeric protein was produced when the bacterial dockerin domain was located upstream of the FAEA (Doc-FAEA). Northern blot ...

To produce sufficient quantities of soluble T-cell receptor protein for detailed biochemical and biophysical analyses we have explored the use of immunoglobulin--T-cell receptor gene fusions. In this report we describe a chimeric gene construct containing a T-cell receptor alpha-chain variable (V) domain and the constant (C) region coding sequences of an immunoglobulin gamma 2a molecule. Cells ...