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Reverse Genetics System for Rift Valley Fever Virus

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Reverse Genetics of RNA Viruses

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2733))

Abstract

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an important mosquito-borne virus that can cause severe disease manifestations in humans including ocular damage, vision loss, late-onset encephalitis, and hemorrhagic fever. In ruminants, RVFV can cause high mortality rates in young animals and high rates of abortion in pregnant animals resulting in an enormous negative impact on the economy of affected regions. To date, no licensed vaccines in humans or anti-RVFV therapeutics for animal or human use are available. The development of reverse genetics has facilitated the generation of recombinant infectious viruses that serve as powerful tools for investigating the molecular biology and pathogenesis of RVFV. Infectious recombinant RVFV can be rescued entirely from cDNAs containing predetermined mutations in their genomes to investigate virus–host interactions and mechanisms of pathogenesis and generate live-attenuated vaccines. In this chapter, we will describe the experimental procedures for the implementation of RVFV reverse genetics.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Public Health Service grant AI148763 from the National Institutes of Health and pilot grants from the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity at the University of Texas Medical Branch. BT was supported by the James W. McLaughlin Postdoctoral Fellowship Fund at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Galveston, TX, USA

    Breanna Tercero & Shinji Makino

  2. Institute of Human Infection and Immunity, Galveston, TX, USA

    Shinji Makino

  3. Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Galveston, TX, USA

    Shinji Makino

  4. UTMB Center for Tropical Diseases, Galveston, TX, USA

    Shinji Makino

  5. The Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, Galveston, TX, USA

    Shinji Makino

Authors
  1. Breanna Tercero
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  2. Shinji Makino
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shinji Makino .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Daniel R. Pérez

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Tercero, B., Makino, S. (2024). Reverse Genetics System for Rift Valley Fever Virus. In: Pérez, D.R. (eds) Reverse Genetics of RNA Viruses. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2733. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3533-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3533-9_7

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3532-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3533-9

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