This project was funded by the National Institutes of Health (AI114851) to SR.

1. Generating the recombination vector
<ol>
	<li>Design primers to generate the selection cassette. Design each individual amplicon with overlapping sequences with neighboring amplicons and the vector to facilitate isothermal enzymatic assembly of DNA molecules, also called Gibson assembly, using any of several online primer design tools. 
	NOTE: This protocol can also be completed using traditional restriction endonuclease-based cloning methods. In that case, design primers with the appropriate restriction sites ...

<ol>
	<li>Brochier, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Large-scale+eradication+of+rabies+using+recombinant+vaccinia-rabies+vaccine.">Large-scale eradication of rabies using recombinant vaccinia-rabies vaccine.</a> Nature. 354 (6354), 520-522 (1991).</li><li>Pastoret, P. P., Brochier, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+development+and+use+of+a+vaccinia-rabies+recombinant+oral+vaccine+for+the+control+of+wildlife+rabies;+a+link+between+Jenner+and+Pasteur.">The development and use of a vaccinia-rabies recombinant oral vaccine for the control of wildlife rabies; a link between Jenner and Pasteur.</a> Epidemiology and Infection. 116 (3), 235-240 (1996).</li><li>Chan, W. M., McFadden, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Oncolytic+Poxviruses.">Oncolytic Poxviruses.</a> Annual review of virology. 1 (1), 119-141 (2014).</li><li>Nguyen, D. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vaccinia+virus-mediated+expression+of+human+erythropoietin+in+tumors+enhances+virotherapy+and+alleviates+cancer-related+anemia+in+mice.">Vaccinia virus-mediated expression of human erythropoietin in tumors enhances virotherapy and alleviates cancer-related anemia in mice.</a> Molecular Therapy. 21 (11), 2054-2062 (2013).</li><li>Frentzen, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Anti-VEGF+single-chain+antibody+GLAF-1+encoded+by+oncolytic+vaccinia+virus+significantly+enhances+antitumor+therapy.">Anti-VEGF single-chain antibody GLAF-1 encoded by oncolytic vaccinia virus significantly enhances antitumor therapy.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 106 (31), 12915-12920 (2009).</li><li>Pastoret, P. P., Vanderplasschen, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Poxviruses+as+vaccine+vectors.">Poxviruses as vaccine vectors.</a> Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. 26 (5-6), 343-355 (2003).</li><li>COLLIER, L. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+development+of+a+stable+smallpox+vaccine.">The development of a stable smallpox vaccine.</a> The Journal of Hygiene. 53 (1), 76-101 (1955).</li><li>Weir, J. P., Bajsz&#225;r, G., Moss, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mapping+of+the+vaccinia+virus+thymidine+kinase+gene+by+marker+rescue+and+by+cell-free+translation+of+selected+mRNA.">Mapping of the vaccinia virus thymidine kinase gene by marker rescue and by cell-free translation of selected mRNA.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 79 (4), 1210-1214 (1982).</li><li>Mackett, M., Smith, G. L., Moss, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vaccinia+virus:+a+selectable+eukaryotic+cloning+and+expression+vector.">Vaccinia virus: a selectable eukaryotic cloning and expression vector.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 79 (23), 7415-7419 (1982).</li><li>Nakano, E., Panicali, D., Paoletti, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+genetics+of+vaccinia+virus:+demonstration+of+marker+rescue.">Molecular genetics of vaccinia virus: demonstration of marker rescue.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 79 (5), 1593-1596 (1982).</li><li>Falkner, F. G., Moss, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transient+dominant+selection+of+recombinant+vaccinia+viruses.">Transient dominant selection of recombinant vaccinia viruses.