Fundamental studies on the baculovirus AcMNPV: impact on the development of biotechnological tools.

ALFONSO VICTORIA

Cuiaba

Congreso; XXX Congreso Brasileiro de Virologia, XIV Encontro de Virologia do Mercosul.; 2019

Baculoviruses are insect pathogens that have a highly complex biphasic replication cycle. Its relevance lies in the wide variety of its biotechnological applications. They constitute one of the most powerful and versatile eukaryotic systems for the expression of proteins and are used as pesticides for the biological control of pests. On the other hand, their use as viral vectors for gene therapy and as antigen presentation vectors in their envelope and capsid is proposed to be used as vaccines. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory properties of baculoviruses in mammals have recently been described. A thorough knowledge of the determinants of viral infectivity and morphogenesis of the two baculoviral phenotypes is important for the development of research aimed at optimizing the system in any of its applications. Thus, our working group focuses on the study of the basic aspects of the interaction of the AcMNPV baculovirus with insect cells, lepidopteran larvae, immune and non-immune cells of mammals and experimental animals. Likewise, the group's objective is to apply this knowledge to the development of novel biotechnological tools based on baculovirus. First, by constructing knockout viruses for certain viral genes (ac109 and ac12), we have studied their functionality both in their natural host and in mammals. Regarding the use of AcMNPV as a protein expression system, we developed strategies for the formation of chimeric occlusion bodies. Thus, different antigens were incorporated without interfering with the normal morphogenesis of polyhedra and various alternatives were explored to optimize their expression. On the other hand, regarding the study of the capacity of the two viral phenotypes to arouse innate responses in mammals, we have determined that the sprouted but not the occluded phenotype is capable of maturing dendritic cells, triggering antiviral responses in non-immune cells and conferring protection. Nonspecific to mice against a lethal challenge with foot-and-mouth disease virus. Finally, we also reliably determine the influence of the location of heterologous antigens on the type of adaptive response induced.