Vaccination against host cell-associated herpes viruses
The invention relates to the field of so-called “host cell-associated herpes viruses,” such as Marek's disease-like virus (MDV) of poultry and Varicella Zoster virus (VZV) of man, and to vaccination against disease caused by these viruses. The invention provides a vaccine directed against an infection caused by a herpes virus that is essentially host cell-associated comprising a recombinant viral genome derived from the herpes virus, the genome allowing recombination essentially free of the host cell.
1. A composition comprising:
a genomic nucleic acid molecule comprising a replicative full-length copy of a Marek's Disease Virus-1 (MDV-1) herpesvirus genome, except in that the US2 coding sequence of the MDV-1 herpesvirus genome is replaced by a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector;
wherein said genomic nucleic acid molecule is capable of replication in a eukaryotic host cell;
wherein said genomic nucleic acid molecule encodes infectious MDV-1 herpesvirus when the genomic nucleic acid molecule is expressed in a host cell; and
wherein said BAC vector allows for recombination of the genomic nucleic acid in a bacterium.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said MDV-1 herpesvirus genome has an additional functional deletion in a gene different from US2.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said replicative genome is of a MDV-1 herpesvirus that is a virulent, a very virulent, or a very virulent plus field virus.
4. A method of inducing an immune response in a subject, said method comprising:
administering to the subject a composition of claim 1 .
5. A method for limiting the risks of a subject acquiring or fully manifesting a disease caused by an infection with a strictly host cell-associated Marek's Disease Virus-1 (MDV-1) herpesvirus, said method comprising administering to the subject the composition of claim 1 .
6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said subject is a bird.
7. A nucleic acid comprising:
a nucleotide sequence that is a replicative genome of a Marek's Disease Virus-1 (MDV-1) herpesvirus; and
a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector sequence;
wherein the replicative genome of a Marek's Disease Virus-1 (MDV-1) herpesvirus comprises a full-length copy of a MDV-1 herpesvirus genome except in that the US2 coding sequence is replaced by the BAC vector;
wherein the nucleic acid is capable of replication in a eukaryotic host cell;
wherein the nucleic acid encodes infectious MDV-1 herpesvirus when the nucleic acid is expressed in a host cell; and
wherein the BAC vector sequence allows for recombination of the nucleic acid in a bacterium.