Abstract: A novel peptide obtained from Haemophilus paragallinarum has been found useful for preventing avian infectious coryza. This polypeptide induces production of hemagglutination-inhibition antibody and prevents infection and onset of avian infectious coryza. The invention further provides a gene coding for the polypeptide, a recombinant vector for expression of this gene, a host transformed with this vector, a process for preparing the polypeptide in a host, a vaccine for avian infectious coryza comprising the polypeptide as an active ingredient, a monoclonal antibody obtained using the polypeptide as an immunogen, and a diagnostic agent and a therapeutic agent for avian infectious coryza using the peptide and the antibody.

Abstract: A novel peptide obtained from Haemophilus paragallinarum has been found useful for preventing avian infectious coryza. This polypeptide induces production of hemagglutination-inhibition antibody and prevents infection and onset of avian infectious coryza. The invention further provides a gene coding for the polypeptide, a recombinant vector for expression of this gene, a host transformed with this vector, a process for preparing the polypeptide in a host, a vaccine for avian infectious coryza comprising the polypeptide as an active ingredient, a monoclonal antibody obtained using the polypeptide as an immunogen, and a diagnostic agent and a therapeutic agent for avian infectious coryza using the peptide and the antibody.

Abstract: A novel peptide obtained from Haemophilus paragallinarum has been found useful for preventing avian infectious coryza. This polypeptide induces production of hemagglutination-inhibition antibody and prevents infection and onset of avian infectious coryza. The invention further provides a gene coding for the polypeptide, a recombinant vector for expression of this gene, a host transformed with this vector, a process for preparing the polypeptide in a host, a vaccine for avian infectious coryza comprising the polypeptide as an active ingredient, a monoclonal antibody obtained using the polypeptide as an immunogen, and a diagnostic agent and a therapeutic agent for avian infectious coryza using the peptide and the antibody.

Abstract: Antisense oligonucleotides are provided which are complementary to and hybridizable with at least a portion of HCV RNA and which are capable of inhibiting the function of the HCV RNA. These oligonucleotides can be administered to inhibit the activity of Hepatitis C virus in vivo or in vitro. These compounds can be used either prophylactically or therapeutically to reduce the severity of diseases associated with Hepatitis C virus, and for diagnosis and detection of HCV and HCV-associated diseases. Methods of using these compounds are also disclosed.

Abstract: Antisense oligonucleotides are provided which are complementary to and hybridizable with at least a portion of HCV RNA and which are capable of inhibiting the function of the HCV RNA. These oligonucleotides can be administered to inhibit the activity of Hepatitis C virus in vivo or in vitro. These compounds can be used either prophylactically or therapeutically to reduce the severity of diseases associated with Hepatitis C virus, and for diagnosis and detection of HCV and HCV-associated diseases. Methods of using these compounds are also disclosed.

Abstract: Antisense oligonucleotides are provided which are complementary to and hybridizable with at least a portion of HCV RNA and which are capable of inhibiting the function of the HCV RNA. These oligonucleotides can be administered to inhibit the activity of Hepatitis C virus in vivo or in vitro. These compounds can be used either prophylactically or therapeutically to reduce the severity of diseases associated with Hepatitis C virus, and for diagnosis and detection of HCV and HCV-associated diseases. Methods of using these compounds are also disclosed.

Abstract: A recombinant herpes virus is provided which efficiently expresses an exogenous protein of interest in an inoculated animal host to thereby endow the host with excellent immunization. A recombinant herpes virus which incorporates an exogenous gene expression cassette in which a herpes virus-derived gB gene (a gene homologous to herpes simplex virus gB gene) promoter is used as a promoter for expression of an exogenous gene.

