Baculovirus as Versatile Vectors for Protein Display and Biotechnological Applications

The baculovirus-insect cell system has long been deployed for a variety of applications including for use as biopesticides, for recombinant protein production, transient transgene expression, tissue therapy, and for vaccine production. Apart from the advantage of large-scale heterologous protein production with appropriate eukaryotic post-translational modification, foreign proteins can also be displayed on the viral envelope. This surface-display technology preserves the native multimeric structure of the protein, thereby expanding the clinical and pharmaceutical utility of the baculovirus system. Recombinant baculoviruses displaying major antigens for human or animal viruses can serve as appropriate vaccines. They can also serve as effective diagnostic platforms and various cell-based assay systems. In this review, we discuss progress in applying baculovirus surface-display, including protein display on the envelope, capsid, and occlusion bodies of baculoviruses, as well as on cells. We will also describe strategies for improvement of this biotechnological approach.