Recombinant chimeric virus and uses thereof

[0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/663,566, filed Jun. 13, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,733; which is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US95/10245, filed Aug. 9, 1995; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 08/288,065, filed Aug. 9, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,982 the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0003] Throughout this application various publications are referenced by Arabic numerals in parenthesis. Full citations for these publications may be found at the end of the specification preceding the claims. The disclosures of these publications are in their entirety hereby incorporated by reference into this application to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

[0004] The ability to isolate DNA and clone such isolated DNA into bacterial plasmids has greatly expanded the approaches available to make viral vaccines. The methods used to make the present invention involve modifying cloned DNA sequences from various viral pathogens of animals, by insertions, deletions, single or multiple base changes, and subsequent insertions of these modified sequences into the genome of the virus. One utility of the addition of a foreign sequence is achieved when the foreign sequence encodes a foreign protein that is expressed during viral infection of the animal. The resulting live virus may then be used in a vaccine to elicit an immune response in a host animal and provide protection to the animal against disease. A virus with these characteristics is referred to as a viral vector, because it becomes a living vector that will carry and express the foreign protein in the host animal. In effect it becomes an elaborate delivery system for the foreign protein(s).

[0005] The application of recombinant DNA techniques to animal viruses has a relatively recent history. The first viruses to be engineered have been those with the smallest genomes. In the case of the papovaviruses, because these viruses are so small and cannot accommodate much extra DNA, their use in genetic engineering has been as defective replicons. Foreign gene expression from these viruses requires a wild-type helper virus and is limited to cell culture systems. For adenoviruses, there is a small amount of nonessential DNA that can be replaced by foreign sequences. The only foreign DNA that seems to have been expressed in adenoviruses are the T-antigen genes from papovaviruses (Mansour, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. US, 1985; Thummel, et al., Cell, 1983; Scolnick, et al., Cell, 1981; Thummel, et al., Cell, 1981), and the herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase gene (Haj-Ahmed and Graham, J. of Virology, 1986). These publications do not identify the nonessential regions in HVT wherein foreign DNA may be inserted, nor do they teach how to achieve the expression of foreign genes in HVT, e.g., which promoter sequence and termination sequence to use.

[0006] Another group of viruses that have been engineered are the poxviruses. One member of this group, vaccinia, has been the subject of much research on foreign gene expression. Poxviruses are large DNA-containing viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm of the infected cell. They have a structure that is unique in that they do not contain any capsid that is based upon icosahedral symmetry or helical symmetry. The poxviruses are most likely to have evolved from bacterial-like microorganisms through the loss of function and degeneration. In part due to this uniqueness, the advances made in the genetic engineering of poxviruses cannot be directly extrapolated to other viral systems, including herpesviruses and HVT. Vaccinia recombinant virus constructs have been made in a number of laboratories that express the following inserted foreign genes: HSV thymidine kinase gene (Mackett, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1982; Panicali and Paoletti, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1982, hepatitis B surface antigen (Paoletti, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1984; Smith et al., Nature, 1983), HSV glycoprotein D gene, influenzae hemagglutinin gene (Panicali, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1983; Smith, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1983), malaria antigen gene (Smith, et al., Science, 1984, and vesicular stomatitis glycoprotein G gent (Mackett, et al., Science, 1986). The general overall features of vaccinia recombinant DNA work are similar to the techniques used for all the viruses, especially as they relate to the techniques in reference (Maniatis, et al., Molecular Cloning, 1982). However in detail, the vaccinia techniques are not applicable to herpesviruses and HVT. The utility of vaccinia as a vaccine vector is in question because of its close relationship to human smallpox and its known pathogenicity to humans. Thus, the use of the host-specific herpesvirus HVT is a better solution to vaccination of poultry.

[0007] Among the primate herpesviruses, only HSV of humans and, to a limited extent, herpes saimiri of monkeys have been engineered to contain foreign DNA sequences. The first use of recombinant DNA to manipulate HSV involved cloning a piece of DNA from the L-S junction region into the unique long region of HSV DNA, specifically into the thymidine kinase gene (Moccarski, et al., Cell, 1980). This insert was not a foreign piece of DNA, rather it was a naturally occurring piece of herpesvirus DNA that was duplicated at another place in the genome. This piece of DNA was not engineered to specifically express a protein, and thus this work does not involve expression of protein in herpesviruses. The next manipulation of HSV involved the creation of deletions in the virus genome by a combination of recombinant DNA techniques and thymidine kinase selection. Using this approach, the HSV alpha-22 gene has been deleted (Post, et al., Cell, 1981), and a 15,000 basepair sequence of DNA has been deleted from the internal repeat of HSV (Poffenberger, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1981).

[0008] The following cases involve insertion of genes that encode protein into herpesviruses: the insertion of HSV glycoprotein C into a naturally occurring deletion mutant of this gene in HSV (Gibson and Spear, J. of Virology, 1983); the insertion of glycoprotein D of HSV type 2 into HSV type 1 (Lee, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1982), with no manipulation of promoter sequences since the gene is not ‘foreign’; the insertion of hepatitis B surface antigen into HSV under the control of the HSV ICP4 promoter (Shih, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1984); and the insertion of bovine growth hormone into herpes saimiri virus with an SV40 promoter (the promoter did not work in this system and an endogenous upstream promoter served to transcribe the gene) (Desrosiers, et al., 1984). Two additional foreign genes (chicken ovalbumin gene and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen) have been inserted into HSV (Arsenakis and Roizman, 1984), and glycoprotein X of pseudorabies virus has been inserted into HSV (Post, et al., 1985).

[0009] These cases of deletion or insertion of genes into herpesviruses demonstrate that it is possible to genetically engineer herpesvirus genomes by recombinant DNA techniques. The methods that have been used to insert genes involve homologous recombination between the viral DNA cloned in plasmids and purified viral DNA transfected into the same animal cell. However, the extent to which one can generalize the location of the deletion and the sites for insertion of foreign genes is not known from these previous studies.

[0010] One object of the present invention is a vaccine for Marek's disease. Marek's disease virus (MDV) is the causative agent of Marek's disease which encompasses fowl paralysis, a common lymphoproliferative disease of chickens. The disease occurs most commonly in young chickens between 2 and 5 months of age. The prominent clinical signs are progressive paralysis of one or more of the extremities, incoordination due to paralysis of legs, drooping of the limb due to wing involvement, and a lowered head position due to involvement of the neck muscles. In acute cases, severe depression may result. In the case of highly oncogenic strains, there is characteristic bursal and thymic atrophy. In addition, there are lymphoid tumors affecting the gonads, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney and thymus (Mohanty and Dutta, 1981).

[0011] Most chickens are vaccinated against MDV at one day of age to protect the bird against MDV for life. Prior to the present invention, the principal vaccination method for MDV involved using naturally occurring strains of turkey herpesvirus (HVT). It would be advantageous to incorporate other antigens into this vaccination at one day of age, but efforts to combine conventional vaccines have not proven satisfactory to date due to competition and immunosuppression between pathogens. The multivalent HVT-based vaccines engineered in this invention represent a novel way to simultaneously vaccinate against a number of different pathogens. For the first time, a recombinant HVT with a foreign gene inserted into a non-essential region of the HVT genome is disclosed.

[0012] The types of genetic engineering that have been performed on these herpesviruses consist of cloning parts of the virus DNA into plasmids in bacteria, reconstructing the virus DNA while in the cloned state so that the DNA contains deletions of certain sequences, and furthermore adding foreign DNA sequences either in place of the deletions or at sites removed from the deletions.

[0013] A foreign gene of interest targeted for insertion into the genome of HVT may be obtained from any pathogenic organism of interest. Typically, the gene of interest will be derived from pathogens that in poultry cause diseases that have an economic impact on the poultry industry. The genes may be derived from organisms for which there are existing vaccines, and because of the novel advantages of the vectoring technology the HVT derived vaccines will be superior. Also, the gene of interest may be derived from pathogens for which there is currently no vaccine but where there is a requirement for control of the disease. Typically, the gene of interest encodes immunogenic polypeptides of the pathogen, and may represent surface proteins, secreted proteins and structural proteins.

[0014] A relevant avian pathogen that is a target for HVT vectoring is Infectious Laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV). ILTV is a member of the herpesviridiae family, and this pathogen causes an acute disease of chickens which is characterized by respiratory depression, gasping and expectoration of bloody exudate. Viral replication is limited to cells of the respiratory tract, where in the trachea the infection gives rise to tissue erosion and hemorrhage. In chickens, no drug has been effective in reducing the degree of lesion formation or in decreasing clinical signs. Vaccination of birds with various modified forms of the ILT virus derived by cell passage and/or tedious regimes of administration have conferred acceptable protection in susceptible chickens. Because of the degree of attenuation of current ILT vaccines care must be taken to assure that the correct level of virus is maintained; enough to provide protection, but not enough to cause disease in the flock.

[0015] An additional target for the HVT vectoring approach is Newcastle disease, an infectious, highly contagious and debilitating disease that is caused by the Newcastle disease virus (NDV). NDV is a single-stranded RNA virus of the paramyxovirus family. The various pathotypes of NDV (velogenic, mesogenic, lentogenic) differ with regard to the severity of the disease, the specificity and symptoms, but most types seem to infect the respiratory system and the nervous system. NDV primarily infects chickens, turkeys and other avian species. Historically vaccination has been used to prevent disease, but because of maternal antibody interferences, life-span of the bird and route of administration, the producer needs to adapt immunization protocols to fit specific needs.

[0016] The therapeutic agent that is delivered by a viral vector of the present invention must be a biological molecule that is a by-product of swinepox virus replication. This limits the therapeutic agent in the first analysis to either DNA, RNA, or protein. There are examples of therapeutic agents from each of these classes of compounds in the form of anti-sense DNA, anti-sense RNA (S. Joshi, et al., J. of Virology, 1991), ribozymes (M. Wachsman, et al., J. of General Virology, 1989), suppressor tRNAs (R. A. Bhat, et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1989), interferon-inducing double stranded RNA and numerous examples of protein therapeutics, from hormones, e.g., insulin, to lymphokines, e.g., interferons and interleukins, to naturals opiates. The discovery of these therapeutic agents and the elucidation of their structure and function does not make obvious the ability to use them in a viral vector delivery system.

[0017] A number of genes encoding cytokines have been cloned in mammalian species. Fewer cytokine genes have been cloned in avian species. The genes encoding type I and type II interferons have been cloned and characterized in several mammalian species. The gene for chicken interferon-a was cloned, and the amino acid sequence was compared to mammalian interferon type I and shown to have 20-24% amino acid sequence identity. ChIFN-a is unrelated to mammalian IFN-g (59, 65). The gene for chicken interferon-g was cloned, and the amino acid sequence shares 15% identity to ChIFN-a. ChIFN-g is 35 and 32% identical to the equine and human IFN-g, respectively (62, 63, 66). A gene for duck interferon was cloned and is 50% identical at the amino acid level to ChIFN-a (64). The chicken has more than 20 interferon genes which have not yet been classified. It is not known whether the cloned duck IFN should be classified as IFN-a, -b, or -g. The avian interferon activities are species specific. An avian interferon is not active in a different avian or mammalian species or a different avian or mammalian cell line. Due to the lack of cross species interferon activities and the low percentage identity of amino acid sequences between interferons of different species, it is not obvious that one can clone and express genes from different avian or mammalian species.

[0018] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera comprising a herpesvirus of turkeys unique long viral genome region and a Marek's disease virus unique short viral genome region.

[0019] FIGS. 1A-1C: Details of HVT Construction and Map Data.

[0020] FIG. 1A shows BamHI restriction fragment map of the HVT genome. Fragments are numbered in order of decreasing size; letters refer to small fragments whose comparative size has not been determined.

[0021] FIG. 1B shows BamHI #16 fragment of the HVT genome showing location of β-galactosidase gene insertion in S-HVT-001.

[0022] FIG. 1C shows BamHI #19 fragment of the HVT genome showing location of β-galactosidase gene insertion.

[0023] Legend: B=BamHI; X=XhoI; H=HindIII; P PstI; S=SalI; N=NdeI; R=EcoRI.

[0024] FIG. 2: BamHI, NotI restriction map of the HVT genome. The unique long (UL) and unique short (US) regions are shown. The long and short region repeats are indicated by boxes. The BamHI fragments are numbered in decreasing order of size. The location of probes P1-P4 are indicated. The origin of each probe is as follows: P1-BamHI #6, P2-BamHI #2, P3-BamHI #13, and P4-4.0 kb BgIII to StuI sub-fragment of HVT genomic XbaI fragment #5 (8.0 kb).

[0025] FIGS. 3A-3B: Show how the unique XhoI site of the BamHI #10 fragment of the HVT genome was converted into a PacI site and a NotI site by insertion of the synthetic DNA sequence at the XhoI site (Nucleotides #1333-1338; SEQ ID NO. 12). FIG. 3A shows the Xho site converted into a PacI site to generate Plasmid 654-45.1 (SEQ ID NO. 17) and FIG. 3B shows the XhoI site converted into a NotI site to generate Plasmid 686-63.A1 (SEQ ID NO. 18).

[0026] FIG. 4: Restriction map and open reading frames of the sequence surrounding the insertion site within the unique long of HVT (SEQ ID NO. 12). This map shows the XhoI restriction site (SEQ ID NO. 12; Nucl. 1333-1338) used for insertion of foreign genes. Also shown are four open reading frames within this sequence. ORF A is interrupted by insertion of DNA into the XhoI site. The ORF A amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO. 14; Nucl. 1402 to 602; 267 amino acids) shows no significant sequence identity to any known amino acid sequence in the protein databases. UL 54 (SEQ ID NO. 13; Nucl. 146 to 481; 112 amino acids) and UL55 (SEQ ID NO. 15; Nucl. 1599 to 2135; 179 amino acids) show significant sequence identity to the herpes simplex virus type I UL54 and UL55 proteins, respectively. ORF B (SEQ ID NO. 16; Nucl. 2634 to 2308; 109 amino acids) shows no significant sequence identity to any known amino acid sequence in the protein databases. Searches were performed on NCBI databases using Blast software.

[0027] FIG. 5: Restriction map of cosmids 407-32.1C1, 672-01.A40, 672-07.C40, and 654-45.1. The overlap of HVT genomic DNA fragments EcoRI #9 and BamHI #10 is illustrated. A unique XhoI site within the EcoRI #9 and BamHI #10 fragments has been converted to a unique PacI site in Plasmid 654-45.1 or a unique NotI site in Plasmid 686-63.A1.

[0028] FIG. 6: Expression of β-galactosidase from chicken anemia virus promoter and HCMV immediate early promoter in transient transfection assays in BES-treated chicken embryo fibroblast. Expression of β-galactosidase was measured by ONPG assay at 0, 20, 40, and 60 minutes and expressed as OD₄₁₅. The protocol is described in TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY. Plasmids 388-65.2 contains the immediate early promoter. Plasmid 850-80.2, 850-25.18 and 850-69.1 contain chicken anemia virus promoters as described in Materials and Methods.

[0029] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera comprising a herpesvirus of turkeys long viral genome region and a Marek's disease virus short viral genome region. This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera comprising a herpesvirus of turkeys unique long viral genome region and a Marek's disease virus unique short viral genome region.

[0030] In one embodiment the foreign DNA sequence is inserted within a non-essential region of the turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera viral genome, and is capable of being expressed in a host cell. In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence is inserted within an EcoR1 #9 fragment of the unique long region of the turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera viral genome.

[0031] In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encodes a polypeptide. For example, the foreign DNA sequence may encodes a cytokine such as chicken mylomonocytic growth factor (cMGF), chicken interferon (cIFN) or quail interferon (qIFN). Alternatively the foreign DNA sequence may encode an antigenic polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, Infectious laryngotracheitis virus, Infectious bronchitis virus and Infectious bursal disease virus.

[0032] In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence is under control of an endogenous upstream herpesvirus promoter. Examples of promoters inlcude but are not limited to: heterologous upstream promoters such as PRV gX, HSV-1 alpha 4, HCMV immediate early, MDV gA, MDV gB, MDV gD, ILT gB, BHV-1.1 VP8, ILT gD and chicken anemia virus (CAV) promoter. Examples of the recombinant chimeric virus include but are not limited to: S-HVY-145, S-HVY-149, and S-HVY-152.

[0033] This invention provides a vector which comprises the of the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding chicken Interferon. This invention provides a host cell containing the vector. This invention provides a recombinant DNA which comprises the complementary sequence of the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding chicken Interferon. The complementary sequence is the anti-sense strand. In one embodiment the antisense nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to the mRNA of the chicken interferon.

[0034] This invention provides a method for enhancing the immune response of an animal by vaccinating the animal with the recombinant virus which comprises a foreign DNA. Examples of foreign DNA include but are not limited to; cytokines, such as the sense strand of the nucleic acid sequence encoding quail interferon and chicken interferon, and viruses, such as chicken anemia virus, MDV, NDV, ILT, or IBDV. Alternatively, it is contemplated that an isolated polypeptide which is expressed from the recombinant virus may be used in combination with a vaccine of a killed or attenuated virus so as to enhance the immune response of the animal.

[0035] This invention provides a method for enhancing the immune response of an animal by vaccinating the animal with a vaccine containing a vector which comprises the complementary sequence of the sense strand of the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding chicken Interferon.

[0036] This invention provides a vector which comprises the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding chicken Interferon.

[0037] This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid comprising a promoter sequence normally associated with the transcription of a gene of the chicken anemia virus (CAV). This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid encoding a chicken anemia virus promoter. In one embodiment the isolated nucleic acid encoding a chicken anemia virus promoter has the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ. ID. NO. 23.

[0038] This invention provides a vector which comprises the isolated nucleic acid encoding a chicken anemia virus promoter. This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus which comprises a foreign DNA sequence under the control of the chicken anemia virus promoter.

[0039] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus or recombinant pox virus comprising a foreign DNA sequence inserted into a non-essential site in the HVT genome, wherein the foreign DNA sequence is capable of being expressed in a host cell infected with the recombinant HVT and its expression is under the control of chicken anemia virus promoter.

