Soluble complexes of target proteins and peptidyl prolyl isomerase chaperones and methods of making and using them

US6962982B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Roche Diagnostics GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Christian Scholz · Penzberg, DE
• Herbert Andres · Penzberg, DE
• Elke Faatz · Huglfing, DE
• Alfred Engel · Tutzing, DE
• Dorothea Sizmann · Iffeldorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 24, 2002
• Grant date: Nov 8, 2005
• Expiry date: Nov 8, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2800/2821
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention relates to the diagnosis of HIV infections. It especially teaches the production of a soluble retroviral surface glycoprotein- (or transmembrane glycoprotein)-chaperone complex and the advantageous use of a chaperone-antigen complex especially in the detection of antibodies to HIV in immunoassays, preferably according to the double antigen bridge concept, or as an immunogen. The invention also discloses soluble complexes comprising a variant of HIV-1 gp41 or a variant of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, and a chaperone selected from the peptidyl-prolyl-isomerase class of chaperones. Variants comprising specific amino-acid substitutions in the N-helical domain of HIV-1 gp41 or of HIV-2 gp36, respectively, are also described.