Method for deriving epitopes

A method of generating a set of nucleic acid species useful as immunogens, and wherein at least two members of said set are not immunologically cross-reactive with one another, said method comprising:

• collecting a plurality of antigen binding proteins from a human or animal subject, which antigen binding proteins are selected from the group consisting of antibodies and T cell receptors;
• combining said antigen binding proteins with a degenerate pool of nucleic acid species;
• and then
• recovering a plurality of nucleic acid species bound by said antigen binding proteins from said degenerate pool to produce said set.

A method of generating a plurality of nucleic acid species which are immunologically cross-reactive with a drug compound and are useful for rational drug design, which compound is not a nucleic acid, said method comprising:

• combining an antigen binding protein which binds said compound with a degenerate pool of nucleic acid species;
• and then
• recovering a plurality of nucleic acid molecules bound by said antigen binding protein from said degenerate pool
• and wherein at least two of said nucleic acid species do not bind to the same antigen binding protein.

A method of generating a nucleic acid species which is immunologically cross-reactive with an immunogen, which immunogen is not a nucleic acid, said method comprising:

• combining an antigen binding protein which binds said immunogen with a degenerate pool of nucleic acid species;
• and then
• recovering a nucleic acid species bound by said antigen binding protein from said degenerate pool, with said nucleic acid and said immunogen binding to the same antigen recognition site on said antibody;
• wherein said antigen binding protein is immobilized on a solid support and said recovering step is carried out by contacting said degenerate pool of nucleic acid species to said solid support;
• and wherein said contacting step is followed by the steps of:
• separating nucleic acid species bound to said solid support;
• then
• producing a pool of complementary nucleic acids from said nucleic acid species separated from said solid support;
• then
• amplifying said pool of complementary nucleic acids to produce a subset degenerate pool of nucleic acid species;
• and then
• repeating said step of contacting a degenerate pool of nucleic acid species to said solid support with said subset degenerate pool of nucleic acid species.