[0040] This invention provides a recombinant chimeric virus comprising a foreign DNA sequence inserted into a non-essential site in the HVT genome. The foreign DNA sequence is capable of being expressed in a host cell infected with the recombinant chimeric virus and its expression is under the control of a promoter located upstream of the foreign DNA sequence.

[0041] As defined herein “a non-essential site” in the recombinant chimeric virus genome or the HVT genome means a region in the viral genome which is not necessary for the viral infection or replication.

[0042] As defined herein, “viral genome” or “genomic DNA” means the entire DNA which the naturally occurring in the virus. As defined herein, “foreign DNA sequence” or “gene” means any DNA or gene that is exogenous to the genomic DNA.

[0043] As defined herein, an “open reading frame” is a segment of DNA which contains codons that can be transcribed into RNA which can be translated into an amino acid sequence and which does not contain a termination codon.

[0044] The invention further provides several appropriate insertion sites in the virus, either HVT or MDV genome, useful for constructing the recombinant chimeric virus of the present invention. Insertion sites include the EcoRI #9 fragment and the BamHI #10 fragment of the HVT genome, a preferred insertion site within both of those fragments being a XhoI restriction endonuclease.

[0045] This invention provides a recombinant chimeric virus comprising a foreign DNA sequence inserted within the EcoR1 #9 fragment of the herpesvirus of turkeys viral genome, and the foreign DNA sequence is capable of being expressed in a host cell infected with the herpesvirus of turkeys.

[0046] In one embodiment, the foreign DNA sequence is inserted within an Open Reading Frame A (ORFA) of the EcoR1 #9 fragment. Insertion of foreign DNA sequences into the XhoI site of EcoR1 #9 interrupts ORFA indicated that the entire ORFA region is non-essential for replication of the recombinant.

[0047] For purposes of this invention, “a recombinant chimeric virus” and “a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys” are live viruses which have been generated by the recombinant methods well known to those of skill in the art, e.g., the methods set forth in DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT in Materials and Methods, and the virus has not had genetic material essential for the replication of the recombinant chimera viurs or the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys deleted. The purified recombinant chimera virus and the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys results in stable insertion of foreign DNA sequences or a gene in the EcoR1 #9 fragment or BamH1 #10 fragment.

[0048] The invention further provides recombinant chimeric virus where the foreign DNA sequence encodes a polypeptide which is antigenic in an animal into which the recombinant chimeric virus is introduced.

[0049] In one embodiment the polypeptide is a detectable marker. For purposes of this invention, a “polypeptide which is a detectable marker” includes the diner, trimer and tetramer form of the polypeptide. E. coliB-galactosidase is a tetramer composed of four polypeptides or monomer subunits. In one embodiment the polypeptide is E. colibeta-galactosidase.

[0050] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) comprising a foreign DNA sequence inserted into a non-essential site in the HVT genome. The foreign DNA sequence is capable of being expressed in a host cell infected with the recombinant HVT and its expression is under the control of a promoter located upstream of the foreign DNA sequence.

[0051] In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encodes a cytokine. In another embodiment the cytokine is chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cMGF), chicken interferon (cIFN) or quail interferon. In a preferred embodiment the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys is designated S-HVT-144.

[0052] The invention further provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys whose viral genome contains foreign DNA encoding an antigenic polypeptide which is from Marek's disease virus (MDV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) or infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV).

[0053] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys with a foreign DNA sequence insertion in the EcoR1 #9 fragment which further comprises a foreign DNA sequence encoding the antigenic polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, infectious bronchitis virus and infectious bursal disease virus.

[0054] In one embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encoding the antigenic polypeptide is from Marek's disease virus and encodes Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gA, Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gB or Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gD. In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequences encoding the Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gA, glycoprotein gB or glycoprotein gD are inserted into the unique StuI site of the US2 gene coding region of the herpesvirus of turkeys.

[0055] The invention further provides recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys whose genomic DNA contains foreign DNA encoding antigenic polypeptide from Marek's disease virus. Preferably, the antigenic polypeptide is Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gB, gA or gD.

[0056] In one embodiment a recombinant HVT containing a foreign DNA sequence encodes IBDV VP2, MDV gA, and MDV gB. Preferably, such recombinant virus is designated S-HVT-137 and S-HVT-143.

[0057] The present invention provides a recombinant chimeric virus containing a foreign DNA sequence encoding an antigenic polypeptide from Newcastle disease virus (NDV). In such case, it is preferred that the antigenic polypeptide is Newcastle disease virus fusion (F) protein or Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), or a recombinant protein comprising E. coliB-galactosidase fused to Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN).

[0058] The present invention also provides recombinant chimeric viruses engineered to contain one or more foreign DNA sequence encoding an antigenic polypeptide form MDV as well as one or more foreign DNA sequences encoding an antigenic polypeptide from NDV. Preferably, the MDV antigenic polypeptide is MDV gB, gD, or gA and the NDV F or HN.

[0059] The invention further provides recombinant chimeric virus whose genomic DNA contains foreign DNA encoding antigenic polypeptide from Marek's disease virus and further comprising foreign DNA encoding antigenic polypeptide form Newcastle disease virus.

[0060] Further, in one embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encodes the antigenic polypeptide from an infectious laryngotracheitis virus and encodes infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gB, infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gI or infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gD.

[0061] In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encodes an antigenic polypeptide which is derived or derivable from a group consisting of: MDV gA, MDV gB, MDV gD, NDV HN, NDV F, ILT gB, ILT gI, ILT gD, IBV, IBDV VP2, IBDV VP3, IBDV VP4, avian encephalomyelitis virus, avian reovirus, avian paramyxovirus, avian influenza virus, avian adenovirus, fowl pox virus, avian coronavirus, avian rotavirus, chick anemia virus (agent), Salmonella spp. E. coli,Pasteurella spp., Bordetella spp., Eimeria spp., Histomonas spp., Trichomonas spp., Poultry nematodes, cestodes, trematodes, poultry mites/lice, poultry protozoa. In a preferred embodiment the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys is designated S-HVT-136.

[0062] The invention further provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys which contains a foreign DNA sequence encoding an antigenic polypeptide from infectious laryngotracheitis virus. It is preferred that the antigenic polypeptide is ILTV glycoprotein gB, ILTV gD or ILTV gI.

[0063] In one embodiment the foreign DNA sequence is from an infectious laryngotracheitis virus and encodes infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gD, or laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gI.

[0064] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys containing a foreign DNA sequence inserted into the EcoR1 #9 fragment herpesvirus of turkeys viral genome wherein the foreign DNA sequence is from an Newcastle disease virus and encodes a Newcastle disease virus HN or Newcastle disease virus F.

[0065] Such antigenic polypeptide may be derived or derivable from the following: feline pathogen, canine pathogen, equine pathogen, bovine pathogen, avian pathogen, porcine pathogen, or human pathogen.

[0066] In another embodiment, the antigenic polypeptide of a human pathogen is derived from human herpesvirus, herpes simplex virus-1, herpes simplex virus-2, human cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Varicell-Zoster virus, human herpesvirus-6, human herpesvirus-7, human influenza, human immunodeficiency virus, rabies virus, measles virus, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. Furthermore, the antigenic polypeptide of a human pathogen may be associated with malaria or malignant tumor from the group consisting of Plasmodium falciparum, Bordetella pertusis,and malignant tumor.

[0067] The invention further provides recombinant herpes virus of turkeys whose genomic DNA contains foreign DNA encoding Newcastle disease virus fusion (F) protein and further comprising foreign DNA encoding a recombinant protein, wherein E. coliB-galactosidase is fused to Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN).

[0068] The invention further provides recombinant chimeric virus whose genomic DNA contains foreign DNA encoding Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gB and Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gA and further comprising foreign DNA encoding Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN).

[0069] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera comprising a herpesvirus of turkeys unique long viral genome region and a Marek's disease virus unique short region. In one embodiment the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys-Marek's disease virus chimera contains a foreign DNA sequence inserted within the EcoR1 #9 fragment of the herpesvirus of turkeys viral genome, and the foreign DNA sequence capable of being expressed in a host cell infected with the herpesvirus of turkeys.

[0070] In one embodiment the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys contains a foreign DNA sequence which encodes a polypeptide. The polypeptide may be antigenic in an animal into which the recombinant herpesvirus is introduced.

[0071] In another embodiment the polypeptide is E. colibeta-galactosidase. In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encodes a cytokine. In another embodiment the cytokine is chicken mylomonocytic growth factor (cMGF), chicken interferon (cIFN) or quail interferon.

[0072] The invention further provides recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys where the foreign DNA sequence encodes a polypeptide which is antigenic in an animal into which the recombinant herpesvirus is introduced.

[0073] Further, the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys further comprises a foreign DNA sequence encoding the antigenic polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, infectious bronchitis virus and infectious bursal disease virus.

[0074] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys wherein the foreign DNA sequence is under control of an endogenous upstream herpesvirus promoter. In one embodiment the foreign DNA sequence is under control of a heterologous upstream promoter. In another embodiment the promoter is selected from CAV, PRV gX, HSV-1 alpha 4, HCMV immediate early, MDV gA, MDV gB, MDV gD, ILT gB, BHV-1.1 VP8 and ILT gD.

[0075] This invention provides a homology vector for producing a recombinant chimeric virus by inserting foreign DNA into the viral genome. Examples of homology vectors include: 301-07.YD1, 852-52.II4, 864-74.18, 881-23.28, and 739-27.16.

[0076] This invention provides a homology vector for producing a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys by inserting foreign DNA into the viral genome of a herpesvirus of turkey which comprises a double-stranded DNA molecule consisting essentially of: a) double stranded foreign DNA not usually present within the herpesvirus of turkeys viral genome; b) at one end the foreign DNA, double-stranded herpesvirus of turkeys DNA homologous to the viral genome located at one side of the EcoR1 #9 site the coding region of the herpesvirus of turkeys viral genome; and c) at the other end of the foreign DNA, double-stranded herpesvirus of turkeys DNA homologous to the viral genome located at the other side of the EcoR1 #9 fragment of the coding region of the herpesvirus of turkeys viral genome. Examples of the homology vectors are designated 751-87.A8.

[0077] In one embodiment the polypeptide is antigenic in the animal into which the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys is introduced. In another embodiment the antigenic polypeptide is from a cytokine, Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, or infectious bronchitis virus. In a preferred embodiment the antigenic polypeptide is a chicken mylomonocytic growth factor (cMGF) or chicken interferon (cIFN), quail interferon, infectious bursal disease virus polyprotein, infectious bursal disease virus VP2 protein, Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gB, Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gA, Marek's disease virus glycoprotein gD, Newcastle disease virus fusion protein, Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase, infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gB, infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein gD, infectious bronchitis virus spike protein, or infectious bronchitis virus matrix protein.

[0078] In another embodiment the double stranded foreign DNA sequence in the homology vector encodes an antigenic polypeptide derived from an equine pathogen. The antigenic polypeptide of an equine pathogen can derived from equine influenza virus or equine herpesvirus. Examples of such antigenic polypeptide are equine influenza virus type A/Alaska 91 neuraminidase, equine influenza virus type A/Prague 56 neuraminidase, equine influenza virus type A/Miami 63 neuraminidase, equine influenza virus type A/Kentucky 81 neuraminidase, equine herpesvirus type 1 glycoprotein B, and equine herpesvirus type 1 glycoprotein D.

[0079] In another embodiment the double stranded foreign DNA sequence of the homology vector encodes an antigenic polypeptide derived from bovine respiratory syncytial virus or bovine parainfluenza virus. The antigenic polypeptide of derived from bovine respiratory syncytial virus equine pathogen can derived from equine influenza virus is bovine respiratory syncytial virus attachment protein (BRSV G), bovine respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein (BRSV F), bovine respiratory syncytial virus nucleocapsid protein (BRSV N), bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 fusion protein, and the bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 hemagglutinin neuraminidase.

[0080] In another embodiment the double stranded foreign DNA sequence in the homology vector encodes a cytokine capable of stimulating human immune response. For example, the cytokine may be, but is not limited to, interleukin-1-interleukin-15, interferons, quail interferon, chicken intereferon, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factors, and interleukin receptors.

[0081] For purposes of this invention, a “homology vector” is a plasmid constructed to insert foreign DNA in a specific site on the genome of a herpesvirus of turkeys.

[0082] In one embodiment of the invention, the double-stranded herpesvirus of turkeys DNA is homologous to DNA sequences present within the EcoR1 #9 fragment of the herpesvirus of turkeys genome. Preferably, this homology vector is designated 172-63.1.

[0083] In another embodiment the foreign DNA sequence encodes a screenable marker. Examples of screenable markers, include but are not limited to: E. coliB-galactosidase or E. coliB-glucuronidase.

[0084] The invention further provides a vaccine which comprises an effective immunizing amount of a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys of the present invention and a suitable carrier.

[0085] This invention provides a vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against Marek's disease virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0086] This invention provides a vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against Newcastle disease virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0087] This invention provides a vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against infectious laryngotracheitis virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0088] This invention provides a vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against infectious bronchitis virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0089] This invention provides a vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against infectious bursal disease virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0090] This invention provides a multivalent vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against Marek's disease virus and Newcastle disease virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys.

[0091] This invention provides a multivalent vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against Marek's disease virus and infectious laryngotracheitis virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0092] This invention provides a multivalent vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against Marek's disease virus and infectious bronchitis virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0093] This invention provides a multivalent vaccine useful for immunizing a bird against Marek's disease virus and infectious bursal disease virus which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys and a suitable carrier.

[0094] The present invention also provides a method of immunizing a fowl. For purposes of this invention, this includes immunizing a fowl against infectious bursal disease virus, Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, or infectious bronchitis virus. The method comprises administering to the fowl an effective immunizing dose of the vaccine of the present invention. The vaccine may be administered by any of the methods well known to those skilled in the art, for example, by intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal or intravenous injection. Alternatively, the vaccine may be administered intranasally or orally.

[0095] This invention provides a host cell infected with the recombinant herpesvirus of turkey. In one embodiment the host cell is an avian cell.

[0096] For purposes of this invention, a “host cell” is a cell used to propagate a vector and its insert. Infecting the cell was accomplished by methods well known to those skilled in the art, for example, as set forth in DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS in Materials and Methods. Methods for constructing, selecting and purifying recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys are detailed below in

[0097] This invention provides a method of distinguishing chickens or other poultry which are vaccinated with the above vaccine from those which are infected with a naturally-occurring Marek's disease virus which comprises analyzing samples of body fluids from chickens or other poultry for the presence of glycoprotein gG and at least one other antigen normally expressed in chickens or other poultry infected by a naturally-occurring Marek's disease virus, the presence of those antigens normally expressed in infected chickens but the absence of glycoprotein gG being indicative of vaccination with the above vaccine and not infection with a naturally-occurring Marek's disease virus.

[0098] This invention provides a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys which expresses foreign DNA sequences is useful as vaccines in avian or mammalian species including but not limited to chickens, turkeys, ducks, feline, canine, bovine, equine, and primate, including human. This vaccine may contain either inactivated or live recombinant virus.

[0099] For purposes of this invention, an “effective immunizing amount” of the recombinant feline herpes virus of the present invention is within the range of 10³to 10⁹PFU/dose. In another embodiment the immunizing amount is 10⁵to 10⁷PFU/dose. In a preferred embodiment the immunizing amount is 10⁶PFU/dose.

[0100] The method comprises administering to the animal an effective immunizing dose of the vaccine of the present invention. The vaccine may be administered by any of the methods well known to those skilled in the art, for example, by intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal or intravenous injection. Alternatively, the vaccine may be administered intranasally or orally.

[0101] Suitable carriers for the recombinant virus are well known to those skilled in the art and include but are not limited to proteins, sugars, etc. One example of such a suitable carrier is a physiologically balanced culture medium containing one or more stabilizing agents such as hydrolyzed proteins, lactose, etc. Preferably, the live vaccine is created by taking tissue culture fluids and adding stabilizing agents such as stabilizing, hydrolyzed proteins. Preferably, the inactivated vaccine uses tissue culture fluids directly after inactivation of the virus.

[0102] This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1. In one embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1 has the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ. ID. NO. 31.

[0103] In one embodiment the isolated nucleic acid molecule is genomic DNA. In another embodiment the isolated nucleic acid molecule is cDNA. In another embodiment RNA is derived from the isolated nucleic acid molecule or is capable of hybridizing with the isolated nucleic acid molecule.

[0104] “Nucleic acid sequence” refers to a single- or double-stranded polymer of deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide bases read from the 5′ to the 3′ end. It includes both self-replicating plasmids, infectious polymers of DNA or RNA and nonfunctional DNA or RNA.

[0105] It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art and it is intended here, that when reference is made to particular sequence listings, such reference includes sequences which substantially correspond to the listing and it's complement, including allowances for minor sequencing errors, single base changes, deletions, substitutions and the like, such that any such sequence variation corresponds to the nucleic acid sequence of the pathogenic organism or disease marker to which the relevant sequence listing relates.

[0106] This invention provides a nucleic acid molecule of at least 14 nucleotides capable of specifically hybridizing to the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1. This invention provides a nucleic acid molecule of at least 14 nucleotides capable of specifically hybridizing to a complementary sequence of the sense strand of isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1. A complementary sequence is the antisene strand of the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1.

[0107] In one embodiment the molecule is 8 to 36 nucleotides. In another embodiment the molecule is 12 to 25 nucleotides. In another embodiment the molecule is 14 nucleotides. In one embodiment the molecule is DNA. In another embodiment the molecule is RNA.

[0108] This invention provides an antisense molecule capable of hybridizing to the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment the antisense molecule is DNA. In another embodiment the antisense molecule is RNA. In another embodiment, the antisense molecule is a nucleic acid derivative (e.g., DNA or RNA with a protein backbone).

