Recombinant Vaccinia/Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus express VEE structural proteins

cDNA molecules encoding the structural proteins of the virulent Trinidad donkey and the TC-83 vaccine strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus were inserted under control of the vaccinia virus 7-5K promoter into the thymidine kinase gene of vaccinia virus. Synthesis of the capsid protein and glycoproteins E2 and E1 of VEE virus was demonstrated by immunoblotting of lysates of CV-1 cells infected with recombinant vaccinia/VEE viruses. VEE glycoproteins were detected in recombinant virus-infected cells by fluorescent antibody (FA) analysis performed with a panel of VEE-specific monoclonal antibodies. Seven E2-specific epitopes and two of four E1-specific epitopes were demonstrated by FA.