Vaccinia virus host range genes to increase the titer of avipoxviruses

Abstract

The invention concerns an Avipoxvirus comprising in the viral genome a Vaccinia virus host range gene or a homologue of said host range gene. The invention further relates to cells, preferably avian cells, comprising a Vaccinia virus host range gene or a homologue of said host range gene. Moreover, the invention concerns the use of a Vaccinia virus host range gene or a homologue thereof to increase the titer of avipoxviruses produced from cells after infection of said cells with the avipoxvirus, wherein the host range gene is expressed in the cells.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method for increasing the titer of an avipoxvirus comprising expressing a vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or a homologue of the C7L host range gene in an avian cell infected with the avipoxvirus;
 wherein the expression of the vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene in the avian cell increases the titer of the avipoxvirus.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene is integrated into the genome of the avian cell. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene is not integrated into the genome of the avian cell. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene is contained within the genome of the avipoxvirus. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene is contained within the genome of a vaccinia virus. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene is contained within a plasmid. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein a vaccinia virus C7L host range gene is expressed in the avian cell. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the avian cell is a chicken embryo fibroblast. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the avipoxvirus is a Fowlpoxvirus. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the avipoxvirus is a Canarypoxvirus. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the avipoxvirus comprises at least one additional heterologous nucleic acid. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the additional heterologous nucleic acid encodes at least one antigenic epitope. 
     
     
         41 . An avipoxvirus comprising in the viral genome a vaccinia virus C7L host range gene or a homologue of the C7L host range gene;
 wherein the avipoxvirus has an increased viral titer in avian cells compared to that of a corresponding avipoxvirus without the C7L host range gene or homologue of the C7L host range gene.   
     
     
         42 . The avipoxvirus of  claim 41 , wherein the avipoxvirus comprises in the viral genome a vaccinia virus C7L host range gene. 
     
     
         43 . The avipoxvirus of  claim 41 , wherein the avipoxvirus is a Fowlpoxvirus. 
     
     
         44 . The avipoxvirus of  claim 41 , wherein the avipoxvirus is a Canarypoxvirus. 
     
     
         45 . The avipoxvirus of  claim 41 , wherein the avipoxvirus comprises at least one additional heterologous nucleic acid. 
     
     
         46 . The avipoxvirus of  claim 45 , wherein the additional heterologous nucleic acid encodes at least one antigenic epitope.