Virus-like particles of CMV modified by fusion

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modified virus-like particle (VLP) of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) comprising at least one fusion protein, wherein said at least one fusion protein comprises, or preferably consists of b) a chimeric CMV polypeptide, wherein said chimeric CMV polypeptide comprises, or preferably consists of (iii) a CMV polypeptide, wherein said CMV polypeptide comprises, or preferably consists of, a coat protein of CMV, wherein preferably said coat protein of CMV comprises, or preferably consists of, SEQ ID NO:62; or an amino acid sequence having a sequence identity of at least 75%, preferably of at least 80%, more preferably of at least 85%, again further preferably of at least 90 %, again more preferably of at least 95%, still further preferably of at least 98% and still again further more preferably of at least 99% with SEQ ID NO:62; and (iv) an antigenic polypeptide, wherein said antigenic polypeptide is inserted into said CMV polypeptide, wherein said insertion of said antigenic polypeptide is between amino acid residues of said CMV polypeptide corresponding to amino acid residues of position 84 and position 85 of SEQ ID NO:62; and (iii) a T helper cell epitope, wherein said T helper cell epitope replaces a N-terminal region of said CMV polypeptide, and wherein preferably said N-terminal region of said CMV polypeptide corresponds to amino acids 2-12 of SEQ ID NO:62.