Four distinct antigenic regions are present in the primary structure of HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteinases.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assay reactivity of antibody-positive sera to different parts of the HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteinase (PR) proteins.


METHODS
Since the majority of HIV-1-antibody-positive sera react to the proteinase, but the antigenic determinants on the protein have not been identified, we attempted to identify these determinants.


METHODS
We synthesized 18 peptides representing the PR of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in order to map serum reactivity to the PR protein.


RESULTS
Both HIV-1- and HIV-2-antibody-positive sera recognized four distinct antigenic regions in the HIV-1 and HIV-2 PR.


CONCLUSIONS
Correlation between our results and the crystallographic structure of the protein revealed that the antigenic regions are positioned at the surface of the HIV-1 PR. Although the structure of HIV-2 PR has not yet been characterized, our results indicate that the folding of the HIV-1 and HIV-2 PR may be very similar.
Department of Virology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
E
E
Björling
L
L
Goobar-Larsson
G
G
Utter
E
E
Norrby
F
F
Chiodi
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000737:chemistry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016333:HIV Protease / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology
D000939:Epitopes; D015488:HIV Antigens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016333:HIV Protease