[0109] The present invention extends to the preparation of antisense nucleic acids or fragments thereof and ribozymes that may be used to interfere with the expression of a polypeptide either by masking the mRNA with an antisense nucleic acid or cleaving it with a ribozyme, respectively. In one embodiment the antisense nucleic acid molecule hybridizes to the mRNA of a quail interferon.

[0110] Approaches targeting DNA fall into several categories. Nucleic acids can be designed to bind to the major groove of the duplex DNA to form a triple helical or “triplex” structure. Alternatively, inhibitory nucleic acids are designed to bind to regions of single stranded DNA resulting from the opening of the duplex DNA during replication or transcription.

[0111] More commonly, inhibitory nucleic acids are designed to bind to mRNA or mRNA precursors. Inhibitory nucleic acids are used to prevent maturation of pre-mRNA. Inhibitory nucleic acids may be designed to interfere with RNA processing, splicing or translation. The complementary strand of the isolated nucleic acid molecule is also called the anti-sense strand.

[0112] Lastly, the inhibitory nucleic acids can be used to induce chemical inactivation or cleavage of the target genes or mRNA. Chemical inactivation can occur by the induction of crosslinks between the inhibitory nucleic acid and the target nucleic acid within the cell. Other chemical modifications of the target nucleic acids induced by appropriately derivatized inhibitory nucleic acids may also be used.

[0113] High stringency hybridization conditions are selected at about 5° C. lower than the thermal melting point (T_m) for the specific sequence at a defined ionic strength and pH.

[0114] The T_mis the temperature (under defined ionic strength and pH) at which 50% of the salt concentration is at least about 0.02 molar at pH 7 and the temperature is at least about 60° C. As other factors may significantly affect the stringency of hybridization, including, among others, base composition and size of the complementary strands, the presence of organic solvents, i.e. salt or formamide concentration, and the extent of base mismatching, the combination of parameters is more important than the absolute measure of any one. For example, high stringency may be attained by overnight hybridization at about 68° C. in a 6× SSC solution, washing at room temperature with 6× SSC solution, followed by washing at about 68° C. in a 0.6× SSC solution.

[0115] Hybridization with moderate stringency may be attained for example by: 1) filter pre-hybridizing and hybridizing with a solution of 3× SSC, 50% formamide, 0.1M Tris buffer at pH 7.5, 5× Denhardt's solution; 2.) pre-hybridization at 37° C. for 4 hours; 3) hybridization at 37° C. with amount of labeled probe equal to 3,000,000 cpm total for 16 hours; 4) wash in ×SSC and 0.1% SDS solution; 5) wash 4× for 1 minute each at room temperature in 4× SSC at 60° C. for 30 minutes each; and 6) dry and expose to film.

[0116] Nucleic acid probe technology is well known to those skilled in the art who readily appreciate that such probes may vary greatly in length and may be labeled with a detectable label, such as a radioisotope or fluorescent dye, to facilitate detection of the probe. DNA probe molecules may be produced by insertion of a DNA molecule having the full-length or a fragment of the isolated nucleic acid molecule of the DNA virus into suitable vectors, such as plasmids or bacteriophages, followed by transforming into suitable bacterial host cells, replication in the transformed bacterial host cells and harvesting of the DNA probes, using methods well known in the art. Alternatively, probes may be generated chemically from DNA synthesizers.

[0117] RNA probes may be generated by inserting the full length or a fragment of the isolated nucleic acid molecule of the DNA virus downstream of a bacteriophage promoter such as T3, T7 or SP6. Large amounts of RNA probe may be produced by incubating the labeled nucleotides with a linearized isolated nucleic acid molecule of the DNA virus or its fragment where it contains an upstream promoter in the presence of the appropriate RNA polymerase.

[0118] As defined herein nucleic acid probes may be DNA or RNA fragments. DNA fragments can be prepared, for example, by digesting plasmid DNA, or by use of PCR, or synthesized by either the phosphoramidite method described by Beaucage and Carruthers, 1981, Tetrahedron Lett.22, 1859-1862 or by the triester method according to Matteucci et al., 1981, Am. Chem. Soc.103:3185. A double stranded fragment may then be obtained, if desired, by annealing the chemically synthesized single strands together under appropriate conditions or by synthesizing the complementary strand using DNA polymerase with an appropriate primer sequence. Where a specific sequence for a nucleic acid probe is given, it is understood that the complementary strand is also identified and included. The complementary strand will work equally well in situations where the target is a double-stranded nucleic acid. It is also understood that when a specific sequence is identified for use a nucleic probe, a subsequence of the listed sequence which is 25 base pairs (bp) or more in length is also encompassed for use as a probe.

[0119] The nucleic acid molecules of the subject invention also include molecules coding for polypeptide analogs, fragments or derivatives of antigenic polypeptides which differ from naturally-occurring forms in terms of the identity or location of one or more amino acid residues (deletion analogs containing less than all of the residues specified for the polypeptide, substitution analogs wherein one or more residues specified are replaced by other residues and addition analogs where in one or more amino acid residues is added to a terminal or medial portion of the polypeptides) and which share some or all properties of naturally-occurring forms.

[0120] The term “SSC” refers to a citrate-saline solution of 0.15 M sodium chloride and 20 mM sodium citrate. Solutions are often expressed as multiples or fractions of this concentration. For example, 6× SSC refers to a solution having a sodium chloride and sodium citrate concentration of 6 times this amount or 0.9 M sodium chloride and 120 mM sodium citrate. 0.2× SSC refers to a solution 0.2 times the SSC concentration or 0.03 M sodium chloride and 4 mM sodium citrate.

[0121] The phrase “specifically hybridizing” describes a nucleic acid probe that hybridizes, duplexes or binds only to a particular target DNA or RNA sequence when the target sequences are present in a preparation of total cellular DNA or RNA. By selectively hybridizing it is meant that a probe binds to a given target in a manner that is detectable in a different manner from non-target sequence under high stringency conditions of hybridization.

[0122] The phrase “nucleic acid molecule encoding” refers to a nucleic acid molecule which directs the expression of a specific polypeptide. The nucleic acid sequences include both the DNA strand sequence that is transcribed into RNA, the complementary DNA strand, and the RNA sequence that is translated into protein. The nucleic acid molecule includes both the full length nucleic acid sequence as well as non-full length sequences. It being further understood that the sequence includes the degenerate codons of the native sequence or sequences which may be introduced to provide codon preference in a specific host cell.

[0123] This invention provides an isolated DNA operatively linked to a promoter of RNA transcription. The term “operably linked” as used herein refers to linkage of a promoter upstream from a DNA sequence such that the promoter mediates transcription of the DNA sequence.

[0124] This invention provides a vector which comprises the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1. This invention provides a recombinant DNA which comprises the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1.

[0125] This invention provides a vector which comprises the complementary sequence of the sense strand of the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1. This invention provides a recombinant DNA which comprises the complementary sequence of the sense strand of isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding Quail Interferon Type 1.

[0126] The vector includes, but is not limited to: a plasmid, cosmid, λ phage, yeast artificial chromosome (YAC), or a recombinant virus which contains the isolated nucleic acid molecule.

[0127] To obtain the vector, for example, insert and vector DNA can both be exposed to a restriction enzyme to create complementary ends on both molecules which base pair with each other and are then ligated together with DNA ligase. Alternatively, linkers can be ligated to the insert DNA which correspond to a restriction site in the vector DNA, which is then digested with the restriction enzyme which cuts at that site. Other means are available and well-known to those skilled in the art.

[0128] This invention provides a host cell containing the vector. Suitable host cells include, but are not limited to, bacteria (such as E. coli), yeast, fungi, plant, insect and mammalian cells. Suitable animal cells include, but are not limited to CEF, QT-35, ESK-4, Vero cells, HeLa cells, Cos cells, CV1 cells and various primary mammalian cells.

[0129] This invention provides an isolated polypeptide having the biological activity of Quail Interferon Type I. In another embodiment, the isolated polypeptide encodes Quail Interferon Type 1 which has the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ. ID. NO. 32.

[0130] The term “polypeptide”, as used herein, refers to either the full length gene product encoded by the nucleic acid, or portions thereof. Thus, “polypeptide” includes not only the full-length protein, but also partial-length fragments, including peptides less than fifty amino acid residues in length.

[0131] Further, the isolated polypeptide may be linked to a second polypeptide to form a fusion protein by linking the isolated nucleic acid molecule to a second nucleic acid molecule and expression in a suitable host cell. In one embodiment the second nucleic acid molecule encodes beta-galactosidase. Other nucleic acid molecules which are used to form a fusion protein are known to those skilled in the art.

[0132] This invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to the polypeptide encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. In another embodiment the antibody recognizes an epitope of the polypeptide. In another embodiment the antibody is a polyclonal antibody. In another embodiment the antibody recognizes more than one epitope of the polypeptide. In another embodiment the antibody is an anti-idiotypic antibody.

[0133] An antibody, polypeptide or isolated nucleic acid molecule may be labeled with a detectable marker including, but not limited to: a radioactive label, or a calorimetric, a luminescent, or a fluorescent marker, or gold. Radioactive labels include, but are not limited to: ³H, ¹⁴C, ³²P, ³³P; ³⁵S, ³⁶Cl, ⁵¹Cr, ⁵⁷Co, ⁵⁹Co, ⁵⁹Fe, 90Y, ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, and ¹⁸⁶Re. Fluorescent markers include, but are not limited to: fluorescein, rhodamine and auramine. Colorimetric markers include, but are not limited to: biotin, and digoxigenin. Methods of producing the polyclonal or monoclonal antibody are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0134] Further, the antibody, polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule may be detected by a second antibody which may be linked to an enzyme, such as alkaline phosphatase or horseradish peroxidase. Other enzymes which may be employed are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0135] This invention provides a method of producing a polypeptide encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecule, which comprises growing a host-vector system under suitable conditions permitting production of the polypeptide and recovering the polypeptide so produced. Suitable host cells include bacteria, yeast, filamentous fungal, plant, insect and mammalian cells. Host-vector systems for producing and recovering a polypeptide are well known to those skilled in the art and include, but are not limited to, E. coliand pMAL (New England Biolabs), the Sf9 insect cell-baculovirus expression system, and mammalian cells (such as HeLa, COS, NIH 3T3 and HEK293) transfected with a mammalian expression vector by Lipofectin (Gibco-BRL) or calcium phosphate precipitation or other methods to achieve vector entry into the cell.

[0136] This invention provides a method to select specific regions on the polypeptide encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecule of the polypeptide to generate antibodies. Amino acid sequences may be analyzed by methods well known to those skilled in the art to determine whether they produce hydrophobic or hydrophilic regions in the polypeptides which they build. In the case of a cell membrane polypeptide, hydrophobic regions are well known to form the part of the polypeptide that is inserted into the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane, while hydrophilic regions are located on the cell surface, in an aqueous environment. Usually, the hydrophilic regions will be more immunogenic than the hydrophobic regions. Therefore the hydrophilic amino acid sequences may be selected and used to generate antibodies specific to polypeptide encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the DNA virus. The selected peptides may be prepared using commercially available machines. As an alternative, nucleic acid may be cloned and expressed and the resulting polypeptide recovered and used as an immunogen.

[0137] In addition, enzymes may be used as labels. Suitable enzymes include alkaline phosphatase, beta-galactosidase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, maleate dehydrogenase and peroxidase. Two principal types of enzyme immunoassay are the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the homogeneous enzyme immunoassay, also known as enzyme-multiplied immunoassay (EMIT, Syva Corporation, Palo Alto, Calif.). In the ELISA system, separation may be achieved, for example, by the use of antibodies coupled to a solid phase. The EMIT system depends on deactivation of the enzyme in the tracer-antibody complex; activity is thus measured without the need for a separation step.

[0138] Additionally, chemiluminescent compounds may be used as labels. Typical chemiluminescent compounds include luminol, isoluminol, aromatic acridinium esters, imidazoles, acridinium salts, and oxalate esters. Similarly, bioluminescent compounds may be utilized for labelling, the bioluminescent compounds including luciferin, luciferase, and aequorin.

[0139] A description of a radioimmunoassay (RIA) may be found in: Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology(1978) North Holland Publishing Company, New York, with particular reference to the chapter entitled “An Introduction to Radioimmune Assay and Related Techniques” by T. Chard. A description of general immunometric assays of various types can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,376,110 (David et al.) or 4,098,876 (Piasio).

[0140] This invention provides a recombinant virus which comprises a foreign DNA inserted into a non-essential region of a viral genome which is capable of being expressed in a host cell, wherein the foreign DNA encodes Quail Interferon Type I.

[0141] The virus is selected from the group consisting of: herpesvirus of turkeys, swinepox virus, pseudorabies virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, Equine herpes virus, feline herpesvirus, fowlpox virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, mareck's disease virus, pox virus, canary pox, raccoon pox, vaccinia, adeno-associated virus, adeno virus, canine herpesvirus, infectious bursal disease virus, herpes simplex virus, and alpha virus.

[0142] This invention provides a vaccine which comprises an effective immunizing amount of the Quail Interferon Type I polypeptide and a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.

[0143] The vaccines may be administered by any conventional method for the administration of vaccines including oral and parenteral (e.g., subcutaneous or intra-muscular) injection. Intramuscular administration is preferred. The treatment may consist of a single dose of vaccine or a plurality of doses over a period of time. It is preferred that the dose be given to a human patient within the first 8 months of life. The antigen of the invention can be combined with appropriate doses of compounds including influenza antigens, such as influenza type A antigens. Also, the antigen could be a component of a recombinant vaccine which could be adaptable for oral administration.

[0144] Vaccines of the invention may be combined with other vaccines for other diseases to produce multivalent vaccines. A pharmaceutically effective amount of the antigen can be employed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier such as a protein or diluent useful for the vaccination of mammals, particularly humans. Other vaccines may be prepared according to methods well-known to those skilled in the art.

[0145] Those of skill will readily recognize that it is only necessary to expose a mammal to appropriate epitopes in order to elicit effective immunoprotection. The epitopes are typically segments of amino acids which are a small portion of the whole protein. Using recombinant genetics, it is routine to alter a natural protein's primary structure to create derivatives embracing epitopes that are identical to or substantially the same as (immunologically equivalent to) the naturally occurring epitopes. Such derivatives may include peptide fragments, amino acid substitutions, amino acid deletions and amino acid additions of the amino acid sequence for the polypeptide. For example, it is known in the protein art that certain amino acid residues can be substituted with amino acids of similar size and polarity without an undue effect upon the biological activity of the protein.

[0146] This invention provides a method of growing a recombinant virus to a high titre by growing the recombinant virus in a cell line which contains the complementary sequence of the sense strand of the isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes quail interferon, which is expressed. In another embodiment the virus is killed or attenuated. In one embodiment the nucleic acid is the sense strand. In another embodiment the nucleic acid is the anti-sense strand

[0147] This invention provides a method of enhancing the replication of a recombinant virus. In one embodiment the virus is killed or attenuated. This invention provides a method of inhibiting IFN production of an avian species. In one embodiment the nucleic acid is the sense strand. In another embodiment the nucleic acid is the anti-sense strand.

[0148] This invetion provides a trangenic avian species which expresses quail interferon. Avian species include but are not limited to: quail, turkey, chicken, geese, ducks, ostrich, dove, or fowl.

[0149] This invention provides a method for enhancing the immune response of an animal by vaccinating the animal with a vaccine containing a vector or plasmid which comprises the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding quail Interferon. This invention provides a method for enhancing the immune response of an animal by vaccinating the animal with a vaccine containing a vector or plasmid which comprises the complementary sequence of the sense strand of the isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding quail Interferon. It is contemplated by this invention that the vector may be administered concurrently, susequently, or after the recombinant virus which is used to vaccinate the animal.

[0150] This invention provides a method of increasing the weight of an animal which comprises vaccinating the avian animal with a vaccine which comprises the isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes the quail interferon. In one embodiment the nucleic acid is the sense strand. In another embodiment the nucleic acid is the anti-sense strand.

[0151] This invention is further illustrated in the Experimental Details section which follows. This section is set forth to aid in an understanding of the invention but is not intended to, and should not be construed to, limit in any way the invention as set forth in the claims which follow thereafter.

[0152] PREPARATION OF HERPESVIRUS OF TURKEYS STOCK SAMPLES.

[0153] Herpesvirus of turkeys stock samples were prepared by infecting tissue culture cells at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 PFU/cell in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) containing 2 mM glutamine, 100 units/ml penicillin, 100 units/ml streptomycin (these components are obtained from Irvine Scientific or an equivalent supplier, and hereafter are referred to as complete DME medium) plus 1% fetal bovine serum. After cytopathic effect was complete, the medium and cells were harvested and the cells were pelleted at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes in a clinical centrifuge. Infected cells were resuspended in complete medium containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 10% DMSO and stored frozen at −70° C.

[0154] PREPARATION OF HERPESVIRUS OF TURKEY DNA.

