Recombinant DNA techniques will be used to produce a sub-unit vaccine for AIDS which will resemble the outer membranes of HTLV-III virions or HTLV-III infected cells. A recombinant DNA vector will be constructed to contain the env region of the virus along with the 5' and 3' LTR's which are required for correct processing of the mRNA in mammalian cells. A neomycin resistance gene will be added to permit selection of recombinant cells in culture. The origin of replication and ampicillin resistance genes from pBR322 will be included to permit selection and amplification of the DNA in bacterial cells prior to transfection of cultured human cells. It is expected that following transfection, the DNA will be transcribed and translated into proteins which have identical properties to the viral glycoproteins and be processed and transported to the cell membranes as in virus infected cells. These membrane preparations should provide a safe source of viral antigen which will resemble the antigens exposed on viral particles and on viral infected cells, and as such be effective in eliciting a neutralizing antibody response when used as a vaccine.
