Expression of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen gene in cell culture by using a simian virus 40 vector

Abstract

We have constructed a simian virus 40 recombinant carrying a fragment of DNA from hepatitis B virus. Cultured monkey kidney cells infected with this recombinant produce hepatitis B surface antigen. The antigen is excreted into the culture medium as 22-nm particles with the same physical properties, antigenic composition, and constituent polypeptides as those found in the sera of patients with type B hepatitis.