</a> Journal of Virology. 64 (6), 3108-3111 (1990).</li><li>Staib, C., Drexler, I., Ohlmann, M., Wintersperger, S., Erfle, V., Sutter, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transient+Host+Range+Selection+for+Genetic+Engineering+of+Modified+Vaccinia+Virus+Ankara.">Transient Host Range Selection for Genetic Engineering of Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara.</a> BioTechniques. 28 (6), 1137-1148 (2000).</li><li>Staib, C., Drexler, I., Sutter, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Construction+and+Isolation+of+Recombinant+MVA.">Construction and Isolation of Recombinant MVA.</a> Vaccinia Virus and Poxvirology. , 77-99 (2004).</li><li>Di Lullo, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Marker+gene+swapping+facilitates+recombinant+Modified+Vaccinia+Virus+Ankara+production+by+host-range+selection.">Marker gene swapping facilitates recombinant Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara production by host-range selection.</a> Journal of Virological Methods. 156 (1-2), 37-43 (2009).</li><li>Pfaller, C. K., Li, Z., George, C. X., Samuel, C. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Protein+kinase+PKR+and+RNA+adenosine+deaminase+ADAR1:+New+roles+for+old+players+as+modulators+of+the+interferon+response.">Protein kinase PKR and RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1: New roles for old players as modulators of the interferon response.</a> Current Opinion in Immunology. 23 (5), 573-582 (2011).</li><li>Bevilacqua, P. C., George, C. X., Samuel, C. E., Cech, T. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Binding+of+the+protein+kinase+PKR+to+RNAs+with+secondary+structure+defects:+Role+of+the+tandem+A+-+G+mismatch+and+noncontigous+helixes.">Binding of the protein kinase PKR to RNAs with secondary structure defects: Role of the tandem A - G mismatch and noncontigous helixes.</a> Biochemistry. 37 (18), 6303-6316 (1998).</li><li>Krishnamoorthy, T., Pavitt, G. D., Zhang, F., Dever, T. E., Hinnebusch, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tight+Binding+of+the+Phosphorylated+Subunit+of+Initiation+Factor+2+(eIF2)+to+the+Regulatory+Subunits+of+Guanine+Nucleotide+Exchange+Factor+eIF2B+Is+Required+for+Inhibition+of+Translation+Initiation.">Tight Binding of the Phosphorylated Subunit of Initiation Factor 2 (eIF2) to the Regulatory Subunits of Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor eIF2B Is Required for Inhibition of Translation Initiation.</a> Molecular and Cellular Biology. 21 (15), 5018-5030 (2001).</li><li>Rothenburg, S., Georgiadis, M. M., Wek, R. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evolution+of+eIF2&#945;+kinases:+Adapting+translational+control+to+diverse+stresses.">Evolution of eIF2&#945; kinases: Adapting translational control to diverse stresses.</a> Evolution of the Protein Synthesis Machinery and Its Regulation. , 235-260 (2016).</li><li>Bratke, K. A., McLysaght, A., Rothenburg, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+survey+of+host+range+genes+in+poxvirus+genomes.">A survey of host range genes in poxvirus genomes.</a> Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 14, 406-425 (2013).</li><li>Chang, H. W., Watson, J. C., Jacobs, B. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+E3L+gene+of+vaccinia+virus+encodes+an+inhibitor+of+the+interferon-induced,+double-stranded+RNA-dependent+protein+kinase.">The E3L gene of vaccinia virus encodes an inhibitor of the interferon-induced, double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 89 (11), 4825-4829 (1992).</li><li>Romano, P. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inhibition+of+double-stranded+RNA-dependent+protein+kinase+PKR+by+vaccinia+virus+E3:+role+of+complex+formation+and+the+E3+N-terminal+domain.">Inhibition of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR by vaccinia virus E3: role of complex formation and the E3 N-terminal domain.