Chloroplast production of hantaviral antigens for development of hantaviral infection diagnostic tests.

The purpose of this proposed research is to develop a rapid field test system for detection of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) infection in humans and rodents using a lateral-flow immunoassay. This assay will have a broad technical impact in that it can be used in animal laboratories interested in ascertaining if their mice or rats have hantavirus (validation), in clinical laboratories in outbreak areas around the globe, in military settings where soldiers are at high risk for exposure, in the evaluation of vaccines for clinical trials for human use, and finally in research laboratories focused on epidemiology or ecology of the virus in humans or rodents. In collaboration with USAMRIID, Dr. Jonsson (Southern Research Institute) has focused on producing recombinant antigens for diagnosis of HFRS-causing hantaviruses. These antigens have proven to be particularly difficult to make in traditional bacterial expression systems. Using chloroplast transformation technology, Chlorogen, Inc.will extend and complement Dr. Jonsson's efforts to develop new and improved antigens produced in plants that can be used in assays to detect HFRS and HPS-causing hantaviruses.