Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) plasmid containing the antigenomic sequence A2-BAG-BAF derived from multiple strains of RSV.
Human Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) RSV is a leading cause of respiratory infections. Beyond infants, RSV-related illnesses in the elderly are on the rise. As the population ages, these numbers are expected to continue growing. Prophylactic Treatment of RSV is currently limited to a monoclonal antibody-based therapy which must be administered repeatedly, and does not provide lasting resistance to the virus; when treatment is stopped, immune protection fades. Given the lack of adequate vaccination strategies for RSV prevention, and its prevalence in at-risk populations (e.g., elderly, premature infants and children with chronic diseases) new methods of tackling RSV are needed.
The primary focus of Dr. Moore’s lab at Emory is to define mechanisms of RSV immunopathogenesis and investigate the role of RSV strain differences in RSV pathophysiology. Dr. Moore and colleagues have created a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the complete antigenomic sequence of multiple RSV strains. This BAC has been engineered to contain improvements over current RSV plasmids. For example, the G protein and F sequence in the plasmid contain consensus sequences representing the “Buenos Aries” subtype B clade, allowing for a broader representation of RSV strains vs a specific strain. These improvements provide opportunity for identification and treatment of specific RSV mutations, as well as more effective strategies for vaccine design and development.
BAC has been created and used in in vitro work.