Chimeral hepadnavirus core antigen protein

NEW MATERIAL: A chimeral hepadnavirus core antigen protein in which a foreign amino acid sequence containing an epitope is inserted in or replaces all or a part of (a) an amino acid residues from 68 to 90 in the case where the core antigen is a hepatitis B core antigen or (b) a corresponding amino acid sequence in the case where the core antigen is a hepadnavirus. USE: Used for preparing an antigen specific against an epitope (an epitope of a hepatitis B virus, etc.). PREPARATION: A host transformant composed of a vector containing DNA sequence coding a chimeral hepadnavirus core protein is cultured under a condition expressing a chimeral protein, and particles constituted with the chimeral protein are recovered. COPYRIGHT: (C)1991,JPO