Abstract:Grass carp reovirus (GCRV) is the first aquatic animal virus isolated and well characterized in China, which causes severe hemorrhage in fingerlings and yearlings of grass carp (with above 90% morbidity and leads to huge economic losses. GCRV has been classified to the genus of aquareoviruses and shares the typical physico-chemical properties and morphological characteristics with other aquareovirueses, which consists of a double-layered capsid in containing a genome composed of 11 segments of double-stranded RNA. GCRV has been considered to be the most pathogenic aquareovirus in fishes, therefore, it represents a model system for the studies of replication and pathogenesis of aquareoviruses both. Currently, there are limited vaccines available for the prevention and control of the disease, moreover, none of them is commercialized and able to be delivered through oral administration. The application of plants as a production system for vaccines facilitates a novel and safe approach of vaccination. Besides their application in human beings, they can be used as oral veterinary vaccines in animals. It should be noted that several plant- derived vaccines for different animals, utilizing various plant production systems, are under investigation. Although up to date not yet readily available, the development of these plant-based vaccines is in an advanced stage and shows great potential for use in future. Especifically in aquaculture, oral vaccination has multi- advantages, since it is a relatively effortless, cost effective and stress-free immunization method, which can be used at almost any age of fish. For the purpose to generate a plant-based vaccine against grass carp hemorrhage, here we presented the result of constructing a plant-based fusion expression vector, in which a gut adhesion molecule gene () and a green fluorescent protein gene ( gene posted in GenBank. GCRV genome was extracted from the virus infected grass carp kidney cell line (CIK) and the GCRV VP6 coding region was amplified by RT-PCR. The LTB coding region was amplified from H44815 genome. The PCR products were cloned into pCAMBIA 1302, which contained a green fluorescence protein gene marker in order to track the route of antigen uptakefor the innovation of edible transgenic plant vaccine against grass carp hemorrhage through oral immunization.