Expression in E. coli and purification of a chimeric p22-NS3 recombinant antigen of hepatitis C virus (HCV).

A recombinant antigen (p22-NS3), possessing putative HCV nucleocapsid protein (p22) and non-structural protein 3 (NS3) epitopes, was heavily expressed in E. coli and purified. The p22-NS3 purified recombinant antigen strongly reacts with sera containing human antibodies directed against p22 and NS3 providing a starting point for the design of an HCV single all-encompassing antigen for a blood screening assay.