background and objectives: the linear epitopes of gp46-i, gp46-ii, gp21 and p19 are used in diagnosis of htlv-i/-ii infections. the aims of this study was to obtain high-level expression and purification of recombinant antigen (ra) containing these epitopes. large-scale preparation of such antigen probably worths for diagnostic purpose. materials and methods: the synthetic dna encoding ra was s...

On the basis of sequence alignments and secondary structure comparisons of the first 100 nucleotides of enterovirus and rhinovirus RNAs, chimeric constructs in which this region of poliovirus type 1 Mahoney [PV1(M)] is replaced with that of human rhinovirus type 2 (HRV2) or HRV14 have been engineered. These chimeric constructs contain the internal ribosomal entry site of either poliovirus or en...

To assess the antigenicity of envelope glycoproteins derived from primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 populations, their interactions with the receptor CD4, and their coreceptor usage, we have cloned and expressed multiple gp120 proteins from a number of primary virus isolates. Characterization of these proteins showed a high degree of antigenic polymorphism both within the CD4 binding ...

Poliovirus protein 2C contains a predicted N-terminal amphipathic helix that mediates association of the protein with the membranes of the viral RNA replication complex. A chimeric virus that contains sequences encoding the 18-residue core from the orthologous amphipathic helix from human rhinovirus type 14 (HRV14) was constructed. The chimeric virus exhibited defects in viral RNA replication a...

We examined the mechanism of Tat-mediated trans activation through competition experiments employing Tat proteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). EIAV Tat, as well as chimeric EIAV/HIV-1 Tat proteins, inhibited HIV-1 Tat-mediated trans activation in a cell-type-dependent fashion. Furthermore, these proteins inhibited trans activation by ...

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting cell surface or secreted antigens are among the most effective classes of novel immunotherapies. However, the majority of human proteins and established cancer biomarkers are intracellular. Peptides derived from these intracellular proteins are presented on the cell surface by major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and can be targeted by a n...

A significant role of zinc-binding motifs on metal mobility in Escherichia coli was explored using a chimeric metal-binding green fluorescent protein (GFP) as an intracellular zinc indicator. Investigation was initiated by co-transformation and co-expression of two chimeric genes encoding the chimeric GFP carrying hexahistidine (His6GFP) and the zinc-binding motif fused to outer membrane protei...

To develop a transformation system with a conditional Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) gene, we fused the hormone binding domain of the oestrogen receptor to the N or C terminus of EBNA2. In promoter transactivation as well as primary B cell transformation assays these chimeric EBNA2 proteins are able to substitute for wild-type EBNA2 in the presence of oestrogen. Here we provide ev...

Vaccines to efficiently block or limit sexual transmission of both HIV and human papilloma virus (HPV) are urgently needed. Chimeric virus-like-particle (VLP) vaccines consisting of both multimerized HPV L1 proteins and fragments of SIV gag p27, HIV-1 tat, and HIV-1 rev proteins (HPV-SHIV VLPs) were constructed and administered to macaques both systemically and mucosally. An additional group of...

In the case of human GnRH receptor (GnRHR) mutants associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a view emerged that these mutants are correctly routed to the plasma membrane. This view, supported almost entirely by studies using the HA-tag (hemagglutinin influenza virus epitope tag) and other epitope and chimeric tags, obscured recognition that GnRHR mutants frequently become misrouted protei...