Photochemical inactivation of recombinant baculovirus.

A method for the inactivation of aqueous suspensions of recombinant baculoviruses was developed using the combined effects of 4,5,8, trimethyl psoralen (trioxalen) and long-wave length UV illumination. A series of dose-effect titrations established the optimum conditions for the complete inactivation of a recombinant baculovirus expressing the glycoprotein D gene of Aujeszky's disease virus. The method was found to be equally effective against parental baculoviruses. The photochemical inactivation method proved simple, rapid and effective with minimal loss of biological activity in a recombinant protein subsequently used in an ELISA.