HAV VP1-P2A, Hepatitis A Virus Antigen, Recombinant

Forty-two antigenic domains were identified across the hepatitis A virus (HAV) polyprotein by using a set of 237 overlapping 20-mer synthetic peptides spanning the entire HAV polyprotein and a panel of serum samples from acutely HAV-infected patients. The term 'antigenic domain' is used in this study to define a protein region spanned with consecutive overlapping immunoreactive peptides. Nineteen antigenic domains were found within the structural proteins, and 22 were found within the nonstructural proteins, with 1 domain spanning the junction of VP1 and P2A proteins. Five of these domains were considered immunodominant, as judged by both the breadth and the strength of their immunoreactivity. One domain is located within the VP2 protein at position 57-90 aa. A second domain, located at position 767-842 aa, contains the C-terminal part of the VP1 protein and the entire P2A protein. A third domain, located at position 1,403-1,456 aa, comprises the C-terminal part of the P2C protein and the N-terminal half of the P3A protein. The fourth domain, located at position 1,500-1,519 aa, includes almost the entire P3B, and the last domain, located at position 1,719-1,764 aa, contains the C-terminal region of the P3C protein and the N-terminal region of the P3D protein. Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) VP1-P2A is E. coli derived recombinant. The protein contains the VP1 –P2A immunodominant region.