</a> Molecular and Cellular Biology. 18 (12), 7304-7316 (1998).</li><li>Beattie, E., Tartaglia, J., Paoletti, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vaccinia+virus-encoded+eIF-2+alpha+homolog+abrogates+the+antiviral+effect+of+interferon.">Vaccinia virus-encoded eIF-2 alpha homolog abrogates the antiviral effect of interferon.</a> Virology. 183 (1), 419-422 (1991).</li><li>Park, C., Peng, C., Brennan, G., Rothenburg, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Species-specific+inhibition+of+antiviral+protein+kinase+R+by+capripoxviruses+and+vaccinia+virus.">Species-specific inhibition of antiviral protein kinase R by capripoxviruses and vaccinia virus.</a> Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1438 (1), 18-29 (2019).</li><li>Rothenburg, S., Brennan, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Species-Specific+Host-Virus+Interactions:+Implications+for+Viral+Host+Range+and+Virulence.">Species-Specific Host-Virus Interactions: Implications for Viral Host Range and Virulence.</a> Trends in Microbiology. , (2019).</li><li>Chakrabarti, S., Sisler, J. R., Moss, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Compact,+synthetic,+vaccinia+virus+early/late+promoter+for+protein+expression.">Compact, synthetic, vaccinia virus early/late promoter for protein expression.</a> BioTechniques. 23 (6), 1094-1097 (1997).</li><li>Chung, C. T., Niemela, S. L., Miller, R. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=One-step+preparation+of+competent+Escherichia+coli:+Transformation+and+storage+of+bacterial+cells+in+the+same+solution+(recombinant+DNA).">One-step preparation of competent Escherichia coli: Transformation and storage of bacterial cells in the same solution (recombinant DNA).</a> Biochemistry. 86, 2172-2175 (1989).</li><li>Chung, C. T., Miller, R. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preparation+and+storage+of+competent+Escherichia+coli+cells.">Preparation and storage of competent Escherichia coli cells.</a> Methods in Enzymology. 218, 621-627 (1993).</li><li>Rahman, M. M., Liu, J., Chan, W. M., Rothenburg, S., McFadden, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Myxoma+Virus+Protein+M029+Is+a+Dual+Function+Immunomodulator+that+Inhibits+PKR+and+Also+Conscripts+RHA/DHX9+to+Promote+Expanded+Host+Tropism+and+Viral+Replication.">Myxoma Virus Protein M029 Is a Dual Function Immunomodulator that Inhibits PKR and Also Conscripts RHA/DHX9 to Promote Expanded Host Tropism and Viral Replication.</a> PLOS Pathogens. 9 (7), 1003465 (2013).</li><li>Evans, D. H., Stuart, D., McFadden, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High+levels+of+genetic+recombination+among+cotransfected+plasmid+DNAs+in+poxvirus-infected+mammalian+cells.">High levels of genetic recombination among cotransfected plasmid DNAs in poxvirus-infected mammalian cells.</a> Journal of Virology. 62 (2), 367-375 (1988).</li><li>Ball, L. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High-frequency+homologous+recombination+in+vaccinia+virus+DNA.">High-frequency homologous recombination in vaccinia virus DNA.</a> Journal of Virology. 61 (6), 1788-1795 (1987).</li><li>Spyropoulos, D. D., Roberts, B. E., Panicali, D. L., Cohen, L. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Delineation+of+the+viral+products+of+recombination+in+vaccinia+virus-infected+cells.">Delineation of the viral products of recombination in vaccinia virus-infected cells.</a> Journal of Virology. 62 (3), 1046-1054 (1988).</li><li>Liu, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transient+dominant+host-range+selection+using+Chinese+hamster+ovary+cells+to+generate+marker-free+recombinant+viral+vectors+from+vaccinia+virus.">Transient dominant host-range selection using Chinese hamster ovary cells to generate marker-free recombinant viral vectors from vaccinia virus.</a> BioTechniques. 62 (4), 183-187 (2017).</li></ol>

