THE STUDY OF ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE OF THE T ICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS BY MEANS OF SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES

A number of peptides, fragments of the envelope protein E of the tick- borne encephalitis virus (Sofjin strain), were synthesized. Their bind ing to the polyclonal antiserum to protein E was studied. Rats were im munized with both the free peptides and their KLH-conjugates, and the resulting antisera were tested for their reactivity toward protein E a nd for their neutralizing activity toward the virus in cell culture. T he only peptide corresponding to the 98-113 sequence of protein E was shown to be bound by the protein E antiserum in EIA. Two-fold immuniza tion of rats with KLH-conjugates of the peptides corresponding to the 98-113, 130-143, and 394-403 sequences of protein E resulted in antipe ptide antibodies capable of binding the native protein E, and the anti bodies to the 98-113 and 394-403 peptides were capable of neutralizing the virus.