MAPPING OF LINEAR EPITOPES OF THE REGULATORY PROTEINS OF HUMAN T-CELLLYMPHOTROPIC VIRUS (HTLV) TYPE-II - IDENTIFICATION OF AN HTLV-IIB-RESTRICTED EPITOPE

Epitope mapping analyses using synthetic peptides representing the Rex II and TaxII proteins identified predominant seroreactivity to the car boxyl terminus of the HTLV-IIG12 TaxII protein (G12Tax 22-G12Tax24, am ino acids [aa] 312-356). Moderate reactivity to only 1 RexII peptide ( G12Rex9, aa 121-140) was found, while all other RexII and TaxII peptid es exhibited minimal reactivity. Peptide G12Tax24 (aa 337-356) corresp onded to the extended portion of the TaxII protein characteristic of H TLV-IIb viruses and appeared to represent an HTLV-IIb-restricted epito pe. This study showed that this peptide can be used in immunoassays as a quick, simple serologic tool for assessing the minimal number of HT LV-IIb viruses present within specific populations, especially when ge nomic DNA is not available.