Transient Expression in HEK-293 Cells in Suspension Culture as a Rapid and Powerful Tool: SARS-CoV-2 N and Chimeric SARS-CoV-2N-CD154 Proteins as a Case Study.

In a previous work, we proposed a vaccine chimeric antigen based on the fusion of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein to the extracellular domain of the human CD40 ligand (CD154). This vaccine antigen was named N-CD protein and its expression was carried out in HEK-293 stably transfected cells, grown in adherent conditions and serum-supplemented medium. The chimeric protein obtained in these conditions presented a consistent pattern of degradation.