[0155] All manipulations of herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) were made using strain FC-126 (ATCC #584-C). For the preparation of HVT viral DNA from the cytoplasm of infected cells, primary chicken embryo fibroblasts were infected at a MOI sufficient to cause extensive cytopathic effect before the cells overgrew. All incubations were carried out at 39° C. in a humidified incubator with 5% CO2 in air. Best DNA yields were obtained by harvesting monolayers which were maximally infected, but showing incomplete cell lysis (typically 5-7 days). Infected cells were harvested by scraping the cells into the medium using a cell scraper (Costar brand). The cell suspension was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes at 5° C. in a GS-3 rotor (Sorvall Instruments). The resultant pellet was resuspended in cold PBS (20 ml/Roller Bottle) and subjected to another centrifugation for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm in the cold. After decanting the PBS, the cellular pellet was resuspended in 4 ml/roller bottle of RSB buffer (10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA, and 1.5 mM MgCl2). NP40 (Nonidet P-40™;Sigma) was added to the sample to a final concentration of 0.5% minutes with occasional mixing. The sample was centrifuged for 10 minutes at 3000 rpm in the cold to pellet the nuclei and remove cellular debris. The supernatant fluid was carefully transferred to a 15 ml Corex centrifuge tube. Both EDTA (0.5M pH 8.0) and SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate; stock 20%) were added to the sample to final concentrations of 5 mM and 1%, respectively. One hundred μl of proteinase-K (10 mg/ml; Boehringer Mannheim) was added per 4 ml of sample, mixed, and incubated at 45° C. for 1-2 hours. After this period, an equal volume of water-saturated phenol was added to the sample and gently mixed by hand. The sample was spun in a clinical centrifuge for 5 minutes at 3000 rpm to separate the phases. NaAc was added to the aqueous phase to a final concentration of 0.3M (stock solution 3M pH 5.2), and the nucleic acid precipitated at −70° C. for 30 minutes after the addition of 2.5 volumes of cold absolute ethanol. DNA in the sample was pelleted by spinning for 20 minutes to 8000 rpm in an HB-4 rotor at 5° C. The supernatant was carefully removed and the DNA pellet washed once with 25 ml of 80% ethanol. The DNA pellet was dried briefly by vacuum (2-3 minutes), and resuspended in 50 μl/roller bottle of infected cells of TE buffer (10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA). Typically, yields of viral DNA ranged between 5-10 μg/roller bottle of infected cells. All viral DNA was stored at approximately 10° C.

[0156] POLYMERASE FILL-IN REACTION.

[0157] DNA was resuspended in buffer containing 50 mM Tris pH 7.4, 50 mM KC1, 5 mM MgCl², and 400 micromolar each of the four deoxynucleotides. Ten units of Klenow DNA polymerase (BRL) were added and the reaction was allowed to proceed for 15 minutes at room temperature. The DNA was then phenol extracted and ethanol precipitated as above.

[0158] DNA SEQUENCING.

[0159] Sequencing was performed using the USB Sequenase Kit and ³⁵S-dATP (NEN). Reactions using both the dGTP mixes and the dITP mixes were performed to clarify areas of compression. Alternatively, compressed areas were resolved on formamide gels. Templates were double-stranded plasmid subclones or single stranded M13 subclones, and primers were either made to the vector just outside the insert to be sequenced, or to previously obtained sequence. Sequence obtained was assembled and compared using Dnastar software. Manipulation and comparison of sequences obtained was performed with Superclone and Supersee programs from Coral Software.

[0160] MOLECULAR BIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES.

[0161] Techniques for the manipulation of bacteria and DNA, including such procedures as digestion with restriction endonucleases, gel electrophoresis, extraction of DNA from gels, ligation, phosphorylation with kinase, treatment with phosphatase, growth of bacterial cultures, transformation of bacteria with DNA, and other molecular biological methods are described by Maniatis et al (1982) and Sambrook et al (1989). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to introduce restriction sites convenient for the manipulation of various DNAs. The procedures used are described by Innis et al (1990). In general amplified fragments were less than 500 base pairs in size and critical regions of amplified fragments were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Except as noted, these techniques were used with minor variation.

[0162] SOUTHERN BLOTTING OF DNA.

[0163] The general procedure for Southern blotting was taken from Maniatis et al. (1982). DNA was blotted to nitrocellulose filters (S&S BA85) in 20× SSC (1× ssc=0.15M NaCl, 0.015M sodium citrate, pH 7.0), and prehybridized in hybridization solution consisting of 30% formamide, 1× Denhardt's solution (0.02% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), 0.02% bovine serum albumin (BSA), 0.02% Ficoll), 6× SSC, 50 mM NaH2PO4, pH 6.8, 200 μg/ml salmon sperm DNA for 4-24 hours at 55° C. Labeled probe DNA was added that had been labeled by nick translation using a kit from Bethesda Research Laboratories (BRL) and one 32P-labeled nucleotide. The probe DNA was separated from the unincorporated nucleotides by NACS column (BRL) or on a Sephadex G50 column (Pharmacia). After overnight hybridization at 55° C., the filter was washed once with 2× SSC at room temperature followed by two washes with 0.1× SSC, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) for 30 minutes at 55° C. The filter was dried and autoradiographed.

[0164] cDNA CLONING PROCEDURE.

[0165] cDNA cloning refers to the methods used to convert RNA molecules into DNA molecules following state of the art procedures. Applicants' methods are described in (Gubler and Hoffman, 1983). Bethesda Research Laboratories (Gaithersburg, Md.) have designed a cDNA Cloning Kit that is very similar to the procedures used by applicants, and contains a set of reagents and protocols that may be used to duplicate our results.

[0166] For cloning virus mRNA species, a host cell line sensitive to infection by the virus was infected at 5-10 plaque forming units per cell. When cytopathic effect was evident, but before total destruction, the medium was removed and the cells were lysed in 10 mls lysis buffer (4 M guanidine thiocyanate, 0.1% antifoam A, 25 mM sodium citrate pH 7.0, 0.5% N-lauroyl sarcosine, 0.1 M beta-metcaptoethanol). The cell lysate was poured into a sterilized Dounce homogenizer and homogenized on ice 8-10 times until the solution was homogenous. For RNA purification, 8 mls of cell lysate were gently layered over 3.5 mls of CsCl solution (5.7 M CsCl, 25 mM sodium citrate pH 7.0) in Beckman SW41 centrifuge tube. The samples were centrifuged for 18 hrs at 20° C. at 36000 rpm in a Beckman SW41 rotor. The tubes were put on ice and the supernatants from the tubes were carefully removed by aspiration to leave the RNA pellet undisturbed. The pellet was resuspended in 400 μl glass distilled water, and 2.6 mls of guanidine solution (7.5 M guanidine-HCL, 25 mM sodium citrate pH 7.0, 5 mM dithiothreitol) were added. The 0.37 volumes of 1 M acetic acid were added, followed by 0.75 volumes of cold ethanol and the sample was put at −20° C. for 18 hrs to precipitate RNA. The precipitate was collected by centrifugation in a Sorvall centrifuge for 10 min a 4° C. at 10000 rpm in an SS34 rotor. The pellet was dissolved in 1.0 ml distilled water, recentrifuged at 13000 rpm, and the supernatant saved. RNA was re-extracted from the pellet 2 more times as above with 0.5 ml distilled water, and the supernatants were pooled. A 0.1 volume of 2 M potassium acetate solution was added to the sample followed by 2 volumes of cold ethanol and the sample was put at −20° C. for 18 hrs. The precipitated RNA was collected by centrifugation in the SS34 rotor at 4° C. for 10 min at 10000 rpm. The pellet was dissolved in 1 ml distilled water and the concentration taken by absorption at A260/280. The RNA was stored at −70° C.

[0167] mRNA containing polyadenylate tails (poly-A) was selected using oligo-dT cellulose (Pharmacia #27 5543-0). Three mg of total RNA was boiled and chilled and applied to the 100 mg oligo-dT cellulose column in binding buffer (0.1 M Tris pH 7.5, 0.5 M LiCl, 5mM EDTA pH 8.0, 0.1% lithium dodecyl sulfate). The retained poly-A RNA was eluted from the column with elution buffer (5mM Tris pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA pH 8.0, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate). This mRNA was reapplied to an oligo-dT column in binding buffer and eluted again in elution buffer. The sample was precipitated with 200 mM sodium acetate and 2 volumes cold ethanol at −20° C. for 18 hrs. The RNA was resuspended in 50 μl distilled water.

[0168] Ten μg poly-A RNA was denatured in 20 mM methyl mercury hydroxide for 6 min at 22° C. β-mercaptoethanol was added to 75 mM and the sample was incubated for 5 min at 22° C. The reaction mixture for first strand cDNA synthesis in 0.25 ml contained 1 μg oligo-dT primer (P-L Bio-chemicals) or 1 μg synthetic primer, 28 units placental ribonuclease inhibitor (Bethesda Research Labs #5518SA), 100 mM Tris pH 8.3, 140 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl2, 0.8 mM DATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP (Pharmacia), 100 microcuries 32p-labeled dCTP (New England Nuclear #NEG-013H), and 180 units AMV reverse transcriptase (Molecular Genetics Resources #MG 101). The reaction was incubated at 42° C. for 90 min, and then was terminated with 20 mM EDTA pH 8.0. The sample was extracted with an equal volume of phenol/chloroform (1:1) and precipitated with 2 M ammonium acetate and 2 volumes of cold ethanol −20° C. for 3 hrs. After precipitation and centrifugation, the pellet was dissolved in 100 μl distilled water. The sample was loaded onto a 15 ml G-100 Sephadex column (Pharmacia) in buffer (100 mM Tris pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA pH 8.0, 100 mM NaCl). The leading edge of the eluted DNA fractions was pooled, and DNA was concentrated by lyophilization until the volume was about 100 μl, then the DNA was precipitated with ammonium acetate plus ethanol as above.

[0169] The entire first strand sample was used for second strand reaction which followed the Gubler and Hoffman (1983) method except that 50 μg/ml dNTP's, 5.4 units DNA polymerase I (Boerhinger Mannheim #642-711), and 100 units/ml E. coliDNA ligase (New England Biolabs #205) in a total volume of 50 microliters were used. After second strand synthesis, the cDNA was phenol/chloroform extracted and precipitated. The DNA was resuspended in 10 μl distilled water, treated with 1 μg RNase A for 10 min at 22° C., and electrophoresed through a 1% agarose gel (Sigma Type II agarose) in 40 mM Tris-acetate pH 6.85. The gel was stained with ethidium bromide, and DNA in the expected size range was excised from the gel and electroeluted in 8 mM Tris-acetate pH 6.85. Electroeluted DNA was lyophilized to about 100 microliters, and precipitated with ammonium acetate and ethanol as above. The DNA was resuspended in 20 μl water.

[0170] Oligo-dC tails were added to the DNA to facilitate cloning. The reaction contained the DNA, 100 mM potassium cacodylate pH 7.2, 0.2 mM dithiothreitol, 2 mM CaCl2, 80 μmoles dCTP, and 25 units terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (Molecular Genetic Resources #S1001) in 50 μl. After 30 min at 37° C., the reaction was terminated with 10 mM EDTA, and the sample was phenol/chloroform extracted and precipitated as above.

[0171] The dC-tailed DNA sample was annealed to 200 ng plasmid vector pBR322 that contained oligo-dG tails (Bethesda Research Labs #5355 SA/SB) in 200 μl of 0.01 M Tris pH 7.5, 0.1 M NaCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 8.0 at 65° C. for 2 min and then 57° C. for 2 hrs. Fresh competent E. coliDH-1 cells were prepared and transformed as described by Hanahan (1983) using half the annealed cDNA sample in twenty 200 μl aliquots of cells. Transformed cells were plated on L-broth agar plates plus 10 μg/ml tetracycline. Colonies were screened for the presence of inserts into the ampicillin gene using Ampscreen (Bethesda Research Labs #5537 UA), and the positive colonies were picked for analysis.

[0172] DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS.

[0173] The method is based upon the polybrene-DMSO procedure of Kawai and Nishizawa (1984) with the following modifications. Generation of recombinant HVT virus is dependent upon homologous recombination between HVT viral DNA and the plasmid homology vector containing the desired foreign DNA flanked by the appropriate herpesvirus cloned sequences. Transfections were carried out in 6 cm plates (Corning plastic) of 50% confluent primary chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells. The cells were plated out the day before in CEF growth media (1× F10/199, 5% fetal calf serum, 2% glutamine, 1% non-essential amino acids, and 2% penicillin/streptomycin) containing 4 μg/ml polybrene (stock 4 mg/ml in 1× HBSS). For cotransfections into CEF cells, 5 μg of intact HVT DNA, and suspended in 1 ml of CEF media containing 30 μg/ml polybrene (stock 4 mg/ml in 1× HBSS). The DNA-polybrene suspension (1 ml) was then added to a 6 cm plate of CEF cells from which the media had been aspirated, and incubated at 39° C. for 30 minutes. The plates were rocked periodically during this time to redistribute the inoculum. After this period, 4 ml of CEF growth media was added directly to wash plate, and incubated an additional 2.5 hours a 39° C. At this time, the media was removed from each plate, and the cells shocked with 2 ml of 30% DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide, J. T. Baker Chemical Co.) in 1× HBSS for 4 minutes at room temperature. The 30% DMSO was carefully removed and the monolayers washed once with 1× HBSS at room temperature. The cells were then incubated at 39° C. after the addition of 5 mls of CEF growth media. The next day, the media was changed to remove any last traces of DMSO and to stimulate cell growth. Cytopathic effect from the virus becomes apparent within 6 days. Generation of a high titer stock (80%-90% CPE) can usually be made within 1 week from this date. HVT stock samples were prepared by resuspending the infected cells in CEF growth media containing 20% fetal calf serum, 10% DMSO and stored at −70° C.

[0174] PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM SUBGENOMIC DNA FRAGMENTS.

[0175] The ability to generate herpesviruses by cotransfection of cloned overlapping subgenmoic fragments has been demonstrated for pseudorabies virus (Zijl et al., 1988). If deletions and/or insertions are engineered directly into the subgenomic fragments prior to the cotransfection, this procedure results in a high frequency of viruses containing the genomic alteration, greatly reducing the amount of screening required to purify the recombinant virus. This procedure was used to construct recombinant HVT.

[0176] A library of subclones containing overlapping HVT subgenomic fragments was generated as follows. HVT DNA was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (FC-126(“Calnek”)). It was sheared and then size selected on a glycerol gradient as described by van Zijl et al., (1988) with 40-50 kb fragments chosen as the insert population. The pooled fractions were diluted twofold with TE, one-tenth volume of 3M NaAc and 2.5 volumes of ethanol were added, and the DNA was precipitated at 30K rpm in a Beckman SW41 rotor for 1 hr. The sheared fragments were given blunt ends by initial treatment with T4 DNA polymerase, using low DNTP concentrations to promote 3′ overhang removal, followed by treatment with Klenow polymerase to fill in recessed 3′ ends. These insert fragments were then ligated to a pWE15 (Strategene) cosmid vector, which had been digested with BamHI, treated with calf intestinal phosphatase, and made blunt by treatment with Klenow polymerase. The ligated mixture was then packaged using Gigapack XL packaging extracts (Stratagene). Ligation and packaging was as recommended by the manufacturer.

[0177] Published restriction maps for the enzymes BamHI, HindIII, and XhoI permitted the use of subcloned fragments as specific probes to screen the cosmid library for subclones spanning the genome. Probes were generated from subcloned restriction fragments. The fragments were then labeled using a non-radioactive system (Genius, Boehringer Mannheim). Screening was facilitated by picking colonies to media followed by growth overnight. Sets of five filters and a master plate were stamped from microtiter dish and again grown overnight. Glycerol was added to the wells to 15% and the plates were frozen at −20° C. to provide stock cultures of each colony. Filters were BioRad Colony Lift Membranes and were treated and hybridized per manufacturer's instructions, and washed in 0.1× SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C. Clones which hybridized with the non-radioactive probe were detected according to the Genius kit directions.

[0178] Colonies were selected for further analysis on the basis of their hybridization to two or more of the specific probes. These were then digested with BamHI, and compared to published maps of HVT (Buckmaster et al., 1988). The three cosmids (407-32.2C3,407-32.IG7, and 407-32.5G6) were obtained in this manner. A detailed description of each clone is given below. It was found that chloramphenicol amplification (Maniatis et al., 1982) was necessary to achieve reasonable yields of DNA from these clones. In addition, one cosmid clone (407-32.5G6) was unstable and had to be grown from the original frozen stock in order to obtain satisfactory DNA preparations.

[0179] The pWE15 vector allows the inserts to be excised with NotI. However, four NotI sites are present in the HVT genome, so that inserts spanning these sites cannot be excised with NotI. Two of the NotI sites are present in the BamHI #2 fragment of HVT, this fragment was cloned directly in pSP64. The other two sites are present in the unique short region within the BamHI #1 fragment. This fragment was cloned directly in the pWE15 vector. The three sheared cosmids and the two BamHI fragments cover all but a small portion of the ends of the HVT genome. Because these regions are repeated in the internal portions of the genome, all of the genetic information is available.

[0180] A StuI site within the HVT US2 gene was established as a useful site for foreign DNA insertion utilizing the HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUSES (see Example 6). The HVT US2 gene is located within the BamHI #1 fragment which contains five StuI sites. To facilitate the use of this site for insertion of foreign DNA by the StuI site within the US2 gene was converted to a unique HindIII site. This was accomplished by partially digesting the BamHI #1 subclone with StuI, and then inserting a 10 kb fragment conferring kanomycin resistance (NeoR) into the site using HindIII linkers. The kanomycin resistance gene allowed positive selection of recombinant clones. The NeoR fragment was removed by digestion with HindIII followed by religation generating clone 430-84.215.

[0181] DNA was prepared for reconstruction experiments by restriction digestion with enzymes which cut the subclones outside or flanking the HVT insertions. In some instances, one cosmid in a reconstruction was used undigested. Digested DNAs were extracted once with phenol and precipitated with ethanol. DNA was resuspended at a concentration of 0.5 to 1 ug/ml. Viral reconstruction experiments were performed using Lipofectin (BRL) to mediate transfection. Two to three micrograms each of subclone were added to 0.5 ml of MEM media (Earle's salts) supplemented with 1% non-essential amino acids and 2% penicillin/Streptomysin (MEM+). Controls consisted of MEM+ with no DNA, with several ug of HVT DNA, or with 4 out of 5 of the subclones. Separately, 30 μl of the Lipofectin were added to another 0.5 ml. of MEM+. These two mixtures were then combined and incubated at RT for 15 minutes.

[0182] Chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells were prepared for transfection in the following manner. CEFs (Spafas) were grown in 6 well dishes at 39° C. in F10/M199 (1:1) media containing 1% non-essential amino acids, 2% penicillin/streptomycin, and 5% fetal calf serum (CEF+). Cells were transfected at a confluence of 90-95%. For transfection, wells were aspirated and rinsed 3 times with MEM+, and then incubated 4 hours at 39° C. with the 1 ml lipofectin/DNA mixture above. One ml more of CEF+ was then added to the wells, and cells were incubated overnight and fed with CEF+. Plates were then examined daily for the appearance of plaques.

