LASSA FEVER VIRUS GP2 PROTEIN

This Lassa fever Virus GP2 recombinant protein contains a Sheep Fc tag, and is expressed in HEK293 cells. The purified protein is designed for use in research and development of vaccines and immunodiagnostics for Lassa Fever.

PRODUCT DETAILS – LASSA FEVER VIRUS GP2 PROTEIN

• Recombinant Lassa Virus glycoprotein 2 (GP2), amino acids 259-426 of the Lassa virus glycoprotein precursor (NCBI P17332.1).
• Protein contains a C-terminal 33 amino acid glycine-serine linker followed by a sheep IgG Fc-tag with a glycine-serine linker.
• Produced in HEK293 cells and purified from culture supernatant by Protein G affinity chromatography into PBS, pH7.4.

BACKGROUND

Lassa Fever virus is an enveloped virus with glycoprotein spikes on its surface. The Lassa Fever virus glycoprotein is synthesized as a 76-kDa glycosylated precursor protein (GP-C), which is posttranslationally cleaved into the N-terminal 44-kDa subunit GP1 and the membrane bound 36-kDa subunit Lassa Fever virus GP2. It is thought that GP2 mediates pH-dependent fusion of the viral envelope with the cellular target membrane.

Lassa fever is a severe and sometimes fatal haemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa fever virus (LAFV). First identified in 1969 in Nigeria, LAFV is an enveloped single stranded RNA virus that belongs to the genus mammarenavirus, of the Arenaviridae family of viruses. The natural reservoir for LAFV is the Mastomys natalensis rat, and transmission of LAFV to humans is through contact with contaminated rat urine and faeces. The virus is also spread from person-to-person via contact with contaminated human excreta, blood and bodily secretions, which causes a significant risk to health workers. LAFV is now endemic in West Africa and a significant outbreak of Lassa fever in 2016 resulted in 160 deaths.

Most individuals infected with LAFV remain asymptomatic but severe disease may occur in 15% of cases, with 1% of cases resulting in death. Symptoms of LAFV infection are variable, and non-specific, making early diagnosis difficult. The symptoms associated with Lassa fever range from mild fever, with headaches and fatigue, to severe life threatening multi organ failure. Early stages of the disease resemble symptoms of typhoid and malaria and therefore misdiagnosis is a risk (WHO).