Retrovirus from the HIV group and its use

Abstract

A novel immunodeficiency virus is disclosed which has the designation MVP-5180/91 and which has been deposited with the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures (ECACC) under No. V 920 52 318. The characteristic antigens which can be obtained from it and which can be employed for detecting antibodies against retroviruses which are associated with immunodeficiency diseases are also disclosed, as are the DNA and amino acid sequences of the virus.

1 - 39 . (canceled).  
     
     
         40 . A method of immunizing a host comprising introducing into the host a therapeutic amount of a peptide antigen of virus MvP-5180/91, deposited with the European Collection of Animal Cell Culture (ECACC).  
     
     
         41 . A method of immunizing a non-human host comprising introducing into the host a therapeutic amount of virus MvP-5180/91, deposited with the European Collection of Animal Cell Culture (ECACC).  
     
     
         42 . A method of immunizing a host comprising introducing into the host a therapeutic amount of a peptide antigen of a variant virus, wherein the variant virus is a variant of virus MvP-5180/91, deposited with the European Collection of Animal Cell Culture (ECACC).  
     
     
         43 . A method of immunizing a non-human host comprising introducing into the host a therapeutic amount of a variant virus, wherein the variant virus is a variant of virus MvP-5180/91, deposited with the European Collection of Animal Cell Culture (ECACC).  
     
     
         44 . A method for detection of antibodies that specifically bind to at least one HIV retrovirus, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing a sample containing at least one antibody obtained from a patient suspected of being infected with an HIV virus;    (b) providing at least one peptide comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by the genome of virus MvP-5180/91 (SEQ ID NO: 56);    (c) combining the sample and the at least one peptide under conditions where the at least one peptide and the at least one antibody can specifically bind to each other;    (d) determining whether the at least one peptide and the at least one antibody specifically bound to each other; and    (e) optionally, quantifying the amount of binding between the at least one peptide and the at least one antibody,    wherein the method is a Western blot.