[0183] Lipofectin with control HVT DNA resulted in the appearance of plaques within 5 days. When only four of the five subclones were used, no plaques were obtained. When the five overlapping genomic fragments of HVT were used to reconstruct the virus, plaques appeared anywhere from 5 to 19 days after the initial lipofection. In the case of plaques appearing late, plaques were not initially seen on the infected monolayer, and it was only after passaging the monolayer and replating on a larger surface that plaques appeared. After passaging, plaques generally appeared within 3 days. Recombinant viruses were plaque purified approximately three and then analyzed for insertion of foreign DNAs.

[0184] BLUOGAL SCREEN OR CPRG SCREEN FOR RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS.

[0185] When the foreign gene encoded the enzyme β-galactosidase, the plaques that contained the gene were visualized more easily. The chemical BluogalTM (Bethesda Research Labs) for blue plaques was incorporated at the level of 200-300 μg/ml into the agarose overlay during the plaque assay, and the plaques that expressed active β-galactosidase turned blue. The chemical CPRG (chlorophenol Red Galactopyranoside, Boehringer Mannheim) for red plaques was incorporated into the agarose overlay during the plaque assay, and the plaques that expressed active β-galactosidase turned red. The blue or red plaques were then picked and purified by further blue or red plaque isolations. Other foreign genes were inserted by homologous recombination such that they replaced the β-galactosidase gene; in this instance non-blue plaques were picked for purification of the recombinant virus.

[0186] SCREEN FOR FOREIGN GENE EXPRESSION IN RECOMBINANT HVT USING BLACK PLAQUE ASSAYS.

[0187] To analyze expression of foreign antigens expressed by recombinant HVT viruses, monolayers of CEF cells are infected with recombinant HVT, overlaid with nutrient agarose media and incubated for 4-5 days at 39° C. Once plaques have developed, the agarose overlay is removed from the dish, the monolayer rinsed 1× with PBS, fixed with 100% methanol for 10 minutes at room temperature and the cells air dried. After re-hydrating the plate with PBS, the primary antibody is diluted to the appropriate dilution with PBS and incubated with the cell monolayer for 2 hours to overnight at room temperature. Unbound antibody is then removed from the cells by washing three times with PBS at room temperature. An alkaline phosphatase conjugated secondary antibody is diluted with PBS and incubated with the cells for 2 hours at room temperature. Unbound secondary antibody is then removed by washing the cells three times with PBS at room temperature. Next, the monolayer is rinsed in color development buffer (100 mM Tris pH 9.5/100 mM NaCl/5 mM MgCl2), and then incubated 10 minutes to overnight at room temperature with freshly prepared substrate solution (0.3 mg/ml Nitro Blue tetrazolium+0.15 mg/ml 5-Bromo-4-Chloro-3-Indolyl Phosphatase in color development buffer.) Finally, the reaction is stopped by replacing the substrate solution with TE (10 mM Tris, pH7.5/1 mM EDTA). Plaques expressing the correct antigen will stain black.

[0188] PLAQUE HYBRIDIZATION PROCEDURE FOR ASSESSING THE PURITY OF RECOMBINANT HVT STOCKS.

[0189] When no suitable immunological reagent exists to detect the presence of a particular antigen in a recombinant HVT virus, plaque hybridization can be used to assess the purity of a stock. Initially, CEF cell monolayers are infected with various dilutions of the viral stocks to give ˜50-100 plaques/10 cm.dish, overlaid with nutrient agarose media and incubated for 4-5 days at 39° C. Once plaque development occurs, the position of each plaque is marked on bottom of the dish. The agarose overlay is then removed, the plate washed with PBS, and the remaining CEF monolayer is transferred to a NC membrane or BioRad nylon membrane pre-wetted with PBS (making note of the membrane position relative to the dish). Cells contained on the NC membranes are then lysed by placing the membranes in 1.5 mls of 1.5M NaCl and 0.5M NaOH for five minutes. The membranes are neutralized by placing them in 1.5 mls of 3M Sodium acetate (pH 5.2) for five minutes. DNA from the lysed cells is then bound to the NC membranes by baking at 80° C. for one hour. After this period the membranes are prehybridized in a solution containing 6× SSC, 3% skim milk, 0.5% SDS, (±) salmon sperm DNA (50 μg/ml) for one hour at 65° C. Radio-labeled probe DNA (alpha 32P-dCTP) is then added and the membranes incubated at 65° C. overnight (˜12 hours). After hybridization the NC membranes are washed two times (30 minutes each) with 2× SSC at 65° C., followed by two additional washes at 65° C. with 0.5× SSC. The NC membranes are then dried and exposed to X-ray film (Kodak X-OMAT,AR) at −70° C. for 12 hours. Positive signals are then aligned with the position of the plaques on the dish and purity of the stock is recorded as the percentage of positive plaques over the total.

[0190] CONSTRUCTION OF HOMOLOGY VECTOR FOR INSERTION OF THE BETA-GALACTOSIDASE GENE INTO HVT US2 GENE.

[0191] The beta-galactosidase (lacZ) gene was inserted into the HVT EcoRI #7 fragment at the unique StuI site. The marker gene is oriented in the same direction as the US2 gene. It is constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al, 1982 and Sambrook et al, 1989), by joining restriction fragments from the following sources with the synthetic DNA sequences. Fragment 1 is an approximately 413 base pair SalI to BamHI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment 10 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3010 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984).

[0192] RNA ISOLATED FROM CONCANAVALIN A STIMULATED CHICKEN SPLEEN CELLS:

[0193] Chicken spleens were dissected from 3 week old chicks from SPAFAS, Inc., washed, and disrupted through a syringe/needle to release cells After allowing stroma and debri to settle out, the cells were pelleted and washed twice with PBS. The cell pellet was treated with a hypotonic lysis buffer to lyse red blood cells, and splenocytes were recovered and washed twice with PBS. Splenocytes were resuspended at 5×106 cells/ml in RPMI containing 5% FBS and 5 μg/ml Concanavalin A and incubated at 39o for 48 hours. Total RNA was isolated from the cells using guanidine isothionate lysis reagents and protocols from the Promega RNA isolation kit (Promega Corporation, Madison Wis.). 4 μg of total RNA was used in each 1st strand reaction containing the appropriate antisense primers and AMV reverse transcriptase (Promega Corporation, Madison Wis.). cDNA synthesis was performed in the same tube following the reverse transcriptase reaction, using the appropriate sense primers and Vent® DNA polymerase (Life Technologies, Inc. Bethesda, Md.).

[0194] HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT FPV OR SPV.

[0195] This method relies upon the homologous recombination between FPV or SPV DNA and the plasmid homology vector DNA which occurs in the tissue culture cells containing both FPV or SPV DNA and transfected plasmid homology vector. For homologous recombination to occur, monolayers of CEF cells are infected with S-FPV 001 (A mild fowlpox vaccine strain available as Bio-Pox™ from Agri-Bio Corporation, Gainsville, Ga.) or or SPV-001 (Kasza strain) at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 PFU/cell to introduce replicating FPV (i.e. DNA synthesis)or SPV into the cells. The plasmid homology vector DNA is then transfected into these cells according to the “Infection-Transfection Procedure”.

[0196] INFECTION-TRANSFECTION PROCEDURE.

[0197] CEF cells in 6 cm plates (about 80% confluent) were infected with S-FPV-001 at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 PFU/cell in CEF negative medium and incubated at 37° C. in a humidified 5% CO2 incubator for five hours. ESK-4 cells CEF cells in 6 cm plates (about 80% confluent) were infected with S-SPV-001 at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 PFU/cell in CEF negative medium and incubated at 37° C. in a humidified 5% CO2 incubator for five hours. The transfection procedure used is essentially that recommended for LipofectinTM Reagent (BRL). Briefly, for each 6 cm plate, 15 micrograms of plasmid DNA were diluted up to 100 microliters with H2O. Separately, 50 micrograms of LipofectinTM Reagent were diluted to 100 microliters with H2O. The 100 microliters of diluted LipofectinTM Reagent were added dropwise to the diluted plasmid DNA contained in a polystyrene, 5 ml, snap cap tube and mixed gently. The mixture was then incubated for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. During this time, the virus inoculum was removed from the 6 cm plates and the cell monolayers washed once with CEF negative medium. Three mls of CEF negative medium were added to the plasmid DNA/lipofectin mixture and the contents pipetted onto the cell monolayer. Following overnight (about 16 hours) incubation at 37° C. in a humidified 5% CO2 incubator, the medium was removed and replaced with 5 ml CEF complete medium. The cells were incubated at 37° C. in 5% CO2 for 3-7 days until cytopathic effect from the virus was 80 100%. Virus was harvested as described above for the preparation of virus stocks. This stock was referred to as a transfection stock and was subsequently screened for recombinant virus by the “Plaque Hybridization Procedure For Purifying Recombinant FPV”.

[0198] HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT AVIAN CHIMERIC HVT/MDV HERPESVIRUS:

[0199] Transfect subconfluent 1° or 2° chicken embryo fibroblast monolayer (70-80% confluent). Day of use, change media to maintanence media (F10 media+M199 media (1:1 mix), 1% fetal bovine serum; 2% glutamine; 1% NEAA; 1% Penn-Strep). (1) Mix DNA: 20 ul parental viral DNA (amount visable on gel); 2-3 ug insertion vector ; dH₂O to 300 ul. (2) Calcium Phosphate ppt.: 300 ul DNA; 37 ul 2.5 M CaCl₂; 340 ul 2× HEPES-buffered saline. (3) Incubate mixture 1 min. at room temperature, than add to cells dropwise (into media), splitting reaction mix evenly onto 2×35 mm dishes (2 wells of a 6-well dish). (4) Incubate cells at 39° C. for 3 hours. (5) Glycerol shock cells 1 min, by replacing media/reaction mix with 1 ml of 15% glycerol in PBS. After 1 min., remove glycerol, and wash monolayer 3× with PBS. (6) Feed cells with maintanence media, and incubate at 39° C. overnight. (7) Next day, replace with fresh media and continue incubation until CPE is observed, changing media every 2-3 days. The infected cells are passaged, one or more times, to larger dish until CPE is reached.

[0200] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 172-07.BA2.

[0201] Plasmid 172-07.BA2 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It contains an approximately 25,000 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA. It may be used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT. This plasmid may be constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al, 1982 and Sambrook et al, 1989), by joining two restriction fragments from the following sources. The first fragment is an approximately 2999 base pair BamHI to BamHI restriction fragment of pSP64 (Promega). The second fragment is the approximately 25,000 base pair BamHI #2 fragment of HVT (Buckmaster et al., 1988).

[0202] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 172-29.31.

[0203] The plasmid 172-29.31 was constructed for the purpose of inserting foreign DNA into HVT. It contains a unique XhoI restriction enzyme site into which foreign DNA may be inserted. When a plasmid containing a foreign DNA insert at the XhoI site is used according to the DNA COTRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUSES or the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS a virus containing the foreign DNA will result. This plasmid may be constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al, 1982 and Sambrook et al, 1989), by joining two restriction fragments from the following sources. The first fragment is an approximately 2999 base pair BamHI to BamHI restriction fragment of pSP64 (Promega). The second fragment is the approximately 3300 base pair BamHI #16 fragment of HVT (Buckmaster et al., 1988). The complete sequence of the BamHI #16 fragment is given in SEQ ID NO:1. Note that the fragment was cloned such that the UL43 ORF is in the opposite transcriptional orientation to the pSP64 β-lacatamase gene.

[0204] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 172-63.1.

[0205] The plasmid 172-63.1 was constructed for the purpose of inserting foreign DNA into HVT. It contains a unique XhoI restriction enzyme site into which foreign DNA may be inserted. When a plasmid containing a foreign DNA insert at the XhoI site is used according to the DNA COTRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUSES or the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS a virus containing the foreign DNA will result. This plasmid may be constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al, 1982 and Sambrook et al, 1989), by joining two restriction fragments from the following sources. The first fragment is an approximately 2999 base pair EcoRI to EcoRI restriction fragment of pSP64 (Promega). The second fragment is the approximately 5500 base pair EcoRI #9 fragment of HVT. Note that the EcoRI fragment was cloned such that the unique XhoI site is closest to the unique HindIII site in the pSP64 vector.

[0206] SUBGEMOMIC CLONE 407-32.1C1.

[0207] Cosmid 407-32.1C1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It contains an approximately 38,850 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA (see FIG. 2). This region includes BamHI fragments 11, 7, 8, 21, 6, 18, approximately 1250 base pairs of fragment 13, and approximately 6,700 base pairs of fragment 1. It may be used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT. This cosmid maybe constructed as described above in the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. It was isolated from the sheared DNA library by screening with the probes P1 and P4 (described in FIG. 2). A bacterial strain containing this cosmid has been deposited on Mar. 3, 1993 pursuant to the Budapest Treaty on the International Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure with the Patent Culture Depository of the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 U.S.A. under ATCC Accession No. 75428.

[0208] SUBGEMOMIC CLONE 407-32.2C3.

[0209] Cosmid 407-32.2C3 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It contains an approximately 40,170 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA (see FIG. 2). This region includes BamHI fragments 10, 14, 19, 17, 5, and approximately 2,100 base pairs of fragment 2. It may be used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT. This cosmid may be constructed as described above in the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. It was isolated from the sheared DNA library by screening with the probes P1 and P2 (described in FIG. 2). A bacterial strain containing this cosmid has been deposited pursuant to the Budapest Treaty on the International Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure with the Patent Culture Depository of the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 U.S.A. under ATCC Accession No. 75430.

[0210] SUBGEMOMIC CLONE 407-32.5G6.

[0211] Cosmid 407-32.5G6 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It contains an approximately 40,000 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA (see FIG. 2). This region includes BamHI fragments 9, 3, 20, 12, 16, 13, approximately 1,650 base pairs of fragment 2, and approximately 4,000 base pairs of fragment 11. It may be used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT. This cosmid may be constructed as described above in the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. It was isolated from the sheared DNA library by screening with the probes P2 and P3 (described in FIG. 2). A bacterial strain containing this cosmid has been deposited on Mar. 3, 1993 pursuant to the Budapest Treaty on the International Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure with the Patent Culture Depository of the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 U.S.A. under ATCC Accession No. 75427.

[0212] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 435-47.1.

[0213] The plasmid 435-47.1 was constructed for the purpose of inserting foreign DNA into HVT. It contains a unique HindIII restriction enzyme site into which foreign DNA may be inserted. When a plasmid containing a foreign DNA insert at the HindIII site is used according to the DNA COTRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUSES or the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS a virus containing the foreign DNA will result. This plasmid may be constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al, 1982 and Sambrook et al, 1989), by joining two restriction fragments from the following sources. The first fragment is an approximately 2999 base pair EcoRI to EcoRI restriction fragment of pSP64 (Promega). The second fragment is the approximately 7300 base pair EcoRI #7 fragment of HVT. Note that the HindIII site of the pSP64 vector was removed by digesting the subclone with HindIII followed by a Klenow fill in reaction and religation. A synthetic HindIII linker (CAAGCTTG) was then inserted into the unique StuI site of the EcoRI #7 fragment.

[0214] SUBGEMOMIC CLONE 437-26.26.

[0215] Plasmid 437-26.26 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It contains an approximately 15,300 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA. It may be used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT. This plasmid may be constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al, 1982 and Sambrook et al, 1989), by joining two restriction fragments from the following sources. The first fragment is an approximately 2970 base pair HindIII to BamHI restriction fragment of pSP64 (Promega). The second fragment is the approximately 15,300 base pair BamHI to StuI sub-fragment of the BamHI #2 fragment of HVT (Buckmaster et al., 1988). Note that the BamHI #2 fragment contains five StuI sites, the site utilized in this subcloning was converted to a HindIII site as described in the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS.

[0216] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 415-09.BA1.

[0217] Cosmid 415-09.BA1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It contains an approximately 29,500 base pair BamHI #1 fragment of genomic HVT DNA. It was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT. This cosmid was constructed by joining two restriction fragments (Sambrook, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 4430 base pair BamHI to BamHI restriction fragment of pSY1005 derived from pHC79 (Bethesda Research Labs, Inc.) and pWE15 (Stratagene, Inc.). The first fragment is the approximately 29,500 base pair BamHI #1 fragment of the HVT genome (Buckmaster et al., 1988).

[0218] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 672-01.A40

[0219] Cosmid 672-01.A40 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It was isolated as a subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). Cosmid 672-01.A40 contains an approximately 14,000 base pair NotI to AscI subfragment and an approximately 1300 base pair AscI to BamHI subfragment of cosmid 407-32.1C1. The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrook, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2700 base pair NotI to BamHI fragment constructed from pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) which contains a NotI linker inserted into the SmaI site. Fragment 1 is an approximately 15,300 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 11 and 7, and approximately 1250 base paris of fragment 13. It was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT.

[0220] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 654-45.1.

[0221] Plasmid 654-45.1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It was isolated as an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrook, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB 193 (New England Bilabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. Fragment 1 is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) has been converted to a unique PacI site using synthetic DNA linkers. The PacI site was used in insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3A). It was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT.

[0222] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 686-63.A1.

[0223] Plasmid 686-63.A1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It was isolated as an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. Fragment 1 is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) has beenconverted to a unique NotI site using synthetic DNA linkers. The NotI site was used for the insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3B). It was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT.

[0224] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 672-07.C40.

[0225] Cosmid 672-07.C40 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. It was isolated as a subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). Cosmid 672-07.C40 contains an approximately 1100 base pair BamHI to AscI subfragment and an approximately 13,000 base pair AscI to NotI subfragment of cosmid 407-32.1C1. The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrook, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2700 base pair NotI to BamHI fragment constructed from pNEB193( New England Biolabs, Inc.) which contains a NotI linker inserted into the SmaI site. Fragment 1 is an approximately 14,100 base pair region of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 6 and 18, and an approximately 2600 base pair BamHI to NotI fragment within BamHI fragment #1. It was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT.

