BioCarrier: A Novel Molecular Carrier from Newcastle disease virus
Researchers: Khatijah Yusoff, Tan Wen Siang, Kho Chiew Ling, Amir Rabu
Various kinds of carrier molecules have been used to deliver nucleic acids, drugs, vaccines and other important compounds. Researchers at Universiti Putra Malaysia have developed a molecular carrier for immunogenic peptides which can be used for the development of multicomponent vaccines, diagnostic reagents and the delivery of novel therapeutics or drugs (Malaysian Patent Pending: PI 20004837 and PI 20021709; US Patent Application No. 09/970,851).
They discovered that the nucleocapsid protein of a local Malaysian poultry virus (Newcastle disease virus) produced in Escherichia coli assembles into ring-like and herringbone-like particles. It is possible to manipulate the lengths of these particles by genetically engineering one end of this nucleocapsid protein. In addition, these particles are able to be fused with foreign polypeptides. Some of the advantages of this carrier molecule are its ability to increase the solubility of proteins, deliver immunogenic peptides or proteins in animals, as well as aid the purification of specific protein molecules.
Several fusion proteins have been constructed. These include the antigenic regions of the Newcastle disease virus, Nipah virus, hepatitis B virus, enterovirus virus 71, chicken anemia virus, and infectious bronchitis virus. Chickens inoculated with these particles mounted an immune response against the foreign peptides, supporting the use of these particles as carriers for immunogens in the development of multicomponent vaccines and immunological reagents.
For more information, please contact:
Prof. Datin Paduka Dr. Khatijah Mohd Yusoff (contact details available to registered journalists only. Please click on link below)
or
Dr Nayan KANWAL Email: [email protected]
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