Cloning and Expression
of SpltMNPV Sl136 Gene and Functions
of the Expressed Product
ZHANG Ping, YANG Bo, PANG Yi*, SU De-Ming1
(State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou
510275, China；1Virology Research Unit, Fudan University,
Shanghai 200433,
China )
Abstract By
computer-assisted analysis, it was revealed that ORF136 gene product in
SpltMNPV genome had the basic properties of membrane protein. A putative signal
peptide was present at the N-terminal and a transmembrane region near the
C-terminal of SL136 protein. In the N-terminal half region, there was a
coiled-coil domain, which is a typical feature of a number of viral fusion
proteins. After PCR amplification, a recombinant plasmid pBVSl136 and
a recombinant AcMNPV containing Sl136 were constructed, in order to
express Sl136 gene in E.coli and insect Hi5 cells,
respectively. The SDS-PAGE results showed that both expression levels were
high. Cell membrane fusion was induced in the Sl-zsu-1 cells,whichhad been
transfected with Sl136 gene alone, by lowering pH of the medium. These
results suggested that SL136 protein may be an envelope fusion protein.
Key words Spodoptera litura； baculovirus； fusion protein； expression
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