Human cytomegalovirus cDNA and Antigen

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a type of herpes virus that is commonly found in the human population. It is usually transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, urine, semen and breast milk. Most healthy people have no symptoms or only mild symptoms, but HCMV can cause serious health problems in people with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients and people with HIV/AIDS. HCMV can also cause birth defects in babies infected during pregnancy. There is currently no cure for HCMV, but antiviral drugs can help manage the symptoms.

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) antigen refers to any protein or substance found in or produced by the HCMV virus. These antigens are used in diagnostic tests to identify the presence of HCMV in a person’s blood or body fluids. The detection of HCMV antigens can also help monitor the effectiveness of antiviral therapy in people with HCMV infections. Additionally, HCMV antigens are being studied for their potential use in vaccine development to prevent HCMV infections.

The Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genome is the complete set of genetic information contained in the HCMV virus. The HCMV genome is composed of a double-stranded DNA molecule and is approximately 235 kilobases in length. The genome of HCMV encodes a large number of genes, many of which are involved in virus replication and evasion of the host immune response. The study of the HCMV genome has provided important insights into the biology of the virus and has been instrumental in the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines. Here are some key proteins and antigens of HCMV:

Envelope glycoproteins (H, O, US27, and B): These glycoproteins are important for HCMV entry into host cells and evasion of the immune system. They can interact with host cell receptors and modulate host immune responses.

Immediate early transcriptional regulator and immediate-early 1 protein: These proteins are involved in the regulation of viral gene expression and replication. They can activate or repress the transcription of viral genes and play a crucial role in the establishment of HCMV infection.

Capsid scaffold protein: This protein is involved in the assembly of HCMV virions. It interacts with viral DNA and helps to package it into the capsid.

Major immediate-early antigen: This is one of the earliest and most abundantly expressed viral antigens during HCMV infection. It is involved in the regulation of viral gene expression and replication.

Pp34 and Pp43: These are viral phosphoproteins that are important for HCMV replication. They can interact with host cell proteins and modulate host signaling pathways.

Surface antigen: This is a viral antigen that is expressed on the surface of infected cells. It can be used as a diagnostic marker for HCMV infection.

The use of recombinant proteins/cDNA in academic research and therapeutic applications has skyrocketed. However, in heterologous expression systems, successful recombinant protein expression is dependent on a variety of factors, including codon preference, RNA secondary structure, and GC content. When compared to pre-optimization, more and more experimental results demonstrated that the expression level was dramatically increased, ranging from two to hundred times depending on the gene. Bioclone has created a proprietary technology platform that has resulted in the creation of over 6,000 artificially synthesized codon-optimized cDNA clones (cloned in E. coli expression Vector), which are ready for production of the recombinant proteins.