DEFECTIVE SINDBIS VIRUS VECTORS THAT EXPRESS TOXOPLASMA GONDII P30 ANTIGENS

摘要

The present invention relates to a recombinant virus particle vaccine comprising a recombinant molecule packaged in an alphavirus coat. A preferred recombinant molecule to incorporate into such a virus particle is one that encodes a protective compound (e.g. a protective protein or a protective RNA) capable of protecting an animal from a disease, such that the nucleic acid sequence is operatively linked to a packaging-defective alphavirus expression vector that is capable of directing replication and transcription of the recombinant molecule. The invention also includes methods to produce and use such vaccines to protect animals from disease, particularly from disease caused by protozoan parasites such as T. gondii, helminth parasites, ectoparasites, fungi, bacteria, or viruses. The present invention also includes recombinant molecules having an alphavirus expression vector capable of directing the expression of at least one compound capable of protecting an animal from parasitic disease when the recombinant molecule is transfected into an animal cell. Also included is the use of such recombinant molecules to rapidly and efficiently produce, in eukaryotic cells, compounds protective against parasitic infection.