[0226] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 721-38.1J.

[0227] Cosmid 721-38.1J was constructed for the purpose of inserting the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes into the unique short of HVT and for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. Cosmid 721-38.1J contains the MDV gA, gD and gB genes inserted into a StuI site in the HVT US2 gene converted to a unique HindIII site within the BamHI #1 fragment of the unique short region of HVT. This region of the HVT BamHI #1 fragment containing the MDV genes was derived from S-HVT-062. Cosmid 721-38.1J was constructed by a partial restriction digest with BamHI of S-HVT-062 DNA and isolation of an approximately 39,300 base pair fragment. The cosmid was constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Sambrook, et al., 1989) by joining restriction fragments from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 8200 base pair BamHI fragment from cosmid vector pWE15. The first fragment is an approximately 900 base pair BamHI fragment from the repeat region of the HVT genome. The second fragment is an approximately 15,500 base pair BamHI to StuI subfragment of BamHI #1 of HVT. The third fragment is an approximately 8400 base pair cassette containing the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes. The fourth fragment is an approximately 14,500 base pair HindIII to BamHI subfragment of the BamHI #1 of HVT.

[0228] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 722-60.E2.

[0229] Cosmid 722-60.E2 was constructed for the purpose of inserting the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes and the NDV HN and F genes into the unique short of HVT and for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. Cosmid 722-60.E2 contains the MDV gA, gD and gB genes and the NDV HN and F genes inserted into a StuI site in the HVT US2 gene converted to a unique HindIII site within the BamHI #1 fragment of the unique short region of HVT. All five genes were inserted in the same transcriptional orientation as the HVT US2 gene. This region of the HVT BamHI #1 fragment containing the MDV and NDV genes was derived from S-HVT-106. Cosmid 722-60.E2 was constructed by a partial restriction digest with BamHI of S-HVT-106 and isolation of an approximately 46,300 base pari fragment. The cosmid was constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Sambrook, et al., 1989) by joining restriction fragments from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 6100 base pair BamHI fragment from cosmid vector pSY1626 derived from pHC79 (Bethesda Research Labs, Inc.) and pWE15 (Strategene, Inc.). The first fragment is an approximately 900 base pair BamHI fragment from the repeat region of the HVT genome. The second fragment is an approximately 15,500 base pair BamHI to StuI subfragment of BamHI #1 of HVT. The third fragment is an approximately 15,400 base pair cassette containing the MDV gA gene (SEQ ID NO: 6), the PRV gX promoter (Lomniczi et al., 1984), the NDV HN gene (SEQ ID NO: 8), the PRV gX polyadenylation site (Lomniczi et al., 1984), the HCMV immediate early promoter (D. R. Thomsen, et al., 1981), the NDV F gene (SEQ ID NO: 10), the HSV TK polyadenylation site (McGeoch, et al., 1985), the MDV gD gene, the approximately 450 base pair ILTV US3 polyadenylation site, and the MDV gB gene. The fourth fragment is an approximately 14,500 base pair StuI to BamHI subfragment of the BamHI #1 of HVT.

[0230] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 739-27.16.

[0231] Cosmid 739-27.16 was constructed for the purpose of constructing a chimeric HVT/MDV virus containing the HVT genes of the unique long region and the MDV type 1 genes of the unique short region. Cosmid 739-27.16 contains the complete unique short region of MDV type 1. This region contians the entire SmaI B fragment and two SmaI K fragments. Cosmid 739-27.16 was constructed by a partial restriction digest with SmaI of MDV DNA and isolation of an approximately 29,000 to 33,000 base pair fragment. The cosmid was constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Sambrook, et al., 1989) by joining restriction fragments from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 8200 base pair BamHI fragment (made blunt-ended with Lenow DNA polymerase) from cosmid vector pWE15. The first fragment is an approximately 4050 base pair SmaI K fragment from the short internal repeat region of the MDV genome. The second fragment is an approximately 21,000 base pair fragment SmaI B of MDV. The third fragment is an approximately 3,650 base pair SmaI K fragment from the short terminal repeat region of the MDV genome (Fukuchi, et al., 1984, 1985).

[0232] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 751-87.A8.

[0233] Plasmid 751-87.A8 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. Plasmid 751-87.A8 contains the chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cGMF) gene inserted into the PacI site of plasmid 654-45.1. The CMGF gene uses the HCMV immediate early promoter and HSV-1 TK polyadenylation signal. The cosmid was constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Sambrook, et al., 1989). The following fragments were inserted into the PacI site of HVT subgenomic clone 654-45.1. The first fragment is an approximately 1191 base pair PstI to AvaII restriction subfragment of the HCMV genomic XbaI E fragment (D. R. Thomsen, et al., 1981). The second fragment is an approximately 640 base pair fragment coding for the cMGF gene (58) derived by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Sambrook, et al., 1989) of RNA ISOLATED FROM CONCANAVALIN A STIMULATED CHICKEN SPLEEN CELLS. The antisense primer used for reverse transcription and PCR was 5′-CGCAGGATCCGGGGCGTCAGAGGCGGGCGAGGTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 19). The sense primer used for PCR was 5′-GAGCGGATCCTGCAGGAGGAGACACAGAGCTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 20). The cMGF fragment was subcloned next to the HCMV IE promoter using BamHI sites generated by the PCR primers. The DNA fragment contains the coding sequence from amino acid 1 to amino acid 201 of the CMGF protein (58) which includes a 23 amino acid leader sequence at the amino terminus and 178 amino acids of the mature CMGF protein. The third fragment is an approximately 784 base pair SmaI to SmaI restriction subfragment of the HSV-1 BamHI restriction fragment Q (McGeoch, et al., 1985).

[0234] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 761-07.A1.

[0235] Plasmid 761-07.A1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT. Plasmid 761-07.A1 contains the chicken interferon gene inserted into the PacI site of plasmid 654-45.1. The chicken interferon gene uses the HCMV immediate early promoter and HSV-1 TK polyadenylation signal. The cosmid was constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Sambrook, et al., 1989). The following fragments were inserted into the PacI site of HVT subgenomic clone 654-45.1. The first fragment is an approximately 1191 base pair PstI to AvaII restriction subfragment of the HCMV genomic XbaI E fragment (D. R. Thomsen, et al., 1981). The second fragment is an approximately 577 base pair fragment coding for the chicken interferon gene (59) derived by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Sambrook, et al., 1989) of RNA ISOLATED FROM CONCANAVALIN A STIMULATED CHICKEN SPLEEN CELLS. The antisense primer used for reverse transcription and PCR was 5′-TGTAGAGATCTGGCTAAGTGCGCGTGTTGCCTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 21). The sense primer used for PCR was 5′-TGTACAGATCTCACCATGGCTGTGCCTGCAAGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 22). The chicken interferon gene fragment was subcloned next to the HCMV IE promoter using BglII sites generated by the PCR primers. The DNA fragment contains the coding sequence from amino acid 1 to amino acid 193 of the chicken interferon protein (59) which includes a 31 amino acid signal sequence at the amino terminus and 162 amino acids of the mature protein encoding chicken interferon. The third fragment is an approximately 784 base pair SmaI to SmaI restriction subfragment of the HSV-1 BamHI restriction fragment Q (McGeoch, et al., 1985).

[0236] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 301-07.Y#D1:

[0237] Plasmid 301-07.Y#D1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine expressing a foreign DNA sequence. The E. colilacZ gene is expressed under the control of the PRV gX promoter. The HVT DNA is an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. The HVT fragment is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) was used for the insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3B). The foreign DNA inserted into the XhoI site of HVT is as follows: Fragment 1 is an approximately 413 base pair SalI to BamHI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment 10 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3010 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 301-07.Y#D1 was used in conjunction with S-HVY-145 according to the DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT VIRUS for the construction of recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine.

[0238] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 852-52.114.

[0239] Plasmid 852-52.II4 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine expressing a foreign DNA sequence. The infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus glycoprotein D (gD) and glycoprotein I (gI) genes are expressed under the control of the ILT virus gD and gI promoters. The HVT DNA is an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. The HVT fragment is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) was used for the insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3B). The foreign DNA inserted into the XhoI site of HVT is as follows: The fragment is an approximately 3556 base pair SalI to HindIII restriction subfragment of the ILTV Asp718I genomic fragment #8 (10.6 kb).Plasmid 852-52.II4 was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT.

[0240] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 864-74.18:

[0241] Plasmid 864-74.18 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine expressing a foreign DNA sequence. The E. colilacZ gene is expressed under the control of the PRV gX promoter. The HVT DNA is an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. The HVT fragment is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) was used for the insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3B). The foreign DNA inserted into the XhoI site of HVT is as follows: Fragment 1 is an approximately 3556 base pair SalI to HindIII restriction subfragment of the ILTV Asp718I genomic fragment #8 (10.6 kb). Fragment. 2 is an approximately 413 base pair SalI to BamHI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment 10 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Fragment 3 is an approximately 3010 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 4 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 864-74.18 was used in conjunction with S-HVY-145 according to the DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT VIRUS for the construction of recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine.

[0242] SUBGENOMIC CLONE 867-96.B9.

[0243] Plasmid 867-96.B9 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant HVT expressing a foreign DNA sequence. The E. coliβ-galactosidase gene is expressed under the control of a novel chicken anemia virus promoter. The HVT DNA is an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. The HVT fragment is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) was used for the insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3B). The foreign DNA inserted into the XhoI site of HVT is as follows: Fragment 1 is the CAV promoter synthesized by PCR as a 386 bp EcoRI to BamHI fragment from the CAV strain CL-1 (NVSL; Dr. D. B. Snyder, Univ. Maryland; SEQ ID NO. 23). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 867-96.B9 was used in conjunction with other subgenomic clones according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS for the construction of recombinant HVT.

[0244] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 881-23.#28:

[0245] Plasmid 881-23.#28 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine expressing a foreign DNA sequence. The E. colilacZ gene is expressed under the control of the HSV-1 TK promoter. The Newcastle disease virus (NDV) heamagglutinin (HN) gene is under the control of the PRV gX promoter, and the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion (F) gene is under the control of the HCMV immediate early promoter. The HVT DNA is an AscI subclone of cosmid 407-32.1C1 (see FIGS. 2 and 5). The cosmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AscI fragment constructed from a 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) blunt ended with Klenow DNA polymerase and AscI linkers inserted. The HVT fragment is an approximately 8600 base pair AscI to AscI fragment of genomic HVT DNA. This region includes BamHI fragments 10 and 21, and approximately 1100 base pairs of fragment 6 and approximately 1300 base pairs of fragment 7. The XhoI site (Nucleotide #1339-1344; SEQ ID NO. 12) was used for the insertion and expression of foreign genes in HVT. (See FIG. 3B). The foreign DNA inserted into the XhoI site of HVT genomic DNA is as follows: Fragment 1 is an approximately 266 base pair RsaI to HaeIII restriction sub-fragment of the HSV-1 BamHI restriction fragment N. Fragment 2 is an approximately 3330 base pair BamHI to BalI restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 413 base pair SalI to BamHI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment 10 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Fragment 4 is an approximately 1811 base pair AvaII to NaeI restriction fragment of the full length NDV HN cDNA clone (B1 strain). Fragment 5 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Fragment 6 is an approximately 1191 base pair PstI to AvaII restriction sub-fragment of the HCMV genomic XbaI E fragment (D. R. Thomsen, et al., 1981). Fragment 7 is an approximately 1812 base pair BamHI to PstI restriction fragment of the full length NDV F cDNA clone (B1 strain). Fragment 8 is an approximately 784 base pair SmaI to SmaI restriction sub-fragment of the HSV-1 BamHI restriction fragment Q (McGeoch, et al., 1985). Plasmid 881-23.#28 was used in conjunction with S-HVY-145 according to the DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT VIRUS for the construction of recombinant chimeric HVT/MDV vaccine.

[0246] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 883-10.A1:

[0247] The homology vector 883-10.A1 as constructed for the purpose of inserting the lacZ marker gene under the control of a novel chicken anemia virus promoter into fowlpox virus (FPV) at a unique NotI site. The 2.8 KB FPV genomic EcoRI fragment was used for the insertion of foreign DNA into FPV. The NotI/SfiI linker was inserted into a unique SnaBI site in the FPV fragment. The cassette was constructed utilizing standard recombinant DNA techniques (Maniatis et al., 1982 and Sambrook et al., 1989), by joining restriction fragments from the following sources with the synthetic DNA sequences indicated. The foreign DNA inserted into the NotI site of FPV is as follows: Fragment 1 is the CAV promoter synthesized by PCR as a 386 bp EcoRI to BamHI fragment from the CAV strain CL-1 (NVSL; Dr. D. B. Snyder, Univ. Maryland; SEQ ID NO. 23). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Recombinant fowlpox virus was generated by the procedure of HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT FPV

[0248] TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY:

[0249] Chick embryo fibroblast cells or QT-35 cells at 80-90% confluence in 6 cm dishes have growth media removed, and 5 ml of maintenance media is added. 10-20 μg of plasmid DNA is diluted in water and CaCl₂is added to a concentration of 0.25 M and a volume of 600 μl. To this, 600 μl of 2× HEPES buffer (0.28 M NaCl, 50 mM HEPES (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid), 1.5 mM Na₂HPO₄, pH 7.05) is added, allowed to incubate 1′ at room temperature, and then this solution is split in two 600 μl aliquots and dropped onto two 6 cm dishes. After 3 hours, the solution is removed and a 10% glycerol in PBS solution is added and allowed to remain on the cells for 1 minute. This is removed, cells are washed once with PBS, and refed with 5 ml of maintenance media. After 24-48 hours, cells were harvested, pelleted at 2.8K in a Sorvall RT7, and resuspended in 500 μl PBS. Samples were subjected to three cycles of freezing and thawing and cellular debris was spun down in a microfuge. Duplicate samples consisting of 11 μl of each supernatant were tested in a microtiter plate with 100 μl of ONPG assay solution (0.8 mg/ml ortho-nitro-phenyl-galactoside, 60 mM Na₂HPO₄, 40 mM NaH₂PO₄, 10 mM KCl, 1 mM MgSO₄, 50 mM β-mercaptoethanol, pH 7.5), incubated at 37° C., and readings at 415 nm were taken with a BioRad Model 450 microplate reader every fifeen minutes.

[0250] PLASMID 388-65.2.

[0251] Plasmid 388-65.2 was constructed for the purpose of generating an HCMV immediate early (IE) promoter to express a foreign DNA sequence. The E. coliβ-galactosidase gene is expressed under the control of the HCMV IE promoter. The plasmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) Fragment 1 is an 1149 base pair PstI to AvaII subfragment of the XbaI E fragment of the HCMV Towne strain. Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 388-65.2 was used according to the TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY to measure the strength of the CAV promoter.

[0252] PLASMID 850-25.18.

[0253] Plasmid 850-25.18 was constructed for the purpose of generating a novel CAV promoter to express a foreign DNA sequence. The E. coliβ-galactosidase gene is expressed under the control of a modified chicken anemia virus promoter. The plasmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.). Fragment 1 is the CAV promoter synthesized by PCR as a 854 bp EcoRI to BamHI fragment from the CAV strain CL-1 (NVSL; Dr. D. B. Snyder, Univ. Maryland;) using PCR primers 5′-ATCGAATTCCGAGTGGTTACTATTCC -3′ (SEQ ID NO 24) and 5′-CGTGGATCCATCTTACAGTCTTATAC -3′ (SEQ ID NO 25). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 850-25.18 was used according to the TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY to measure the strength of the CAV promoter.

[0254] PLASMID 850-69.1.

[0255] Plasmid 850-69.1 was constructed for the purpose of generating a novel CAV promoter to express a foreign DNA sequence. The E. coliβ-galactosidase gene is expressed under the control of a modified chicken anemia virus promoter. The plasmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) Fragment 1 is the CAV promoter synthesized by PCR as a 858 bp EcoRI to BamHI fragment from the CAV strain CL-1 (NVSL; Dr. D. B. Snyder, Univ. Maryland;) using PCR primers 5′-ATCGAATTCCGAGTGGTTACTATTCC -3′ (SEQ ID NO 24) and 5′-CGTGGATCCATCTTACAGTCTTATAC -3′ (SEQ ID NO 25). The HindIII site near the BamHI site is within the CAV apoptin reading frame. The HindIII site was filled in to destroy the apoptin reading frame. Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 850-69.1 was used according to the TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY to measure the strength of the CAV promoter.

[0256] PLASMID 850-80.2.

[0257] Plasmid 850-80.2 was constructed for the purpose of generating a novel CAV promoter to express a foreign DNA sequence. The E. coliβ-galactosidase gene is expressed under the control of a modified chicken anemia virus promoter. The plasmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) Fragment 1 is the CAV promoter synthesized by PCR as a 381 bp EcoRI to BamHI fragment (SEQ ID No. 23) from the CAV strain CL-1 (NVSL; Dr. D. B. Snyder, Univ. Maryland) using PCR primers 5′-GTTCGGATCCATCCTCCCGGACCGCCTTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO 26) and 5′-GCGGAAGAGCGCCAATACG-3′ (SEQ ID NO 27). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 850-80.2 was used according to the TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY to measure the strength of the CAV promoter.

[0258] PLASMID 883-11.A5.

