| abstract |
(57) Abstract The present invention relates to a foreign peptide sequence fused to the amino terminus of a plant virus structural protein, and a method for producing them. With the biologically involved tobamovirus, the fusion protein is economically synthesized at high levels in plants. This foreign peptide sequence can be cleaved from the fusion protein by proteolytic enzymes or chemicals. The foreign peptide sequences of the present invention have many uses. Such uses include use as an antigen to induce the production of antibodies (eg, protective antibodies) with the desired binding properties, vaccine antigens for inducing protective immunity, including immunity against parasitic infections. As a protein associated with hormonal activity, or as a protein associated with immunomodulatory activity. |