FIG. 1.

(A) WNV replicons and packaging constructs used in this study. WNV repRNAs contain only the minimal C coding sequence required for RNA replication, fused to NS1. WNR NS1-5 ET2AN additionally expresses a polyprotein containing HIV Tat, the FMDV autocatalytic protease 2A, and NPTII. Packaging constructs are derived from SIN replicons encoding the SIN nonstructural proteins (Nsp1 to Nsp4) and either the entire WNV structural coding region (C/prM/E) or prM and E alone. WNV structural proteins are under the transcriptional control of the SIN 26S subgenomic promoter. (B) Antigen expression from SR constructs. BHK cells were electroporated with RNA transcribed from either empty vector control (SR 726G/45A), SR WN prM/E, or SR WN C/prM/E and stained with WNV-specific MHIAF 24 h after transfection.