PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HBV SURFACE PROTEINS

摘要

In order to produce hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface proteins in the form of particles with substantially reduced entrapped carbohydrate content, DNA encoding the HBV surface proteins was expressed in a recombinant yeast strains which are deficient in their ability to glycosylate proteins and/or has mutations in protease genes. These yeast strains produce P24 with substantially reduced sub-P24 proteolytic breakdown products when compared with P24 produced in 'wild-type' yeast cells. These particles are useful as a vaccine for both the active and passive treatment or prevention of disease and/or infection caused by HBV or other agents serologically related to HBV. The processes disclosed herein utilizing these strains of yeast more efficiently produce P24.