A herpes simplex virus vector system for expression of complex cellular cDNA libraries.

Viral vector-based gene expression libraries from normal or diseased tissues offer opportunities to interrogate cellular functions that influence or participate directly in specific biological processes. Here we report the creation and characterization of a herpes simplex virus (HSV)-based expression library consisting of cDNAs derived from PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. A replication-defective HSV vector backbone was engineered to contain both a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and the Invitrogen in vitro Gateway recombination system, creating DBAC-GW. A cDNA library was produced and transferred into the DBAC-GW genome by in vitro recombination and selection in bacteria to produce DBAC-L. DBAC-L contained at least 15,000 unique cDNAs, as shown by DNA array analysis of PCR-amplified cDNA inserts, representing a wide range of cancer- and neuron-related cellular functions. Transfection of the recombinant DBAC-L DNA into complementing animal cells produced more than 1 million DBAC-L virus particles representing the library genes. By microarray analysis of vector-infected cells, we observed that individual members of this vector population expressed unique PC12 cDNA-derived mRNA, demonstrating the power of this system to transfer and express a variety of gene activities. We discuss the potential utility of this and similarly derived expression libraries for genome-wide approaches to identify cellular functions that participate in complex host-pathogen interactions or processes related to disease and to cell growth and development.