Increased expression and immunogenicity of sequence-modified human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag gene.

ABSTRACT: A major challenge for the next generation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccines is the induction of potent, broad, and durable cellular immune responses. The structural protein Gag is highly conserved among the HIV type 1 (HIV-1) gene products and is believed to be an important target for the host cell-mediated immune control of the virus during natural infection. Expression of Gag proteins for vaccines has been hampered by the fact that its expression is dependent on the HIV Rev protein and the Rev-responsive element, the latter located on the env transcript. Moreover, the HIV genome employs suboptimal codon usage, which further contributes to the low expression efficiency of viral proteins. In order to achieve high-level Rev-independent expression of the Gag protein, the sequenc

SUBMITTER: zur Megede J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC111751 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature