Bunyaviruses: Expression of Recombinant Glycoproteins from Insect Cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2025:2893:181-191. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4338-9_14.

Abstract

High-density suspension cultures of insect cells offer a scalable and serum-free system for the expression of recombinant proteins. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), an arthropod-borne virus spread by mosquitoes, contains two envelop glycoproteins Gn and Gc. These glycoproteins are crucial for eliciting neutralizing antibodies that can offer protection against RVFV infection. Here, we describe the production of individual RVFV glycoproteins and empty RVFV particles using S2 Drosophila insect cells, followed by purification and analysis of the purified proteins.

Keywords: Expression; Fusion protein; Glycoprotein; Insect cells; Purification; RVFV; Strep-tag; VLP.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Drosophila
  • Gene Expression
  • Glycoproteins* / genetics
  • Glycoproteins* / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins* / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins* / metabolism
  • Rift Valley fever virus / genetics
  • Rift Valley fever virus / immunology

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Glycoproteins