[Antigenic structure of the foot-and-mouth disease virus. II. Synthesis of protective peptides from the major immunogenic region of VP1 protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus type A22].

Earlier we found that the immune response and antiviral protection from FMDV can be achieved by immunization with uncoupled FMDV peptides. In a search of approaches to animal protection from FMDV A22 strain we prepared a series of peptides corresponding to the putative antigenic determinants. Synthetic 131-149 and 140-149 sequences afforded 50 to 80% protection, both in the free state and conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin. We believe that the 140-149 segment is so far the smallest peptide capable of eliciting specific antiviral protection without conjugation with a high molecular carrier.