Expression of the human foamy virus bel-1 transactivator in insect cells

Abstract

The human foamy virus (HFV) bel-l transactivator protein was expressed in insect cells by a recombinant baculovirus. For the generation of the recombinant baculovirus, Acbel-1, the bel-l gene of an HFV mutant was used, that bears truncations in the bel-l overlapping bel-2 open reading frame. Acbel-1 infected Sf9 cells produced high amounts of recombinant protein of the same electrophoretic mobility (36 kD) as bel-l expressed in mammalian cells. The baculovirus expressed bel-l proteinwas readily identified by a polyclonal rabbit serum directed against bel-l in immunoblot assay. As in mammalian cells, bel-l was predominantly localized to the nucleus of Acbel-1 infected insect cells. The baculovirus expressed bel-l proteinwill be of use to determine the action of this novel viral transactivator more precisely.