Use of the baculovirus system to assemble polyomavirus capsid-like particles with different polyomavirus structural proteins: analysis of the recombinant assembled capsid-like particles

K An, ET Gillock, JA Sweat, WM Reeves and RA Consigli Section of Virology and Oncology, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506, USA. The genes encoding the structural proteins (VP1, VP2 and VP3) of murine polyomavirus were cloned into the p2Bac dual multiple cloning site vector, individually or jointly, and the corresponding proteins were expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells by cotransfecting Sf9 cells with the constructed vector and the linear DNA of Autographa californica multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV). Recombinant capsid-like particles could be purified 5 days post-infection from Sf9 cells infected with AcMNPV-VP1, with or without the involvement of minor protein (VP2 or VP3). Although VP2 and VP3 alone could not generate recombinant particles, they became incorporated into these particles when expressed with VP1 in Sf9 cells. Recombinant particles with different polyomavirus structural protein(s) were obtained by using different combined expression of these proteins in Sf9 cells. Cellular DNA of 5 kbp in size was packaged in all of the recombinant particles, which showed the same diameter as that of native virions. Agarose gel electrophoresis indicated that DNA packaged in these recombinant particles had a different pattern than that of native virions. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the VP1 species of recombinant particles showed more VP1 species than those of the native virions from mouse cells, and an additional species of VP1 when VP2 was co-expressed with VP1. The recombinant particles were also compared for their ability to compete for polyomavirus infection. The competition assay indicated that the recombinant particles containing VP2 were the most efficient in inhibiting the native polyomavirus infection of 3T6 cells.