Chimeric sindbis-western equine encephalitis virus and uses thereof
View Patent ↗The present invention discloses a chimeric alphavirus comprising a Sindbis virus cDNA fragment, an Eastern equine encephalitis virus cDNA fragment, a Western equine encephalitis virus cDNA fragment or a combination thereof. The present also discloses the use of this chimeric alphavirus as vaccines and in serological and diagnostic assays.
1. A chimeric alphavirus nucleic acid comprising a Sindbis virus genomic sequence having the Sindbis virus structural genes replaced with Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) structural genes, wherein the WEEV structural genes encode WEEV structural proteins comprising (i) a WEEV capsid protein having an Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) capsid protein RNA binding domain and (ii) WEEV glycoproteins.
2. The nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid is RNA.
3. The nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the WEEV is a C092-1356 strain or a McMillan strain of WEEV.
4. The nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the EEEV capsid protein RNA binding domain is an EEEV Florida 93 strain capsid protein RNA binding domain.
5. A cell in culture expressing the nucleic acid of claim 1 .
6. A chimeric alphavirus particle comprising the nucleic acid of claim 1 .
7. A method of inducing an immune response in a subject comprising administering the chimeric alphavirus particle of claim 6 .