Earlier models of virus evolution during single infections do not include target cell limitation. Here we extend the basic mathematical framework of these theories and study the effect of target cell limitation on the evolution of antigenic variation, increasing replication rates and increasing virus load. We find that target cell limitation provides a selection pressure against antigenic diver...

Abstract Transgenic plants expressing immunoglobulin (Ig) M Fc-fused Prostate acid phosphatase (PAP) antigenic proteins (PAP-IgM FcK) and J-chain were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The Fc region was tagged with the ER retention motif (KDEL) to make PAP-IgM FcK. Two transgenic crossed together generate F 1 both FcK × J-chain). PCR RT-PCR analyses confirmed transgene inserti...

The heat-stable enterotoxin ST Ib produced by enterotoxigenic E. coli strains shares a sequence homology with the sea snail neurotoxin, conotoxin GI. Rabbit antisera were raised against synthetic analogs of these toxins and to a six-residue peptide representing the region common to both toxins. Results from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays indicate that the homologous region of both toxins re...

We previously noted a region of amino acid sequence homology between A-gliadin, a major alpha-gliadin component known to activate coeliac disease, and the early region E1b protein of human adenovirus serotype 12 (Ad12), an adenovirus isolated from the human intestinal tract. In the present study sera from coeliac disease patients from the United Kingdom and the United States were assayed for ne...

The complete genome sequence of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype Asia1 isolated from Bangladesh is reported here. Genome analysis revealed amino acid substitutions in the VP1 antigenic region and deletions in both the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) compared to the genome of the existing vaccine strain (GenBank accession no. AY304994).

Monoclonal antibody 9B2 possesses hemagglutination inhibition activity against all the 2002/2003 influenza B virus Victoria group isolates in Kobe, Japan, as well as representative strains isolated between 1987 and 1997. The 9B2 epitope localizes three-dimensionally in the vicinity of antigenic site A of the hemagglutinin molecule, and amino acid substitutions in this region affected the bindin...

A novel hepatitis B virus surface antigen mutant harboring a deletion of most of the major antigenic loop region was competent for self-assembly and secretion. Although the mutant protein was competent for interaction with and incorporation of free large hepatitis delta antigen, it was partially defective in hepatitis delta virus RNP incorporation.

BACKGROUND Treponema denticola is an oral spirochete involved in the pathogenesis and progression of periodontal disease. Of its virulence factors, the major surface protein (MSP) plays a role in the interaction between the treponeme and host. To understand the possible evolution of this protein, we analyzed the sequence of the msp gene in 17 T. denticola positive clinical samples. METHODS Nu...

The nucleocapsid protein (N protein) has been found to be an antigenic protein in a number of coronaviruses. Whether the N protein in severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is antigenic remains to be elucidated. Using Western blot and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the recombinant N proteins and the synthesized peptides derived from the N protein were sc...

Continuous cultures of T cells reactive to the hapten 4-ethoxymethylene-2-phenyloxazolone were tested for interferon production after antigenic stimulation in vitro. Induction of interferon was antigen-specific and also restricted by the I region of the major histocompatibility complex. Kinetics of antigen induced interferon production were different from those reported for mitogen induced synt...