Abstract
Using a plasmid (pSWS) similar to one that has been successfully used for large-scale production of hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope protein particles (pSVS) but containing the corresponding woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) envelope gene sequences, we have stably transformed the rodent dihydrofolate reductase-deficient cell line CHO dhfr-. Although production of WHV envelope particles in CHO/pSWS cell lines was low, it was sufficient to test whether these particles could bind to polymerized serum albumin. Whereas binding of HBV particles produced in CHO/pSVS cells to polymerized human serum albumin could readily be detected, we found no evidence that the WHV envelope protein particles produced in vitro bind to either human or woodchuck polymerized serum albumin.
† Present address: Unité de Recombinaison et Expression Génétique (U163, INSERM), Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
‡ Present address: UPR 2420, CNRS, CGM, 26 Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
Present address: Unité hépatites, SIDA et rétrovirus humains, 151 cours Albert Thomas 69424 Lyon Cedex 03, France.
|| Present address: UPR 41, CNRS, Faculté de Médecine, 2 Avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, 35043 Rennes Cedex, France.