The present invention includes an RNA replicon that can be replicated by a replication enzyme of alpha virus origin. RNA replicons contain sequence elements necessary for replication by a replicator, but such sequence elements do not encode any protein or fragment thereof, such as an alphaviral non-structural protein or fragment thereof. Thus, in the RNA replicon according to the present invention, sequence elements and protein coding region(s) required for replication by a replicator are not coupled. According to the present invention, decoupling is achieved by removal of at least one start codon compared to natural alphaviral genomic RNA. In particular, the RNA replicon comprises a 5''replication recognition sequence, wherein the 5''replication recognition sequence is characterized in that it comprises the removal of at least one initiation codon compared to the natural alpha virus 5''replication recognition sequence. Replicants of alphavirus origin can be encoded by RNA replicons or by open reading frames on separate RNA molecules. The present invention allows efficient and safe expression of the protein of interest in cells or organisms, but does not involve the undesired production of alphaviral non-structural protein fragments. Methods of producing proteins in vitro and in vivo, as well as medical use, are provided herein.
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