Complexes of cytomegalovirus proteins

1. A composition comprising:

(A) a single recombinant nucleic acid construct, comprising one or more nucleotide sequences encoding: a pentamer-forming fragment of HCMV gH having a truncated transmembrane (TM) domain and a truncated ectodomain as compared to wild-type HCMV gH, HCMV gL or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, HCMV pUL128 or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, HCMV pUL130 or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, and HCMV pUL131A or pentamer-forming fragment thereof; wherein the truncated TM domain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 718 to 736 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the truncated ectodomain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 716 and 717 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1 or

(B) two recombinant nucleic acid constructs, first construct comprising one or more nucleotide sequences encoding a pentamer-forming fragment of HCMV gH having a truncated TM domain and a truncated ectodomain as compared to wild-type HCMV gH, and HCMV gL or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, wherein the truncated TM domain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 718 to 736 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the truncated ectodomain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 716 and 717 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1;

the second construct comprising one or more nucleotide sequences encoding pUL128 or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, HCMV pUL130 or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, and HCMV pUL131A or pentamer-forming fragment thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 , comprising (A).

3. The composition of claim 1 , comprising (B).

4. An isolated host cell comprising the composition of claim 1 .

5. The isolated host cell of claim 4 , that is a mammalian host cell.

6. The isolated host cell of claim 5 , that is a Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) 293 host cell.

7. A cell culture comprising the host cell of claim 4 , a growth medium, and HCMV pentamer complex wherein said HCMV pentamer complex is at a level of more than 0.4 mg per liter of growth medium.

8. A recombinant nucleic acid construct comprising polynucleotide sequences, wherein the polynucleotide sequences consist of (i) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding a pentamer-forming fragment of HCMV gH having a truncated TM domain and a truncated ectodomain as compared to wild-type HCMV gH, (ii) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding HCMV gL or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, (iii) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding pUL128 or pentamer-forming fragment thereof (iv) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding HCMV pUL130 or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, and (v) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding HCMV pUL131A or pentamer-forming fragment thereof;

wherein the truncated TM domain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 718 to 736 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the truncated ectodomain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 716 and 717 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1.

9. The recombinant nucleic acid construct of claim 8 , wherein

said pentamer-forming fragment of gH comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 4, 6, 29, and 30;

said gL, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 7-9 and 31;

said pUL128, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 13-15 and 33;

said pUL130, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 16, 17, and 34; or

said pUL131A, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 18-20, and 35.

10. A recombinant nucleic acid construct comprising polynucleotide sequences, wherein the polynucleotide sequences consist of (i) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding a pentamer-forming fragment of HCMV gH having a truncated TM domain and a truncated ectodomain as compared to wild-type HCMV gH and (ii) one or more nucleotide sequences encoding HCMV gL or pentamer-forming fragment thereof;

wherein the truncated TM domain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 718 to 736 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the truncated ectodomain consists of an amino acid sequence having a deletion of the amino acids corresponding to residues 716 and 717 of wild-type sequence SEQ ID NO: 1.

11. The recombinant nucleic acid construct of claim 10 , wherein

said pentamer-forming fragment of gH comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 4, 6, 29, and 30; or

said gL, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 7-9 and 31.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein

said pUL128, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 13-15 and 33;

said pUL130, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 16, 17, and 34; or

said pUL131A, or pentamer-forming fragment thereof, comprises a sequence that is at least 80% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 18-20, and 35.

13. A method of transfection comprising introducing the recombinant nucleic acid construct of claim 8 into an isolated host cell.

14. A method of transfection comprising introducing the recombinant nucleic acid construct of claim 10 into an isolated host cell.