| abstract |
Polynucleotides are disclosed which consist essentially of nucleic acids encoding polypeptides having HBeAg and HBcAg immunoreactivity, which are rendered substantially free of HBcAg immunoreactivity and which retain HBeAg immunoreactivity when denatured with a chaotrope and rapidly diluted into a non-denaturing buffer. Polypeptides which are expression products of bacterial, yeast or mammalian cells transformed with biologically functional DNA transformation vectors including such polynucleotides are also disclosed. These polypeptides may be used directly in immunoassays, may be bound to a reporter group or to a support and used in such assays, or may be used to raise polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies or as vaccine products. |