EXPRESSION AND DIAGNOSTIC USE OF GAG ENCODED PEPTIDES WHICH ARE IMMUNOLOGICALLY REACTIVE WITH ANTIBODIES TO LAV

摘要

Immunologically reactive gag proteins of LAV are expressed in bacterial cells. The gag proteins are encoded by a recombinant plasmid containing procaryotic trancriptional and translational signals for expression, followed downstream by a DNA sequence comprising a portion of the gag region of LAV. Preferred signals for expression are selected from an inducible and/or suppressible operon, such as the trp operon. The gag proteins are isolated from the bacterial host and are utilized in diagnostic assays which detect the presence of LAV antigens or antibodies immunologically reactive with LAV. Further, the proteins produced by the method disclosed may be used as a vaccine against infection by the causative virus for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.