279-283Preparations of recombinant envelope glycoprotein E2
of hepatitis C virus (r-HCV E2), found to be homogeneous by N-terminal amino
acid sequencing and mass spectrometry, resolved into multiple ionic species
(isoforms) when analysed by isoelectric focusing (IEF) gel electrophoresis in
the pI range of 3-10. These isoforms
possessed pI values in the range or
4.5-8.2. The major isoform with p<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">I value of approximately 7. 1 was separated from the rest of them
by employing a method developed on Gradiflow BF 200, a device based on
preparative electrophoresis. This isoform was adjudged to be homogenous by IEF
and by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)