We are producing a mucosal vaccine delivery system which utilizes the unique features of viral proteins to delivery DNA vaccines to the mucosal surfaces. The key features of this system that will lend themselves to DNA vaccine delivery are: 1) capacity to transport DNA; 2) the lack of size restriction, and therefore the potential capacity to carry any size gene; 3) the lack of viral genes and therefore virulence; 4) the enhanced ability to enter cells and deliver DNA; 5) the elimination of problems associated with needle injections; and 6)the targeting of DNA vaccine delivery to the mucosal surfaces, where most pathogens initiate their infectious cycle. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Potential application of this system is targeted DNA vaccine delivery to mucosal surfaces
