Abstract: A chimeric protein of HPV-L2 peptide and HBs protein wherein the HPV-L2 peptide is (1) a peptide consisting of the core sequence region of 20 amino acid residues, (2) a peptide inside the core sequence region comprising 6 amino acid residues Gly-Gly-Leu-Gly-Ile-Gly or (3) a peptide consisting of 70 or less amino acid residues obtained by adding an amino acid sequence derived from HPV L2 protein at the N-terminal and/or the C-terminal of the core sequence region; and a vaccine for HPV infection and/or hepatitis B comprising the chimeric protein as an active ingredient. A vaccine comprising the chimeric protein of the present invention is the one that has an increased expression level in a host, an enhanced immune ability (early antibody induction) and a broader spectrum effective for a number of HPV types.

Abstract: A nucleic acid includes the 5? untranslated region, a virus protein-coding region including the NS3 protein coding sequence, the NS4A protein coding sequence, the NS4B protein coding sequence, the NS5A protein coding sequence, and the NS5B protein coding sequence, and the 3? untranslated region of the HCV J6CF genome in that order from the 5? to 3? direction. The NS4A protein coding sequence has a mutation for substituting alanine at position 1680 with glutamic acid, as determined on the basis of the amino acid sequence of the precursor protein of the J6CF strain.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to provide an HCV strain with a high capacity for virus production in a cell culture system. This invention provides a nucleic acid encoding a polyprotein precursor of the hepatitis C virus JFH1 strain having one or more amino acid substitutions, wherein the polyprotein precursor comprises at least substitution of glutamine at position 862 with arginine, as determined with reference to the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 in the Sequence Listing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody that specifically binds to envelope protein 2 of HCV of genotype 2a but does not immunologically react with envelope protein 2 of HCV of genotype 1a.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for quantitatively measuring the muscular relaxing activity of a neurotoxin.

Abstract: A nucleic acid includes the 5? untranslated region, a virus protein-coding region including the NS3 protein coding sequence, the NS4A protein coding sequence, the NS4B protein coding sequence, the NS5A protein coding sequence, and the NS5B protein coding sequence, and the 3? untranslated region of the HCV J6CF genome in that order from the 5? to 3? direction. The NS4A protein coding sequence has a mutation for substituting alanine at position 1680 with glutamic acid, as determined on the basis of the amino acid sequence of the precursor protein of the J6CF strain.

Abstract: A subgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) having an excellent autonomously replicating ability and a fullgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) having an excellent autonomously replicating ability and infectious HCV particle-producing ability, each derived from a novel HCV of genotype 1b, are provided. Particularly, a subgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) and a fullgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid), each derived from an HCV genome of the NC1 strain which is a novel HCV genotype 1b isolated from a patient with acute severe hepatitis C, are provided.

Abstract: A nucleic acid includes, in the following order, a 5? untranslated region comprising a particular nucleotide sequence of the genome of hepatitis C virus genotype 3a; a nucleotide sequence encoding a particular amino acid sequence of an NS3 protein, a nucleotide sequence encoding a particular amino acid sequence of an NS4A protein, a nucleotide sequence encoding a particular amino acid sequence of an NS4B protein, a nucleotide sequence encoding a particular amino acid sequence of an NS5A protein, a nucleotide sequence encoding a particular amino acid sequence of an NS5B protein of the hepatitis C virus genotype 3a; and a 3? untranslated region comprising a particular nucleotide sequence of a genome of hepatitis C virus genotype 3a.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nucleic acid comprises a 5? untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein coding region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an NS5B protein coding region, and a 3? untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus genome, wherein the nucleic acid has nucleotide substitutions causing one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the NS3 protein coding region, the NS5A protein coding region, or the NS5B protein coding region.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a novel CTL epitope peptide of the SARS coronavirus. The present invention provides a peptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 23 and 24.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an antibody inhibiting infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present invention provides an anti-hepatitis C virus antibody that recognizes a whole or a part of the conformation of a hepatitis C virus particle as an epitope and binds thereto, so as to be able to inhibit the binding of hepatitis C virus to the surface of a host cell and to inhibit HCV infection, a humanized antibody thereof, and an inhibitory agent for infection with hepatitis C virus.

