Expression of frog virus 3 genes is impaired in mammalian cell lines
2008
Frog Virus 3 Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Heather E. Eaton, Julie Metcalf, Craig R. Brunetti
Primary Institution: Trent University
Hypothesis
Can frog virus 3 (FV3) genes be expressed in mammalian cell lines?
Conclusion
Frog virus 3 can infect mammalian cell lines, but its gene 75L does not express due to inefficient codon usage.
Supporting Evidence
- FV3 gene 75L was expressed in fathead minnow cells but not in mammalian cells.
- Codon optimization of the 75L gene allowed for its expression in mammalian cells.
- The study suggests that inefficient codon usage may prevent expression of non-essential viral genes in mammalian systems.
Takeaway
Frog virus 3 can get into mammal cells, but it doesn't make some of its proteins because the way its genes are written doesn't match how mammal cells read them.
Methodology
The study involved infecting mammalian cell lines with FV3 and examining the expression of the 75L gene using immunofluorescence.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on one non-essential gene and did not explore the expression of other FV3 genes in detail.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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