title: Identification of antigenic sites on three hepatitis C virus proteins using phage-displayed peptide libraries.
abstract: A novel approach to screening phage-displayed peptide libraries has been used to identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) core, NS4 and NS5 sequences, which are antigenic in humans. Two random peptide libraries were used for screening using a mixture of HCV-positive sera or individual antibodies to core, NS3, NS4, and NS5 HCV proteins affinity-purified from this mixture. Sequencing of 56 selected phage clones resulted in 28 different peptide sequences and identification of seven antigenic regions, three in the core protein (19-26, 34-49, and 73-83), three in the NS4 (1681-1693, 1712-1718, and 1726-1736) and one in the NS5 protein (2251-2260). No NS3-specific peptides were identified. The immune response to core, NS4 and NS5 proteins includes a variety of linear determinants whereas epitopes on the investigated part of NS3 protein appear to be conformation-dependent.
authors.affiliation: MRIC Biochemistry Group, N.E. Wales Institute, Wrexham, UK.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pereboeva
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Pereboev
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001435:Bacteriophages; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019151:Peptide Library; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D019151:Peptide Library; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins