Glycoprotein gene relocation in rabies virus

Unlike vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies virus glycoprotein gene has not been successfully relocated closer to promoter–proximal regions by reverse genetics. Here we describe an efficient system for the Evelyn-Rokitnicki-Abelseth (ERA) rabies virus with the glycoprotein gene switched with the matrix protein gene, creating a reshuffled virus ERAgm (gene order N-P-G-M-L). With the aid of an autogene plasmid, the T7 RNA polymerase containing a nuclear location signal from the SV40 large T antigen facilitated virus recovery. The rearranged ERAgm rabies virus replicated as well as the parental ERA (gene order N-P-M-G-L) virus, reaching 109 ffu/ml in infected BSR cells. The altered glycoprotein gene position in viral genome presented an alternative way to study the pathogenicity of rabies virus. This also provides a potential novel method for rabies vaccine development.