Here we present a variation of a transient marker selection strategy 32 to generate recombinant vaccinia viruses without retaining foreign DNA in the final recombinant virus. Our strategy uses selective pressure mediated by the host antiviral protein PKR rather than other forms of selective pressure such as antibiotics. The use of host antiviral genes eliminates the possibility of chemically induced phenotypic changes in the cells, or increased risk of mutation due to selection drugs. Furthermore,...

Vaccinia virus (VACV) was instrumental for the first successful eradication of a human pathogen, variola virus (VARV), from nature. Ever since the extermination of variola virus, poxviruses including VACV have continued to be useful therapeutic viruses for both human and animal medicine. For example, a VACV-based rabies virus vaccine has been very effective in preventing transmission of sylvatic rabies in Europe1 and the United States2. More recently, recombinant poxviruses expressing a variety of anti-tumor molecules (e.g., single-chain antibodies or human erythropoietin) have seen encouraging success as oncolytic agents3,4,5. VACV is particularly attractive as a vector because it is readily amenable to genetic manipulation, possesses a broad host range, and it is stable under a variety of conditions, allowing easy transportation and vaccine viability in the field6,7. While multiple techniques have been developed to generate recombinant VACV for laboratory experiments and vaccine generation, current strategies to generate these viruses have notable limitations.
Because of the utility of VACV, multiple strategies to generate recombinant viruses have been developed. The first strategy employs homologous recombination to introduce a cassette including the transgene and a selectable marker gene such as an antibiotic resistance gene. The cassette is flanked by two ~500 nucleotides (nt) or larger arms directing the gene to a specific site in the viral genome, which is then stably integrated by double crossover events8,9,10. This strategy is rapid and efficient; however, it results in extra genetic material in the form of the marker gene that may produce unexpected effects. Furthermore, there is a practical upper limit to the number of transgenes that can be introduced limited by the number of unique selectable markers available. Transient dominant selection (TDS) strategies have addressed this issue by facilitating the generation of &#34;scarless&#34; recombinant viruses11. Using this strategy, a plasmid containing a mutant VACV gene and a selectable marker gene are integrated into the viral genome, but without additional flanking VACV DNA. This approach results in transient integration of the entire plasmid and duplication of the VACV gene as a result of integration by a single crossover event. This intermediate is stable as long as it is maintained under selection pressure, permitting enrichment of this construct. When selection is removed, the VACV duplication enables a second crossover event that results in the removal of the plasmid and subsequent formation of either the wild type (wt) or recombinant virus in an approximate 50:50 ratio. While TDS generates recombinant viruses without requiring the stable introduction of foreign DNA, multiple virus clones must be screened for the expected mutation by sequencing analysis, a potentially time consuming and costly step.
Here, we present an approach to generating recombinant poxviruses combining the best aspects of each of these approaches, similar to an approach that has been described for the replication incompetent modified vaccinia Ankara12,13,14. This strategy combines visual and host range selection to rapidly generate recombinant viruses by double crossover events, and subsequently eliminate the selectable marker gene by homologous recombination. This approach permits the rapid generation of mutants mediated by homologous recombination, with the &#34;scarless&#34; nature of TDS approaches, while not requiring a subsequent screening step to distinguish wild type and mutant viruses. Our method also uses host range selection in place of antibiotic selection, eliminating the risk of chemically induced phenotypic changes in the cell line. For this approach, we have chosen to use the host antiviral protein kinase R (PKR) as the selective agent to generate recombinant VACV. PKR is expressed as an inactive monomer in most cell types15. Upon binding double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) at the N-terminal dsRNA-binding domains, PKR dimerizes and is autophosphorylated16. This active form of PKR phosphorylates the alpha subunit of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2), ultimately inhibiting delivery of initiator methionyl-tRNA to the ribosome, thereby preventing intracellular translation and broadly inhibiting the replication of many virus families17,18.
In response to the broad and potent antiviral activity of PKR, many viruses have evolved at least one strategy to prevent PKR activation. Most poxviruses express two PKR antagonists, encoded by the E3L and K3L genes in VACV, which antagonize PKR through two distinct mechanisms19. E3 prevents PKR homodimerization by binding double-stranded RNA20,21, while K3 acts as a pseudosubstrate inhibitor by binding directly to activated PKR and thereby inhibiting interaction with its substrate eIF2&#945;22. Importantly, these two PKR antagonists do not necessarily inhibit PKR from all species. For example, the K3 homolog from the sheeppox virus strongly inhibited PKR from sheep, whereas the sheeppox E3 homolog did not show considerable PKR inhibition23,24. In this study, we present a method to use PKR-mediated selective pressure combined with fluorescence selection to generate a VACV recombinant deleted for E3L and K3L (VC-R4), which cannot replicate in PKR competent cells derived from diverse species. This recombinant virus provides an excellent background for rapid generation of recombinant viruses expressing genes under control of the native E3L promoter.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>2X-Q5 Master Mix</td>
			<td>NEB</td>
			<td>M0492L</td>
			<td>High-fidelity polymerase used in PCR</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ampicillin</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>11593027</td>
			<td>Bacterial selective agent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable Cell Scrapers</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>08-100-242</td>
			<td>Cell scraper to harvest infected cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EVOS FL Auto 2 Cell imaging system</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>AMAFD2000</td>
			<td>Fluorescent microscope</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EVOS Light Cube, GFP</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>AMEP4651</td>
			<td>GFP Cube</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EVOS Light Cube, RFP</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>AMEP4652</td>
			<td>RFP Cube</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GenJet</td>
			<td>SignaGen Laboratories</td>
			<td>SL100489</td>
			<td>Transfection reagent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Luria Bertani (LB) Broth</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>10855021</td>
			<td>Bacterial growth medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Monarch DNA gel extraction kit</td>
			<td>NEB</td>
			<td>T1020L</td>
			<td>Gel purification kit used to purify amplicons and linearized vectors</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Monarch Plasmid Miniprep kit</td>
			<td>NEB</td>
			<td>T1010L</td>
			<td>Miniprep kit ussed to purify plasmids</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NanoDrop One</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>ND-ONE-W</td>
			<td>Spectrophotometer used to measure RNA and DNA concentration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NEBuilder Master Mix</td>
			<td>NEB</td>
			<td>E2621L</td>
			<td>Isothermal enzymatic assembly kit used to generate the recombination vector</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Q500 Sonicator</td>
			<td>Qsonica</td>
			<td>Q500-110</td>
			<td>Sonicator for virus lysates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RK13 cells</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>CCL-37</td>
			<td>Rabbit kidney cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>VWR Multiwell Cell Culture plates</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>10062-892</td>
			<td>Cell culture plates</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

rapid, seamless generation of recombinant poxviruses using host range and visual selection

