SPHEROIDIN DNA ISOLATE AND RECOMBINANT ENTOMOPOXVIRUS EXPRESSION VECTORS

摘要

A DNA isolate consisting essentially of a DNA sequence encoding spheroidin and recombinant entomopoxvirus expression vectors capable of expressing a selected gene or portion thereof in tissue culture insect cells or insect larvae are described. These expression vectors consist of entomopoxvirus genomes comprising at least one selected gene or portion thereof. The selected gene or portion thereof is under the transcriptional control of an entomopoxvirus promoter, preferably the spheroidin promoter. Also within the scope of the present invention is a method for producing viral transfer vectors, recombinant viral transfer vectors and recombinant viral expression vectors utilizing entomopoxvirus DNA segments. The recombinant entomopoxvirus expression vectors of the present invention are to be used for the production of proteins useful in medical, forestry and agricultural fields.