Adenoviral Vectors: Production and Purification

Current methodologies in first-generation adenoviral gene transfer, however novel their approach to vector delivery, are ultimately limited by the purity of the vector being delivered. Purity in this case is defined both from the standpoint of genetic homogeneity, and from the absence of any toxic elements that may jeopardize cellular homeostasis and/or virion-cell receptor interactions. The evolution from plasmid to recombinant adenoviral vector, therefore, necessitates the orchestration of production and purification. In vector development there is a constant need for confirmation stemming from the many vulnerabilities that may be imposed on the system in the cascade of events linking plasmid endocytosis to viral genomic encapsidation. The propensity with which wild-type virions tend to outgrow any engineered competitors is a primary concern in an effort to package and propagate a recombinant adenoviral genome.