Vaccinia virus (VACV) was instrumental in eradicating variola virus (VARV), the causative agent of smallpox, from nature. Since its first use as a vaccine, VACV has been developed as a vector for therapeutic vaccines and as an oncolytic virus. These applications take advantage of VACV&#8217;s easily manipulated genome and broad host range as an outstanding platform to generate recombinant viruses with a variety of therapeutic applications. Several methods have been developed to generate recombinant VACV, including marker selection methods and transient dominant selection. Here, we present a refinement of a host range selection method coupled with visual identification of recombinant viruses. Our method takes advantage of selective pressure generated by the host antiviral protein kinase R (PKR) coupled with a fluorescent fusion gene expressing mCherry-tagged E3L, one of two VACV PKR antagonists. The cassette, including the gene of interest and the mCherry-E3L fusion is flanked by sequences derived from the VACV genome. Between the gene of interest and mCherry-E3L is a smaller region that is identical to the first ~150 nucleotides of the 3&#8217; arm, to promote homologous recombination and loss of the mCherry-E3L gene after selection. We demonstrate that this method permits efficient, seamless generation of rVACV in a variety of cell types without requiring drug selection or extensive screening for mutant viruses.

We used the procedure diagrammed in Figure 1 to generate a VACV lacking both PKR antagonists E3L and K3L, by replacing E3L with EGFP in a virus already deleted for K3L (vP872). Figure 2 shows red fluorescent plaques in PKR competent RK13 cells indicative of viral expression of mCherry-E3L, as well as EGFP expressed in RK13+E3L+K3L cells confirming the loss of E3L and collapse of the mCherry-E3L selection marker. Figure 3 confirms th...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Rapid, Seamless Generation of Recombinant Poxviruses using Host Range and Visual Selection at JoVE.com

Rapid, Seamless Generation of Recombinant Poxviruses using Host Range and Visual Selection

This is a method to generate &#8220;scarless&#8221; recombinant vaccinia viruses using host-range selection and visual identification of recombinant viruses.

Vaccinia virus (VACV) was instrumental in eradicating variola virus (VARV), the causative agent of smallpox, from nature. Since its first use as a ...

