Expression and secretion of hepatitis B viral surface antigen in E. coli.

Hepatitis B viral surface antigen (HBsAg) gene was subcloned into the BglII site of Bacillus licheniformis penicillinase (penP) gene of secretory vector pJP104. Expression and secretion of HBsAg protein was achieved by the E. coli CS412 carrying the plasmid pJPS2 in which the penP:HBsAg hybrid gene was under the control of two promoters, lipoprotein (lpp) and penP, spaced 450 bases apart. The secreted form of HBsAg encoded by the hybrid penP: HBsAg gene of plasmid pJPS2 was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and found to be a 25 kilodalton protein.