Combinatorics
Since its introduction in the 1980s, the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) has become one of the recombinant protein expression systems most used in both, industry and molecular biology laboratories. BEVS has several advantages over other recombinant protein expression systems, including high protein yields, convenient use, biosafety and short development times. At present, the most widely used baculovirus expression system uses a lytic virus known as Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV; hereafter called baculovirus). This virus is the prototype of the family Baculoviridae. It is a large, enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus that can infect arthropods. AcMNPV gene expression is temporally regulated in an orderly cascade proceeding from early to late phases, followed by very late phase. Viral DNA replication is initiated during the late and very late phases, allowing the production of its progeny viruses.
Features of AcMNPV Expression System
Since 1983, AcMNPV was first used to express human recombinant INF-β protein, it has become a system of choice for heterologous expression of recombinant proteins for more than 35 years. The advantages of the AcMNPV system include:
(1) Compared with other Baculoviridae family members, AcMNPV has a wider host range.
(2) It is infectious to 28 species of insects.
(3) The host insect cell lines are easily cultured and grow fast.
(4) It is suitable for large-scale cell suspension culture expression.