Abstract: This invention provides infectious chimeric HCV particles that can be used for vaccines. This invention further provides a nucleic acid comprising a chimeric gene derived from the hepatitis C virus comprising regions each encoding Core protein, E1 protein, E2 protein and p7 protein derived from a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain; NS2 protein derived from JFH-1 strain or a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain, or a chimeric NS2 protein of NS2 protein derived from JFH-1 strain and NS2 protein derived from a hepatitis C virus strain other than JFH-1 strain; and NS3 protein, NS4A protein, NS4B protein, NS5A protein, and NS5B protein derived from JFH-1 strain in that order in 5? to 3? direction, wherein the 328th proline residue from the amino acid residue at N-terminus of the Core protein is substituted with an amino acid residue other than proline. This invention further provides chimeric HCV particles comprising such nucleic acid, and use of such HCV particles for vaccines.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an antibody inhibiting infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present invention provides an anti-hepatitis C virus antibody that recognizes a whole or a part of the conformation of a hepatitis C virus particle as an epitope and binds thereto, so as to be able to inhibit the binding of hepatitis C virus to the surface of a host cell and to inhibit HCV infection, a humanized antibody thereof, and an inhibitory agent for infection with hepatitis C virus.

Abstract: Provided herein is a means which is effective for botulism diseases and the prevention of the botulism diseases. Specifically provided is a plurality of human anti-botulinum toxin type-A antibodies having different epitopes from one another. Also specifically provided is a composition for neutralizing botulinum toxin type-A, which comprises a combination of two or more of the antibodies and which has a high neutralizing activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a peptide-bound liposome wherein the peptide contains a partial amino acid sequence having a length of not less than 9 amino acids in the amino acid sequence of hepatitis C virus NS3 protein, has a length of 9 to 11 amino acids, and is capable of inducing cytotoxic T lymphocytes, the liposome contains a phospholipid containing an acyl group having 14 to 24 carbon atoms and one unsaturated bond or a hydrocarbon group having 14 to 24 carbon atoms and one unsaturated bond, and a liposome stabilizer, and the peptide is bound to the surface of the liposome; a cytotoxic T lymphocyte activator containing the peptide-bound liposome; and a hepatitis C virus vaccine.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to provide an HCV strain with a high capacity for virus production in a cell culture system. This invention provides a nucleic acid encoding a polyprotein precursor of the hepatitis C virus JFH1 strain having one or more amino acid substitutions, wherein the polyprotein precursor comprises at least substitution of glutamine at position 862 with arginine, as determined with reference to the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 in the Sequence Listing.

Abstract: The present invention provides oligonucleotide primers specifically hybridizing to an arbitrary nucleotide sequence designed from the nucleotide sequence of hemagglutinin of an H5 or H7 avian influenza virus, a nucleic acid amplification method using the primers, a method for diagnosis of infection with an H5 or H7 avian influenza virus by detection of nucleic acid amplification, and a kit for influenza diagnosis.

Abstract: A polynucleotide base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 22, a vector containing the polynucleotide and a method of preparing a small round structure virus (SRSV) virus-like particle in insect cells with vector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vaccine containing a Sendai virus vector encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus. By intranasally administering a Sendai virus encoding a virus protein of an immunodeficiency virus to a macaque monkey, the present inventors have succeeded in efficiently inducing protective immunity against an immunodeficiency virus. As a result of intranasal inoculation of vaccine, expression of an antigen protein mediated by Sendai virus vector was detected in intranasal mucous membrane and local lymph nodes and antigen-specific cellular immune response was induced at a significant level. No pathological symptom by vaccination was observed. After vaccination, exposure of simian immunodeficiency virus was performed and the effect was examined. As a result, the amount of virus in plasma significantly decreased, compared with that of the control animal. The present invention provides a promising vaccine as an AIDS vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a recombinant hepatitis C virus-like particle comprising the steps of introducing into (i) a cell in which an RNA replicon comprising a nucleotide sequence comprising the 5? untranslated region, the nucleotide sequence coding for the NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B proteins, and the 3? untranslated region of a genome RNA derived from a hepatitis C virus strain autonomously replicates, (ii) a vector expressing the Core, E1, E2, and p7 proteins derived from a hepatitis C virus strain that is the same as or different from that as defined in the above (i), culturing the cell, and recovering the produced virus-like particle, and a recombinant hepatitis C virus particle produced by this method.