Abstract
Porcine cicrovirus type II (PCV II) is a small non enveloped virus with the ssDNA circular genome of 1768 nts. The PCV II particles display icosahedral symmetry with the diameter approximately 16-18 nm and are composed of one capsid protein (CAP) only.
PCV II is a causative agent of Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS). Our aim is to create a recombinant vaccine against this disease.
During production of CAP in insect cells from recombinant baculovirus, no sufficient quantity of PCV II virus like particles (PCV II VLPs) was obtained so far. Our strategy is based on insertion of selected immunogenic epitopes from PCV II CAP protein into the viral capsid of the mouse polyomavirus.
Its capsid is composed of three structural proteins: VP1, VP2 and VP3. Major structural protein VP1, is able to self-assemble into VLPs.
We believe that this type of the CAP-modified recombinant mouse polyomavirus derived VLPs can offer a valuable and interesting alternative for massive PCV II vaccine production.