Viral mutagenesis as a means for generating novel proteins

J Virol. 2010 Feb;84(3):1625-30. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01747-09. Epub 2009 Nov 11.

Abstract

We demonstrate that a mutation-prone virus engineered to express a foreign gene is an expedient means for generating novel mutant nonviral proteins in mammalian cells. Using vesicular stomatitis virus to express a gene coding for a fluorescent DsRed protein, a number of green mutant variants including a new variant not previously described were rapidly isolated from infected cells, sequenced, and cloned. Similar methods may be useful in the development of physiologically sensitive fluorescent reporter proteins and directed evolution or mutagenesis of proteins in general.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cricetinae
  • DNA Primers
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Mutagenesis*
  • Vesiculovirus / genetics*
  • Viral Plaque Assay

Substances

  • DNA Primers