FLAVIVIRUS REPLICON PACKAGING SYSTEM

摘要

A tetracycline regulatable flaviviral packaging system is provided that facilitates expression of flaviviral structural proteins necessary for flaviviral RNA replicon packaging and virus like particle production in anim al cells. This regulatable packaging system is compatible with Kunjin, Dengue a nd West Nile virus and other flaviviral replicon-based expression systems and produces unexpectedly high titres of virus-like particles. A particular application of this packaging system is the production of virus-like particl es that package RNA comprising a flaviviral replicon and encoding a heterologou s protein or peptide for expression in animal cells. Even more particularly, t he packaging system is capable of delivering immunogens that induce a protectiv e CD8 T cell-mediated immune response.