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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Pseudovirions as Specific Tools for Investigation of Virus Interactions With Cells

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This chapter outlines the generation and application of human papillomavirus type 33 (HPV33) pseudovirions. The method describes (1) the construction of vaccinia viruses recombinant for the major and minor HPV capsid proteins, L1 and L2, respectively; (2) the transfection of Cos7 cells with a marker plasmid replicating to high copy numbers; (3) the expression of L1 and L2 using the vaccinia virus expression system; (4) the extraction, purification, and analysis of HPV33 pseudovirions; and (5) their use in pseudoinfection assays. These pseudovirions are structurally indistinguishable from native virions and are therefore valuable tools for the study of papillomavirus-cell interactions. The methods described can be adopted for other nonenveloped DNA viruses and may be useful for gene transfer.