[0259] Plasmid 883-11.A5 was constructed for the purpose of generating a novel CAV promoter to express a foreign DNA sequence. The E. coliβ-galactosidase gene is expressed under the control of a modified chicken anemia virus promoter. The plasmid was constructed by joining restriction fragments (Sambrooks, et al., 1989) from the following sources. The vector is an approximately 2000 base pair AatII to PvuII fragment of pNEB193 (New England Biolabs, Inc.) Fragment 1 is the CAV promoter synthesized by PCR as a 381 bp EcoRI to BamHI fragment from the CAV strain CL-1 (NVSL; Dr. D. B. Snyder, Univ. Maryland) using PCR primers 5′-GTTCGGATCCATCCACCCGGACCGCCTTG -3′ (SEQ ID NO 28) and 5′-GCGGAAGAGCGCCAATACG -3′ (SEQ ID NO 27). Fragment 2 is an approximately 3001 base pair BamHI to PvuII restriction fragment of plasmid pJF751 (Ferrari et al., 1985). Fragment 3 is an approximately 754 base pair NdeI to SalI restriction sub-fragment of the PRV BamHI restriction fragment #7 (Lomniczi et al., 1984). Plasmid 883-811.A5 was used according to the TRANSIENT TRANSFECTION ASSAY to measure the strength of the CAV promoter.

[0260] HOMOLOGY VECTOR 849-69.A1:

[0261] Plasmid 849-69.A1 was constructed for the purpose of generating recombinant swinepox viral vector expressing a foreign DNA sequence. The E. ColilacZ gene is expressed under the control of the LP1 promoter. The quail interferon type 1 (qIFN-1) gene is expressed under the control of the LP2EP2 promoter. The qIFN-1 ORF (594 base pairs) was generated by PCR (as described in Example 23B) with compatible EcorRI and BamHI ends for cloning into SPV homology vector 752-22.1 (see WO 96/22363). Plasmid 849-69.A1 was used in conjunction with S-SPV-001 according to the HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT FPV or SPV for the construction of recombinant SPV viral vector.

[0262] Recombinant HVT/MDV chimeric virus

[0263] S-HVY-145 is a recombinant chimeric virus containing MDV and HVT genomic sequences which in a vaccine formulation protects against Marek's disease is produced by combining cosmids of MDV genomic DNA containing genes coding for the relevant protective antigens of virulent MDV serotype 1 and cosmids of HVT genomic DNA according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The resulting virus is a vaccine that has the protective immune response to virulent MDV serotype 1 and the attenuated growth characteristics of the HVT. In one embodiment, the chimeric virus contains the MDV genes of the unique short region and the HVT genes of the unique long region and is useful as a vaccine against Marek's disease in chickens. In another embodiment, the chimeric virus contains the MDV genes of the short region and the HVT genes of the long region and is useful as a vaccine against Marek's disease in chickens.

[0264] The MDV protective antigens within the unique short (gD, gE, and gI) elicit a protective immune response to MDV, while the virulence elements present in the unique long of MDV (55,56, 57) are replaced by the attenuating unique long sequences of HVT. The result is an attenuated virus vaccine which protects against Marek's disease. Multivalent protection against Marek's disease, infectious laryngotracheitis, infectious bursal disease, Newcastle's disease, or another poultry pathogen is achieved by inserting the ILTV gB,gD, and gI genes, the IBDV VP2 gene, the NDV HN and F genes, or an antigen gene from a poultry pathogen into an XhoI site converted to a PacI site or NotI site in the EcoR1 #9 (BamHI #10) fragment within the unique long region of HVT/MDV recombinant virus (FIGS. 2 and 5).

[0265] A cosmid was constructed containing the entire MDV short region. MDV genomic DNA contains several SmaI sites in the unique long and internal and terminal repeats of the virus, but no SmaI sites wihin the unique short of the virus. The entire short region of MDV was isolated by a partial restriction digestion of MDV genomic DNA with SmaI. A DNA fragment approximately 29,000 to 33,000 base pairs was isolated and cloned into a blunt ended site of the cosmid vector pWE15. To generate S-HVY-145, a recombinant HVT/MDV chimeric virus, the cosmid containing the MDV short region was combined with cosmids containing the HVT long region according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes were used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 407-32.1C1 with NotI, and 739-27.16 with NotI.

[0266] The resulting virus vaccine provides superior protection against Marek's disease or as a multivalent vaccine against Marek's disease and infectious laryngotracheitis, infectious bursal disease, Newcastle's disease, or another poultry pathogen. This vaccine is superior because expression of MDV genes in the HVT/MDV chimera vaccine is safer and provides better protection against Marek's disease than vaccines presently available containing HVT and MDV type 2 (SB-1) or HVT alone. Secondly, one can demonstrate expression of the MDV glycoprotein genes in the absence of the homologous HVT genes for both diagnostic and regulatory purposes. This is useful since antibodies to an MDV glycoprotein will cross react with the homologous HVT glycoprotein. Finally, a recombinant HVT/MDV virus which contains a single copy of each glycoprotein gene is more stable that a recombinant virus containing two copies of a homologous glycoprotein gene from HVT and MDV which may delete by homologous recombination.

[0267] In an alternative embodiment, cosmids containing MDV protective antigen genes from the unique long (MDV gB and gC) are combined with cosmids containing HVT gene sequences from the short and the long, effectively avoiding the MDV virulence genes at the unique long/internal repeat junction and the unique long/terminal repeat junction (55, 56, and 57).

[0268] SB-1 strain is an MDV serotype 2 with attenuated pathogenicity. Vaccination with a combination of HVT and SB-1 live viruses protects against virulent MDV challenge better than vaccination with either virus alone. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a recombinant virus vaccine comprises protective antigen genes of the virulent MDV serotypes 2 combined with the attenuating genes of the non-virulent MDV serotypes 1 and 3, such as SB-1 and HVT. The genomic DNA corresponding to the unique long region is contributed by the SB-1 serotype. The genomic DNA corresponding to the unique short region is contributed by the HVT serotype. Three major glycoprotein antigens (gB, gA and gD) from the MDV serotype 1 are inserted into the unique short region of the virus.

[0269] The recombinant virus is constructed utilizing HVT subgenomic clone 721-38.1J to reconstruct the unique short region. Subgenomic clone 721-38.1J contains an insertion of the MDV gB, gA, and gD genes. A large molar excess of these clones is cotransfected with a sub-infectious dose of Sb-1 genomic DNA. To determine the appropriate sub-infectious dose, transfection of the SB-1 is titrated down to a dose which no longer yields virus plaques in cell culture. Such a dose contains sub-genomic fragments spanning the unique long region of SB-1 which recombine with the HVT unique short subgenomic clones. Therefore, a virus resulting from recombination between overlapping homologous regions of the SB-1 and HVT subgenomic fragments is highly favored. Alternatively, SB-1 genomic fragments from the unique long region are subcloned into cosmid vectors. A recombinant virus containing the SB-1 unique long the HVT unique short with the MDV, gB, gA, and gD genes were produced using the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. This procedure is also used with an HVT subgenomic clone to insert antigen genes from other avian pathogens including but not limited to infectious laryngotracheitis virus, Newcastle's disease virus and infectious bursal disease virus.

[0270] S-HVY-149 is a recombinant chimeric virus comprising a chimera of the Marek's disease virus short region and the herpesvirus of turkeys long region. S-HVY-149 is a recombinant chimeric viral vaccine that comprises foreign DNA from the infectious laryngotracheitis virus glycoprotein D (gD) and glycoprotein I (gI) genes inserted into an XhoI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of the chimeric virus. The ILT virus gD and gI genes are under the control of the ILT virus gD and gI promoters. The recombinant chimeric viral vaccine is useful against challenge with virulent Marek's disease virus and infectious laryngotracheitis virus.

[0271] To generate S-HVY-149, the following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes were used in the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 852-52.II4 with NotI, and 739-27.16 with NotI.

[0272] S-HVY-149 was purified by plating and plaque purification, and tested for purity by BLACK PLAQUE ASSAY. S-HVY-149 was 100% pure by BLACK PLAQUE ASSAY using convalescent ILT virus antisera.

[0273] S-HVY-151 is a recombinant chimeric virus comprising a chimera of the Marek's disease virus short region and the herpesvirus of turkeys long region. S-HVY-151 is a recombinant chimeric viral vaccine that comprises foreign DNA from E. colilacZ gene inserted into an XhoI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of the chimeric virus. The E. colilacZ gene is under the control of the PRV gX promoter. The recombinant chimeric viral vaccine is useful against challenge with virulent Marek's disease virus.

[0274] S-HVY-151 was derived from S-HVY-145. This was accomplished using homology vector 301-07.Y#D1 and virus S-HVY-145 in the DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT VIRUS procedure into primary chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells. A blue virus obtained from the transfection stock is purified by successive plaque purifications using the BLUOGAL SCREEN FOR RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS procedure.

[0275] S-HVY-151 is useful as a vaccine against challenge with Marek's disease virus.

[0276] S-HVY-152 is a recombinant chimeric virus comprising a chimera of the Marek's disease virus short region and the herpesvirus of turkeys long region. S-HVY-152 is a recombinant chimeric viral vaccine that comprises foreign DNA from E. colilacZ gene and the infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus glycoprotein D (gD) and glycoprotein I (gI) genes inserted into an XhoI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of the chimeric virus. The E. colilacZ gene is under the control of the PRV gX promoter. The ILT virus gD and gI genes are under the control of the ILT virus gD and gI promoters, respectively.

[0277] S-HVY-152 was derived from S-HVY-145. This was accomplished using homology vector 864-74.18 and virus S-HVY-145 in the DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT VIRUS procedure into primary chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells.

[0278] S-HVY-152 was tested for purity by BLACK PLAQUE ASSAY using convalescent antisera to ILT virus and rabbit anti-β-galactosidase antisera and was purified by successive plaque purifications and BLACK PLAQUE ASSAY.

[0279] S-HVY-152 is useful as a vaccine against challenge with Marek's disease virus and infectious laryngotracheitis virus.

[0280] S-HVY-153 is a recombinant chimeric virus comprising a chimera of the Marek's disease virus short region and the herpesvirus of turkeys long region. S-HVY-153 is a recombinant chimeric viral vaccine that comprises foreign DNA from E. colilacZ gene and the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) heamagglutinin (HN) and fusion (F) genes inserted into an XhoI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of the chimeric virus. The E. colilacZ gene is under the control of the HSV-1 TK promoter. The NDV HN gene is under the control of the PRV gX promoter, and the NDV F gene is under the control of the HCMV immediate early promoter.

[0281] S-HVY-153 was derived from S-HVY-145. This was accomplished using homology vector 881-23.#28 and virus S-HVY-145 in the DNA TRANSFECTION FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT VIRUS procedure into primary chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells. A red plaque virus obtained from the transfection stock was purified by successive plaque purifications using the BLUOGAL OR CPRG SCREEN FOR RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS procedure and selecting red or blue plaques.

[0282] S-HVY-153 is tested for purity by BLACK PLAQUE ASSAY using anti-β-galactosidase and anti-NDV antibodies.

[0283] S-HVY-153 is useful as a vaccine against challenge with Marek's disease virus and Newcastle disease virus.

[0284] Recombinant HVT expressing chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cMGF), chicken interferon (cIFN) or quail interferon (qIFN) are useful as vaccines against Marek's disease virus and are also useful to enhance the immune response against other diseases of poultry. Chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cMGF) is related to mammalian G-CSF and interleukin-6 protein (58), and chicken interferon Type 1 (cIFN) is homologous to mammalian type 1 interferon (59). When used in combination with vaccines described in previous examples, S-HVT-144 or HVT expressing cIFN are useful to provide enhanced mucosal, humoral, or cell mediated immunity against avian disease-causing viruses including, but not limited to, Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, infectious bronchitis virus, infectious bursal disease virus. Recombinant HVT expressing cMGF or cIFN are useful provide enhanced immunity against avian disease causing organismsdescribed in Example 15.

[0285] S-HVT-144 is a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys that contains the chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cMGF) gene inserted into an XhoI site converted to a PacI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT. The cMGF gene is in the opposite transcriptional orientation to the open reading frame (ORF A) within the EcoR1 #9 fragment of the HVT genome (FIG. 4; SEQ ID NOs: 12 and 13). The cMGF gene is expressed from a human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. S-HVT-144 is useful as a vaccine in poultry against Marek's Disease.

[0286] S-HVT-144 was constructed according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes were used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 751-87.A8 with Asc I, 415-09.BA1 with BamHI.

[0287] Recombinant HVT expressing chicken interferon

[0288] A recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys contains the chicken interferon Type 1 (cIFN) gene inserted into an XhoI site converted to a PacI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT. The cIFN gene is expressed from a human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. Recombinant HVT expressing cIFN is useful as a vaccine in poultry against Marek's Disease.

[0289] Recombinant HVT expressing cIFN is constructed according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes were used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 761-07.A1 with Asc I, 415-09.BA1 with BamHI.

[0290] Recombinant HVT expressing avian cytokines is combined with HVT expressing genes for avian disease antigens to enhance immune response. Additional cytokines that are expressed in HVT and have immune stimulating effects include, but not limited to, transforming growth factor beta, epidermal growth factor family, fibroblast growth factors, hepatocyte growth factor, insulin-like growth factors, B-nerve growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin 1, IL-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin 2, interleukin 3, interleukin 4, interleukin 5, interleukin 6, IL-6 soluble receptor, interleukin 7, interleukin 8, interleukin 9, interleukin 10, interleukin 11, interleukin 12, interleukin 13, angiogenin, chemokines, colony stimulating factors, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factors, erythropoietin, interferon, interferon gamma, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, pleiotrophin, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, stem cell factor, tumor necrosis factors, and soluble TNF receptors. These cytokines are from avian species or other animals including humans, bovine, equine, feline, canine or porcine.

[0291] Recombinant HVT expressing Marek's disease virus genes and chicken interferon gene.

[0292] A recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys contains the chicken interferon Type 1 (cIFN) gene inserted into an Xhol site converted to a PacI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT and further contains the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes inserted into a unique StuI site converted into a HindIII site in the HVT US2 gene. The cIFN gene is expressed from an human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. The MDV genes are expressed from the endogenous MDV promoters. Recombinant HVT expressing cIFN and MDV gA, gB, and gD is useful as a vaccine with an enhanced immune response in poultry against Marek's Disease.

[0293] Recombinant HVT expressing MDV genes and the cIFN gene is constructed according to the PROCEDURE FROM GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes are used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 761-07.A1 with Asc I, 721-38.1J uncut.

[0294] Recombinant HVT expressing Marek's disease virus genes, Newcastle disease virus genes and chicken interferon gene.

[0295] A recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys contains the chicken interferon Type 1 (cIFN) gene inserted into an XhoI site converted to a PacI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT and further contains the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes and NDV HN and F genes inserted into a unique StuI site converted into a HindIII site in the HVT US2 gene. The cIFN gene is expressed from an human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. The MDV genes are expressed from the endogenous MDV promoters. The NDV HN gene is under the control of the PRV gX promoter, and the NDV F gene is under the control of the HCMV immediate early promoter. Recombinant HVT expressing cIFN and MDV gA, gB, and gD is useful as a vaccine with an enhanced immune response in poultry against Marek's Disease and Newcastle disease.

[0296] Recombinant HVT expression MDV genes, NDV genes and cIFN is constructed according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes are used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 761-07.A1 with Asc I, 722-60.E2 uncut.

[0297] Recombinant HVT expressing Marek's disease virus genes and chicken myelomonocytic growth factor gene.

[0298] A recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys contains the chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cMGF) gene inserted into and XhoI site converted to a PacI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT and further contains the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes inserted into a unique StuI site converted into a HindIII site in the HVT US2 gene. The cMGF gene is expressed from a human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. The MDV genes are expressed from the endogenous MDV promoters. Recombinant HVT expression cMGF and MDV gA, gB, and gD is useful as a vaccine with an enhanced immune response in poultry against Marek's Disease.

[0299] Recombinant HVT expressing the cMGF gene and MDV genes is constructed according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes are used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 751-87.A8 with Asc I, 721-38.1J uncut.

[0300] Recombinant HVT expressing Marek's disease virus genes, Newcastle disease virus genes and chicken myelomonocytic growth factor gene.

[0301] A recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys contains the chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cGMF) gene inserted into an XhoI site converted to a PacI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT and further contains the MDV gA, gD, and gB genes and NDV HN and F genes inserted into a unique StuI site converted into a HindIII site in the HVT US2 gene. The cGMF gene is expressed from an human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. The MDV genes are expressed from the endogenous MDV promoters. The NDV HN gene is under the control of the PRV gX promoter, and the NDV F gene is under the control of the HCMV immediate early promoter. Recombinant HVT expressing cIFN and MDV gA, gB and gD is useful as a vaccine with an enhanced immune response in poultry against Marek's Disease and Newcastle disease.

[0302] Recombinant HVT expressing MDV genes, NDV genes and the cGMF gene is constructed according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes are used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 751-87.A8 uncut, 722-60.E2 uncut.

[0303] Recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys expressing antigens from disease causing microorganisms

[0304] Recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) is useful for expressing antigens from disease causing microorganisms from animals in addition to avian species. Recombinant HVT is useful as a vaccine in animals including but not limited to humans, equine, bovine, porcine, canine and feline.

[0305] Recombinant HVT is useful as a vaccine against equine diseases when foreign antigens from diseases or disease organisms are expressed in the HVT vector, including but not limited to: equine influenza, equine herpesvirus-1 and equine herpesvirus-4. Recombinant HVT is useful as a vaccine against bovine diseases when foreign antigens from the following diseases or disease organisms are expressed in the HVT vector, including, but not limited to: bovine herpesvirus type 1, bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine parainfluenza virus. Recombinant HVT is useful as a vaccine against swine diseases when foreign antigens from the following diseases or disease organisms are expressed in the HVT vector, including but not limited to: pseudorabies virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS/SIRS), hog cholera virus, swine influenza virus, swine parvovirus, swine rotavirus. Recombinant HVT is useful as a vaccine against feline or canine diseases when foreign antigens from the following diseases or disease organisms are expressed in the HVT vector, including but not limited to feline herpesvirus, feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus and Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm). Disease causing microorganisms in dogs include, but are not limited to canine herpesvirus, canine distemper, canine adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis), adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease), parainfluenza, Leptospira canicola, icterohemorragia, parvovirus, coronavirus, Borrelia burgdorferi, canine herpesvirus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) and rabies virus.

