Modified RSV incorporating a red fluorescent reporter protein for vaccine, drug and biologic research & development.
RSV is a highly contagious and ubiquitous virus that causes respiratory tract infections in individuals of all ages, particularly young children and the elderly. Currently, no effective vaccine against RSV exists and treatment is limited to a non-vaccine prophylactic medication and supportive care.
Dr. Moore's lab at Emory University has created a recombinant RSV strain that co-expresses a red fluorescent protein known as Katushka2. This viral strain is derived from Dr. Moore's BAC-RSV vector that carries the complete antigenomic sequence of RSV (see related Emory technology 11064). The Katushka protein, discovered in a sea anemone, is the brightest known fluorescent protein, making it ideal for penetrating tissues. This modified RSV strain could provide a means to establish flow cytometry and microscopy assays to indicate infection, which is useful for screening vaccine, drug and antibody candidates that neutralize the virus.
The Katushka2-tagged RSV strain has been successfully engineered and is available to ship.