Hiv-1 peptides, nucleic acids, and compositions, and uses thereof

An antibody which binds a polypeptide comprising:

• (a) an amino acid sequence EIKNC SFNXT TXXRD KXXXX YXLFY XLDXV (SEQ ID NO:1);
• or
• (b) a fragment of the sequence, wherein the fragment comprises amino acids 14-20 of SEQ ID NO:1;
• or
• (c) a fragment of the sequence, wherein the fragment comprises at least six consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:1 and includes at least two of the residues at positions 14-16 and at least two of the X residues at positions 17-20,
• wherein the X at position 9 of SEQ ID NO:1 is M or I;
• the X at position 12 of SEQ ID NO:1 is S, E, G, or N;
• the X at position 13 of SEQ ID NO:1 is L, I, or M;
• the X at position 17 of SEQ ID NO:1 is K, R or Q;
• the X at position 18 of SEQ ID NO:1 is K, R, or Q;
• the X at position 19 of SEQ ID NO:1 is K, R or Q;
• the X at position 20 of SEQ ID NO:1 is E or V;
• the X at position 22 of SEQ ID NO:1 is S or A;
• the X at position 26 of SEQ ID NO:1 is K or R;
• and
• the X at position 29 of SEQ ID NO:1 is I or V.