Abstract: A polypeptide having immunological activity for use as a diagnostic reagent for the HIV. The polypeptide comprises a substantial portion of each of more than one of the constituent proteins coded for by the HIV-pol gene, namely the amino acid sequences of the reverse transcriptase, RNase H and integrase enzymes coded for by the HIV-pol gene and the amino acid sequences of part of the protease enzyme coded for by the HIV-pol gene, but omitting the active site responsible for proteolytic activity.

Abstract: A baculovirus expression system capable of producing foreign gene proteins at high levels. The system involves the production of a recombinant baculovirus containing a modified foreign gene between the polyhedrin gene promoter region and the transcription termination signal of the polyhedrin structural gene. The modified foreign gene comprises a putative ribosome binding site immediately upstream of the foreign gene coding sequence, i.e. without any intervening non-coding sequences. The putative ribosome binding site is preferably properly positioned without the intervening sequences by a crossover linker mutagenesis procedure before the modified foreign gene is introduced into the virus. The putative ribosome binding site preferably comprises at least the final four nucleotides of the sequences ACCTATAAAT immediately upstream of the translation inibiation codon (ATG) of the foreign gene.