Baculoviruses are widely used with insect cells to express recombinant proteins. While the rate of recombinant protein expression can be very high in this system, the protein expression ceases within 2-3 days due to cell death resulting from the virus infection. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress is a major contributor to this cell death. A baculovirus-encoded Copper-Zinc Superoxide Dismutase (CuZnSOD) homolog gene contributes to this oxidative stress. Specifically, the CuZnSOD homolog inactivates the CuZnSOD enzyme by removing the copper, thereby leading to increased oxidative stress and presumably more rapid cell death. Cell longevity potentially can be extended by increasing cellular antioxidant defenses, e.g., by removing the CuZnSOD homolog and over expressing active CuZnSOD. This presentation tests this idea through studies with a modified baculovirus in which the CuZnSOD homolog gene has been removed and human CuZnSOD is over expressed.

Role of homolog CuZnSOD in baculovirus infection in insect cells

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.