DESIGN OF SPECIFIC IMMUNOGENS USING FILAMENTOUS PHAGE AS THE CARRIER

Earlier, we developed an expression vector allowing exposure of short peptides on the surface of bacteriophage M 1 3. It was used to obtain a recombinant phage carrying an antigenic determinant of HIV 1 p 17 Ga g protein. Immunoglobulin elicited by immunizing rabbits with the phag e reacted with the 17-kDa core protein of the virus and with its polyp rotein precursor, p55, on Western blots of HIV1 viral proteins. The re sults of present experiments may be useful in vaccine development.