Translational Program
BTI HighFive™ Cell Lines
BTI is the home of the HighFive™ technology and the latest optimized virus-free subclones.
The HighFive™ cell lines (sometimes referred to as High-Five or Hi5) is a well-established and popular tool for protein production. With the recent development of optimized virus-free sub-clones, it remains the safest and most effective platform for the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS).
BTI has partnered with researchers and companies to continue to improve the technology and make it accessible to all. As the sole proprietor of the technology, BTI offers affordable licensing with complete peace of mind.
Learn More About HighFive™
HighFive™ cells (sometimes referred to as High-Five or Hi5) represent a safe, effective and inexpensive platform for protein production.
Indeed, their remarkable ability to produce very large amounts of recombinant proteins – such as diagnostic reagents and recombinant vaccines – remains unmatched.
The HighFive™ cells were originally isolated from insects in BTI’s Granados lab in the late 1980’s.
Virus-free sub-clones of the original HighFive™ cells can be obtained from BTI or commercial partners for testing for non-commercial use, and affordable and flexible commercial licenses can be obtained from BTI.
A tested platform for protein production
Virus-free sub-clones
Safety first
True scalability with unmatched yields
Proteins with less contaminants
Affordable licensing with peace of mind
All listed cell lines are the property of BTI.
All listed cell lines are available for Research Use Only under MTA and for commercial licensing.
Please contact the BTI Technology Transfer Office.
Cell Line
HighFive
Original BTI-TN-5B1-4 cell line
HighFive-VF
Virus-free sub-clone of HighFive
Tni-FNL
HighFive adapted to suspension growth & serum-free growth
Tnms42
Virus-free sub-clone of HighFive
Tnms42-sf
Tnms42 sub-clone adapted to serum-free medium
* Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology
** University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS)
First described in 1983, recombinant protein production in insect cells using BEVS, the technology has been used to produce thousands of proteins. The technology will continue to play a major role in our fight against emerging diseases.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25246703/
https://www.thescipub.com/abstract/10.3844/ajbbsp.2013.255.271
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34618205/
Baculovirus-free methods using transient plasmid-based expression or stable transformation are well documented.
Transient or stable expression can be combined with infection using a non-recombinant “wild-type” baculovirus , to increase protein expression by transactivation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22580066/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26934632/
Virus-free cell lines
The issue of adventitious viruses in insect cell lines was recently reviewed. Trichoplusia ni cells are susceptible to alphanodaviruses, but “unlike rhabdoviruses, alphanodaviruses are not generally considered to be mammalian pathogens”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29133148/
First description of a virus-free sub-clone of HighFive cells:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20602790/
The cell line, first believed to be from Ascalapha odorata (Ao38), was later identified as a Trichoplusia ni cell line and sub-clone of HighFive that emerged from a primary culture of A. odorata. It was renamed Tnao38. Erratum:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22531032/
Protein glycosylation using BTI cell lines
The production of mammalianized glycoproteins in HighFive and Tnao38 cells can be achieved using the SweetBacTM approach
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22485160/
Dr. Robert Granados was looking for ways to defend crops from the Cabbage Looper. During his research he made an unexpected discovery. The HighFive cell line (sometimes referred to as High-Five or Hi5) and newer sub-clones free of nodavirus are a popular tool for recombinant protein production.
BTI is the exclusive owner of the proprietary HighFive cell line and related sub-clones. Contact us to inquire about cell lines available for testing and request commercial-use licenses.