Our method uses host range selection and fluorescent markers for the efficient and seamless generation of recombinant vaccina virus in a variety of cell types. This technique combines the speed of homologous recombination with the scarless nature of transient dominant selection. In addition, we host range selection to eliminate the possibility of chemically induced changes.This method can also be used to modify vaccinia virus or other poxviruses to express foreign genes, for example, to generate vaccines. If you're performing this protocol with fluorescence selection only, you must ensure that you're screening enough viruses to detect a relatively rare recombinants without PKR selective pressure. This method relies on the gain and loss of fluorescent markers to successfully select viruses that have acquired the recombination cassettes and to detect viruses that have scarless recombined.To generate a recombination vector, first add 17 microliters of DNase free water, 1.2 microliters of each primer, five microliters of 5x PCR reaction buffer, template DNA, and 0.5 microliters of DNA polymerase to one PCR tube per amplicon. Add additional DNase free water to bring the final volume in each tube to 50 microliters. And place the tubes into a thermocycler.Melt the DNA at 98 degree Celsius for 30 seconds before using 25 rounds of a three-step PCR protocol as indicated. To visualize the amplification products on a 1%agarose gel, add 10 microliters of each DNA product and 2 microliters of loading buffer to each well. Run the gel for one hour at eight volts per centimeter.At the end of the run, use a DNA gel extraction kit according to the manufacturer's protocol to gel purify each amplicon. Elute the amplicons from the column with 50 microliters of DNase free water and immediate centrifugation. To linearize a cloning vector, first add one microgram of the vector, 17 microliters of DNase free water, 2 microliters of reaction buffer, and 1 microliter of EcoRI to a tube for a one hour incubation at 37 degree Celsius.At the end of the incubation, add 0.2 picomoles of the linearized vector 10 microliters of DNase free water, and 10 microliters of DNA assembly master mix to each isolated amplicon. Incubate samples at 50 degree Celsius for one hour. At the end of the incubation, transform chemically competent E.coli with two microliters of the assembled product according to standard protocols.Plate 100 microliters of transformed cells onto LB agarose plates supplemented with 100 micrograms per milliliter of ampicillin. After overnight incubation at 37 degree Celsius, select well-isolated colonies for inoculation in Luria broth supplemented with 100 micrograms per milliliter of ampicillin overnight at 37 degree Celsius and 225 revolutions per minute. The next morning, use a plasmid miniprep kit to isolate the plasmids.And check the concentration and purity of the DNA on a spectrophotometer. For recombinant virus generation, infect a confluent monolayer of suitable cells with the virus to be recombined at a multiplicity of infection of one in a six-well plate. And incubate the infected cells at 37 degree Celsius and 5%carbon dioxide for one hour.At the end of the incubation, replace the supernatant in each well with fresh DMEM and using a commercially available transfection reagent according to the manufacturer's protocol. Add a three micrograms of the recombination vector of interest to each well. Place the plate in the incubator for additional 48 hours.Before pooling the cells from each transfection condition into individual 1.5 milliliters tubes. Then freeze-thaw the pooled cells three times before sonicating the resulting lysates for 15 seconds at a 50%amplitude. Next, serially 10-fold dilute the sonicated lysate, harvested from a 10 to the first to 10 to the sixth concentration in fresh DMEM and add one milliliter of each dilution to individual confluent wells of a protein kinase R competent cell line.Place the cells in the cell culture incubator for one hour before replacing the supernatants with fresh medium and returning the cells to the cell culture incubator. After 24 to 48 hours, identify the recombinant viruses by fluorescence microscopy. Plaques from recombinant viruses express red fluorescence due to integration of the mCherry-E3L fusion gene.Plaque purify the recombinant viruses three times on wild type RK13 cells. After three rounds of plaque purification, infect RK13+E3L+K3L cells with serial dilutions of the plaque lysate. To identify the collapsed viruses, by fluorescence microscopy using an appropriate imaging system equipped with GFP and RFP filter cubes.Then plaque purify green-only VC-R4, or colorless E3L plaques three times on RK13+E3L+K3L cells. Ensuring that no plaques fluoresce red. Infect the cells with at least 100 plaque forming units to increase your chances of identifying a colorless plaque.In rare cases, multiple rounds of infection might be required. Red fluorescent plaques in protein kinase R competent RK13 cells are indicative of viral expression of mCherry-E3L. And colorless plaques or plaques expressing only eGFP in RK13+E3L+K3L cells confirm the collapse of the mCherry-E3L selection marker.The recombinant virus VC-R4, which lacks both protein kinase R antagonists cannot replicate in protein kinase R competent RK13 cells while the apparent virus VP872, which expresses E3L is replication competent. To confirm that this inability to replicate in RK13 cells was only due to the loss of E3L, enhanced GFP was replaced with E3L in the VC-R4 virus. It generated a relevant virus using the same selection protocol.Interestingly, while making this virus, colorless plaques consistent with collapse of the mCherry-E3L selection marker were identified prior to selection in RK13+E3L+K3L cells that are generally required to select scarless recombinants. Likely because of the extended sequence identity between the mCherry-E3L recombination cassette and the E3L gene being inserted into VC-R4. On average 12.6%of progeny virions underwent recombination with the transfected plasmid, similar to previously reported frequencies.Here, the frequency of colorless plaques relative to the total plaques RK13+E3L+K3L cells is shown, demonstrating that the rate of collapse and the loss of the mCherry-E3L selection marker occurred at an approximately 1.8%frequency. In the first stage using PKR competent cells ensures that all of the plaques with contained recombinant virus. In the second stage using PKR deficient cells enables the detection of recombinant virus with a collapse mCherry-E3L locus.This approach allows us to rapidly generate viruses containing exogenous genes, for example, for vaccine production offer the expression of different viral PKR antagonists. to facilitate the analysis of species-specific interactions with PKR from various hosts.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

5.2K Views.  School of Medicine, University of California Davis. Our method uses host range selection and fluorescent markers for the efficient and seamless generation of recombinant vaccina virus in a variety of cell types. This technique combines the speed of homologous recombination with the scarless nature of transient dominant selection. In addition, we host range selection to eliminate the possibility of chemically induced changes.This method can also be used to modify vaccinia virus or other poxviruses to express foreign genes, for example, t...