Recombinant proteins of a Pakistani strain of hepatitis E and their use in diagnostic methods and vaccines
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
InventorsSergei A. Tsarev, Suzanne U. Emerson, Robert H. Purcell
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Abstract
A strain of hepatitis E virus from Pakistan (SAR-55) implicated in an epidemic of enterically transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis, now called hepatitis E, is disclosed. The invention relates to the expression of the whole structural region of SAR-55, designated open reading frame 2 (ORF-2), in a eukaryotic expression system. The expressed protein is capable of forming HEV virus-like particles which can serve as an antigen in diagnostic immunoassays and as an immunogen or vaccine to protect against infection by hepatitis E.
Claims12
A nucleic acid molecule consisting of nucleotides which encode amino acids 112-660 of a hepatitis E virus open reading frame 2 protein.
A method for producing a hepatitis E virus open-reading frame 2 protein comprising:
- (a) culturing a host cell containing a nucleic acid molecule consisting of nucleotides which encode amino acids 112-660 of a hepatitis E virus open reading frame 2 protein under conditions appropriate to cause expression of said protein;
- and
- (b) obtaining said expressed protein from the host cell.
A nucleic acid molecule consisting of nucleotides which encode amino acids 112-660 of SEQ ID No. 2.
A method for producing a hepatitis E virus open-reading frame 2 protein comprising:
- (a) culturing a host cell containing a nucleic acid molecule consisting of nucleotides which encode amino acids 112-660 of SEQ ID NO:2 under conditions appropriate to cause expression of said protein;
- and
- (b) obtaining said expressed protein from the host cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.