[Presentation of HIV epitopes by HBcAg]

The hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) was used to present the HIV epitopes and mimics selected by phage display. The HIV epitopes were inserted into the el loop of HBcAg. The influence of insertions on the ability of chimeric HBcAg to assemble itself was studied. Special soft was made use of to detect the regularities between certain physical-and-chemical properties of amine-acid residua (belonging to an inserted alien peptide) and the presence or loss of the ability of HBcAg to assemble itself. Recommendations are provided of how to overcome difficulties related with the presentation of alien epitopes.