[0306] Human vaccines using recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys as a vector

[0307] Recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) is useful as a vaccine against human diseases. For example, human influenza is a rapidly evolving virus whose neutralizing viral epitopes are rapidly changing. A useful recombinant HVT vaccine is one in which the influenza neutralizing epitopes are quickly changed to protect against new strains of influenza. Human influenza HA and NA genes are cloned using polymerase chain reaction into the recombinant HVT. Recombinant HVT is useful as a vaccine against other human diseases when foreign antigens from the following diseases or disease organisms are expressed in the HVT vector: hepatitis B virus surface and core antigens, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, herpes simplex virus-1, herpes simplex virus-2, human cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Varicella-Zoster virus, human herpesvirus-6, human herpesvirus-7, human influenza, measles virus, hantaan virus, pneumonia virus, rhinovirus, poliovirus, human respiratory syncytial virus, retrovirus, human T-cell leukemia virus, rabies virus, mumps virus, malaria (Plasmodium falciparum), Bordetella pertussis, Diptheria, Rickettsia prowazekii, Borrelia bergdorferi, Tetanus toxoid, malignant tumor antigens,

[0308] Recombinant HVT expressing human cytokines is combined with HVT expressing genes for human disease antigens to enhance immune response. Additional cytokines, including, but not limited to, transforming growth factor beta, epidermal growth factor family, fibroblast growth factors, hepatocyte growth factor, insulin-like growth factors, B-nerve growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin 1, IL-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin 2, interleukin 3, interleukin 4, interleukin 5, interleukin 6, IL-6 soluble receptor, interleukin 7, interleukin 8, interleukin 9, interleukin 10, interleukin 11, interleukin 12, interleukin 13, angiogenin, chemokines, colony stimulating factors, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factors, erythropoietin, interferon, interferon gamma, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, pleiotrophin, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, stem cell factor, tumor necrosis factors, and soluble TNF receptors from human and other animals are expressed in HVT and have immune stimulating effects.

[0309] Improved production of a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys vaccine.

[0310] Cytokines, such as interferons and interleukins, inhibit the replication of viruses in cell culture and in the animal. Inhibition of the production of cellular interferon or interleukin improves the growth of recombinant HVT in cell culture. Chicken interferon type 1 (cIFN) expressed from a recombinant swinepox vector was added to chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell cultures and infected with S-HVT-012 which expresses β-galactosidase. cIFN added to the cell culture media reduced both the expression of β-galactosidase and S-HVT-012 titer in a dose dependent manner. This result indicates that growth of HVT is limited by exogenous addition of chicken interferon. Several strategies are utilized to improve growth of HVT in CEF cells by removing or inactivating chicken interferon activity in the CEF cells.

[0311] In one embodiment, a chicken interferon neutralizing antibody is added to the culture medium to inhibit the chicken interferon activity and improve the growth of recombinant HVT in CEF cell culture. The anti-cIFN antibody is derived from mouse or rabbit sera of animals injected with chicken interferon protein, preferably the cIFN is from a recombinant swinepox virus expressing chicken interferon.

[0312] Poxviruses secrete cytokine-inhibiting proteins as an immune evasion strategy. One type of poxvirus immune evasion mechanism involves poxvirus soluble receptors for interleukins, interferon, or tumor necrosis factors which inactive the cytokines and allow viral replication (60). In an embodiment of the invention, fowlpox virus is useful as a source of chicken interferon-inhibiting proteins and other immune evasion proteins. Conditioned media from FPV infected CEF cell cultures is added to the HVT infected CEF cells to inhibit interferon activity and increase the HVT titer. In a further embodiment, the recombinant chicken interferon inhibiting protein or another poxvirus immune evasion protein is expressed in a vector in combination with an HVT vaccine composition to increase the HVT titer.

[0313] Chicken embryo fibroblast cells have been engineered to express foreign genes (61). In a further embodiment, an interferon-negative CEF cell line is constructed by the introduction of a vector expressing a gene encoding antisense RNA for chicken interferon into the CEF cell line. Recombinant HVT grown in an interferon-negative CEF cell line demonstrate improved virus titers compared to HVT grown in an interferon producing CEF cell line. In a further embodiment, a chicken myelomonocytic growth factor (cMGF) -positive CEF cell line is constructed by the introduction of a vector expressing the cMGF gene into the CEF cells. Recombinant HVT grown in a cMGF-positive CEF cell line demonstrates improved virus titers compared to HVT grown in a cMGF negative CEF cell line.

[0314] Recombinant HVT of the present invention is useful as a vaccine against Marek's disease and against other diseases as outlined in previous examples. An increased efficiency in growth of recombinant HVT in CEF cells is useful in production of the vaccine.

[0315] Southern blot analysis showed that a ³²P -labeled chicken interferon-1 gene fragment hybridized to a 5.0 kb BamHI genomic DNA fragment from quail cell line QT-35. Based on this information, the PCR method was utilized with homologous primers to chicken interferon, type 1, to clone the gene for quail interferon, type 1. (The PCR primers were: 5′-TGTACAGATCTCACCATGGCTGTGCCTGCAAGC-3′ (SEQ ID NO. 29) from the 5′ end of the quail IFN gene; 5′- GGCGAATTCGGCTAAGTGCGCGTGTTG-3′ (SEQ ID NO. 30) from the 3′ end of the quail IFN gene.) A blunt 594 bp QT-35 genomic PCR DNA fragment was generated by PCR and inserted into a unique SmaI site in the multiple cloning site of pBluescript II KS- plasmid (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.). The resultant plasmid is, 832-71.B11. DNA and amino acid sequences were analyzed and determined to be the complete open reading frame of quail interferon, type 1 (SEQ ID NO. 31 and 32), based on sequence homology and conservation of significant structural genetic motifs among three published avian interferon, type 1 genes, e.g. duck, turkey and chicken. The quail IFN-1 ORF contains 594 nucleotides encoding 198 amino acids, including a translation initiation start codon, ATG, and an amber translational stop signal, TAG. The sequence contains 6 cysteine residues, which are conserved motifs among other avian IFN, type 1 genes. The amino acid sequence predicts a 31 amino acid hydrophobic signal sequence and 2 putative N-glycosylation sites. Amino acid sequence homology (Jotun Hein Method, DNASTAR MegAlign Program) of quail IFN-1 compared to chicken, turkey and duck IFN-1 is 82.0%, 76.0% and 49.0%, respectively. Protein hydrophobicity Kyte-Doolittle plots show the Quail IFN-1 protein structure and charge characteristics to be similar to chicken, turkey and duck IFN-1 proteins. A plasmid pSY832-71.B11 containing Quail DNA has been deposited on Feb. 21, 1997 pursuant to the Budapest Treaty on the International Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure with the Patent Culture Depository of the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 U.S.A.

[0316] Expression plasmid 832-71.B11 is useful as a vaccine against avian diseases in avian species such as chickens, ducks, quail, turkeys, bantams, guinea fowl and others. Quail IFN-1 improves an immune response against disease causing microorganisms when supplied in a viral vector alone or in combination with other avian disease-causing antigens. Expression plasmid 832-71.B11 is useful as a vaccine to improve weight gain in avian species.

[0317] Expression plasmid for antisense quail interferon: 866-79.2

[0318] A bicistronic expression plasmid, pIRES1neo, (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.) was used as the cloning vector. This expression cassette contains the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) major immediate early protein/enhancer followed by a multiple cloning site (MCS); a synthetic intron; and the encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome entry site (IRES), followed by the neomycin phosphotransferase gene, with a downstream bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal. The antisense for the DNA open reading frame of quail interferon, type 1, was inserted into a unique BamHI site in the MCS downstream of the CMV promoter and transcription start site of pIRES1neo. The resultant expression pIRES1neo plasmid containing quail interferon, type1, was 866-79.2.

[0319] Stably transformed cell line QT-35 with antisense quail interferon type 1 plasmid 866-79.2.

[0320] Because a stably transformed chicken cell line is not readily available to make chicken interferon minus cell lines, a QT-35 cell line transformed with a Quail IFN-1 antisense expression plasmid was designed, to make new and improved cell substrates for the growth of avian viruses, such as HVT. The QT-35 stably transformed cell line and a vector expressing the antisense cDNA to quail interferon, type 1 were utilized.

[0321] QT-35 cells were transfected with a plasmid containing antisense DNA for quail IFN, type 1 and a selectable marker gene, neomycin phosphotransferase. The DNA plasmid, 866-79.2, was precipitated in the presence of calcium and HEPES buffer, mixed with QT-35 growth media and incubated with monolayers of QT-35 cells at 39C. After 5-6 hours, the cells were shocked with 15% glycerol for 3 minutes, washed with PBS and fed with growth media. Cells were allowed to form a confluent monolayer and then trypsinized and plated onto 6 cm dishes at subconfluent concentrations. After cells had attached and acclimated to the plastic, the media was replaced with growth media containing 400 ug/ml G418. Cells resistant to G418 were allowed to form colonies in the presence of 400-800 ug/ml of G418 for 2-3 weeks, or at least until untransfected QT-35 cells not resistant to G418 had died. G418 resistant clones were trypsinized and plated onto 10 cm culture dishes. Clones were subcultured and expanded as needed once a week in media containing 800 ug/ml G418.

[0322] QT-35 clones were selected on the basis of their growth stability in the presence of 800 ug/ml G418. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA from the G418 resistant clones and the parent QT-35 cells was performed. A neomycin phosphotransferase DNA probe labeled with digoxigenin dUTP (Boeringer Mannheim) was used to identify the presence of the genetic construct stably integrated into the genomic DNA. Cell clones resistant to G418 and positive for the neomycin gene by southern blot are considered to have the entire expression plasmid, 866-79.2 stably integrated into the chromosomal genomic cellular DNA.

[0323] The improved QT-35 cell line transformed with a Quail IFN-1 antisense expression plasmid is useful for production of avian viruses such as HVT, HVT/MDV chimeric viral vector, fowlpox virus, avipox virus, and other viruses. The avian viruses grow to higher titer in the improved QT-35 cell line due to inhibition of interferon production in the cell line.

[0324] S-SPV-129

[0325] S-SPV-129 is a recombinant swinepox virus that contains 2 genes, the quail interferon type 1 (qIFN-1) gene and the lacZ gene, inserted into a unique AccI site (within the O1L ORF) within the HindIII to Bg1II subfragment of the SPV Hind III M genomic fragment. The qIFN-1 gene is under the control of the late promoter 2 early promoter 2 (LP2EP2), and the lacZ gene is under the control of the late promoter 1 (LP1).

[0326] S-SPV-129 was created by HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT FPV OR SPV between S-SPV-001 and homology vector 849069.A1 in ESK-4 cell line (See WO 96/22363). The transfection stock was screened by the SCREEN FOR RECOMBINANT SPV EXPRESSING ENZYMATIC MARKER GENES. The final result of blue plaque purification was the recombinant virus designated S-SPV-129. This virus was assayed for β-galactosidase expression, purity, and insert stability by multiple passages monitored by the blue plaque assay as described in the materials and methods. After the initial three rounds of purification all plaques observed were blue indicating that the virus was pure, stable and expressing the marker gene.

[0327] To verify the biological activity of quail IFN-1, supernatants from ESK-4 cells infected with S-SPV-129 were collected and tested for their ability to inhibit vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection of CEF cells.

[0328] S-SPV-129 is useful as a vaccine against avian diseases in avian species such as chickens, ducks, quail, turkeys, bantams, guinea fowl and others. Quail IFN-1 improves an immune response against disease causing microorganisms when supplied in a viral vector alone or in combination with other avian disease-causing antigens. S-SPV-129 is useful as a vaccine to improve weight gain in avian species.

[0329] Expression of quail IFN-1 in S-SPV-129 or in a eukaryotic expression plasmid such as, pIRES1neo, (Clontech, Palo Alto, Calif.) (see example 23C, above) is useful when injected into the germline of chickens or other avian species to produce transgenic chickens or other avian species. Chickens transgenic for qIFN-1 demonstrate improved weight gain and growth and improved resistance to disease.

[0330] Transient expression assays comparing a novel chicken anemia virus (CAV) promoter to the HMCV immediate early promoter.

[0331] Chicken anemia virus (CAV) is a single stranded DNA virus of 2300 nucleotides, containing one major open reading frame (51 kdal capsid) and several smaller ORFs. CAV infects lymphoblastoid cells of the chicken and produces a 2100 nucleotide RNA transcript from one distinct promoter region. (References 67-72))

[0332] Four different CAV promoter constructs expressing β-galactosidase have been assessed for activity in transient assays. These promoter constructs are plasmids 850-25.18, 850-69.1, 850-80.2, and 883-11.A5, all of which use different CAV promoters to drive expression of β-galactosidase. A number of transient assays in CEFs and other cell lines have been performed with these constructs and plasmid 388-65.2,which uses the HCMV-IE promoter to express β-galactosidase.

[0333] Plasmid 850-25.18 contains an 854 bp version of the CAV promoter which extends through the first two translational starts for ORFs 1 and 2 up to the translational start for ORF 3, the CAV capsid protein gene. This promoter would include a functional coding sequence for the apoptin gene (ORF 2).

[0334] Plasmid 850-69.1 contains a novel CAV promoter which is similar to 850-25.18, except that a Hind III site within the apoptin reading frame has been filled in to destroy the apoptin reading frame, albeit only near the 3′ end. This creates an 858 bp version of the CAV promoter.

[0335] Plasmid 883-11.A5 contains a CAV promoter which starts at the same upstream site as the previous two promoters, but is only 381 bp long, extending to the translational start of ORF1.

[0336] Plasmid 850-80.2 contains a CAV promoter (SEQ ID NO 23) which is similar to 883-11.A5, but the -3 position relative to the translational start has been altered from nucleotide T to an A (Nucleotide 377 of SEQ ID NO 23), which is closer to a consensus ribosome entry site as described for other eukaryotic promoters by Kozak.

[0337] The results of the transient transfection assay show that CAV promoter plasmid 850-80.2 expresses high levels of β-galactosidase comparable to the levels observed with plasmid 388-65.2, containing the highly active HMCV IE promoter. The CAV promoter plasmid 850-80.2, which has a nucleotide change of T to A at the proposed ribosome entry site expresses higher transient levels of β-galactosidase than the CAV promoter plasmids, 850-25.18, 850-69.1, and 883-11.A5 (see FIG. 6). The results of transient transfection assays were observed in both chicken embryo fibroblast cells and in QT-35 (quail) cells. The CAV promoter in plasmid 850-80.2 is useful as a vaccine to express high levels of viral or bacterial antigens, cytokines, immune modulating proteins and cytoplasmic or cell surface receptors making it an excellent promoter for use in recombinant viruses. The. CAV promoter in plasmid 850-80.2 was used to make recombinant S-HVT-148 and S-FPV-106.

[0338] Recombinant HVT and recombinant FPV expressing foreign DNA from a chicken anemia virus promoter

[0339] S-HVT-148

[0340] S-HVT-148 is a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys that contains E. coliβ-galactosidase gene inserted into an XhoI site in the EcoR1 #9 fragment within the unique long region of HVT. This plasmid contains the E. coliβ-galactosidase gene under the control of a chicken anemia virus (CAV) promoter. The CAV promoter is a 381 bp fragment containing the CAV promoter sequence up to the first ORF of CAV, with the -3 position changed from T to A (Nucleotide 377 of SEQ ID NO 23).

[0341] S-HVT-148 was constructed according to the PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT HERPESVIRUS FROM OVERLAPPING SUBGENOMIC FRAGMENTS. The following combination of subgenomic clones and enzymes are used: 407-32.2C3 with NotI, 407-32.5G6 with NotI, 172-07.BA2 with BamHI, 415-09.BA1 with BamHI, 672-01.A40 with NotI, 672-07.C40 with NotI, and homology vector 867-96.B9 uncut. HVT-148 is a pure virus and expresses beta-galactosidase as evidenced by ONPG and blue plaque assays.

[0342] S-HVT-148 is useful as a vaccine in poultry against Marek's Disease. Other foreign DNA of interest are inserted under the control of the CAV promoter for use as a vaccine in poultry. The CAV promoter is useful in HVT, chimeric HVT/MDV viral vaccine, and other herpesviruses and upon insertion of foreign DNA from disease-causing microorganisms is useful as a vaccine in canine, feline, bovine, porcine, equine, and human species.

[0343] S-FPV-106

[0344] S-FPV-106 is a recombinant fowlpox virus that contains E. coliβ-galactosidase gene inserted into a unique SnaBI site (converted to a NotI site) in the 2.8 KB FPV genomic EcoRI fragment. S-FPV-106 contains the E. coliβ-galactosidase gene under the control of a novel chicken anemia virus (CAV) promoter. The CAV promoter is a 381 bp fragment containing the CAV promoter sequence up to the first ORF of CAV, with the -3 position changed from T to A (Nucleotide 377 of SEQ ID NO 23).

[0345] S-FPV-106 was created by HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION PROCEDURE FOR GENERATING RECOMBINANT FPV between 883-10.A1 and homology vector S-FPV-001. (See WO 94/19015). The transfection stock was screened by the SCREEN FOR RECOMBINANT FPV EXPRESSING ENZYMATIC MARKER GENES. The final result of blue plaque purification was the recombinant virus designated S-FPV-106. This virus was assayed for β-galactosidase expression, purity, and insert stability by multiple passages monitored by the blue plaque assay as described in the materials and methods. After the initial three rounds of purification all plaques observed were blue indicating that the virus was pure, stable and expressing the marker gene.

[0346] S-FPV-106 is useful as a vaccine in poultry against fowlpox disease. Other foreign DNA of interest are inserted under the control of the CAV promoter for use as a vaccine in poultry. The CAV promoter is useful in FPV, swinepox virus, raccoonpox virus and other poxviruses as a vaccine and upon insertion of foreign DNA from disease-causing microorganisms is useful as a vaccine in canine, feline, bovine, porcine, equine, and human species.