DAO 44:17-27 (2001)  -  doi:10.3354/dao044017

ABSTRACT: We report the development of an IHNV vaccine produced by a new protein production system based on the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. The subunit vaccines that were tested contain a 184 amino acid segment of the IHNV glycoprotein in different fusion arrangements with the C. crescentus S-layer protein. Relative percent survival of 26 to 34% was demonstrated in rainbow trout fry for a vaccine that contained the 184 amino acid segment of the IHNV glycoprotein fused to the C-terminal one-quarter of the S-layer protein. Inclusion of the universal mammalian T cell epitopes developed from the measles fusion protein or the tetanus toxin protein did not increase the effectiveness of the IHNV-G/S-layer recombinant protein.

KEY WORDS: Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus · IHNV · Caulobacter crescentus · Fish virus · Rhabdovirus · Vaccines · S-layer · Type I secretion · T cell epitopes