Abstract: A recombinant DNA comprising 3 fragments of Hepatitis B virus DNA recombined with a vector consisting essentially of 0.31 Kb replication orgin of SV40 DNA inserted into EcoRI cleavage site of Escherichia coli plasmid which is deficient in the 1.426-2.521 Kb region of inhibiting replication in mammalian cells, wherein each HBV DNA fragment is a 3.2 Kb BamHI fragment consisting of 1.9 Kb HBc gene and 1.3 Kb HBs gene, and said HBV DNA fragments are arranged in a head-to-tail tandem relationship wherein the HBc gene positions at the head and the HBs gene positions at the tail, mammalian cells transformed with the recombinant DNA, and a method of production of Hepatitis B virus proteins, i.e. HBsAg and/or HBeAg. These HBV proteins have the same immunological properties as those of the natural HBV proteins originated from human blood plasma and can be used for the preparation of HBV vaccine and diagnostic reagents.

Abstract: Shuttle vectors including a DNA sequence of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae including ars 1.2 micron ori and a marker gene for transformed yeast permitting synthesis of leucine by the transformant; adjacent to said ars 1 a DNA sequence of Escherichia coli which is either in EcoR1--PvuII or EcoR1--TthIII--I fragment of plasmid pBR322; and adjacent to the yeast marker gene the expression control region of the repressible acid phosphatase gene of yeast.

Abstract: A method for the purification of HBc antigen, particularly HBc antigen produced by recombinant organisms by means of DNA recombination technique, which comprises subjecting a solution containing HBc antigen to acid-treatment, wherein the solution containing HBc antigen is acidified to a pH range of not higher than 6 by adding an acid and then resulting precipitates of lipid and contaminant proteins are removed, and then subjecting the acid-treated solution containing HBc antigen to an ion exchange chromatography with an anion exchanger, and a method for measuring HBc antibody by using said purified HBc antigen in a passive hemagglutination method, EIA method or RIA method.

Abstract: A recombinant plasmid inserted with Hepatitis B virus gene, which comprises a plasmid vector containing a yeast gene and an E. coli gene and carrying the expression control region of the repressible acid phosphatase gene of yeast and a Hepatitis B virus gene recombined thereto under control of the phosphatase promoter, a transformed yeast which is prepared by transforming a yeast with the recombinant plasmid, and a method of the production of Hepatitis B virus surface antigen in a large scale by culturing the transformed yeast in a medium. The Hepatitis B virus surface antigen prepared by the present invention has the same immunological properties as those of the natural antigen from human blood plasma and is useful for the preparation of Hepatitis B virus vaccine and diagnostic reagents.

Abstract: Industrially useful method for the purification of HBs antigen produced by a recombinant organism being capable of producing HBs antigen which is prepared by means of DNA recombination technique, which comprises subjecting an HBs antigen-containing material produced by a recombinant organism to an adsorption chromatography with a silica, optionally followed by a gel filtration and further an adsorption chromatography with a hydroxyapatite, and then eluting the HBs antigen, preferably, with a buffer having a pH 9 or more which is incorporated with urea. The purification method can give a highly pure HBs antigen suitable for the preparation of hepatitis B vaccine in a large scale from recombinant organisms prepared by DNA recombination technique.

Abstract: Lyophilized preparation of hepartitis B vaccine, which comprises a purified hepatitis B virus surface antigen produced by a recombinant organism being capable of producing HBs antigen, which is adsorbed on aluminum gel in the lyophilized state in the presence of a stabilizer, said lyophilized preparation being prepared by the steps of adding an aluminum gel and a stabilizer to a purified recombinant-origin HBs antigen and lyophilizing the mixture. Said lyophilized preparation being able to be stably kept for a long period of time without losing its antigen titer and being useful for the prophylaxis of infection of hepatitis B virus.

Abstract: A method for purification of HBs antigen, which comprises treating an HBs tigen-containing material with an acid, optionally subjecting to salting out with ammonium sulfate, and subjecting the material to a chromatography with hydroxyapatite, by which a highly purified HBs antigen suitable for the preparation of HBV vaccine or diagnostic agent can be obtained in an industrial scale. This method is particularly useful for the purification of HBs antigen-containing material produced by recombinants obtained by DNA recombination technique.