[The peptide mapping of the E2-2 and E2-6 sites of the E2 glycoprotein in the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus].

Nine peptides were synthesized for detailed mapping of VEE virus E2-2 and E2-6 sites responsible for the formation of protective antibodies that neutralize the virus and block hemagglutination. The sequence of the peptides over-lapped the regions of amino acid residues 30-75 and 202-250 of VEE virus E2 protein in which antigenic mutations caused by monoclonal antibodies to E2-2 and E2-6 sites had been mapped. None of the synthesized peptides reacted in the enzyme immunoassay with a panel of 17 Mabs to VEE virus E2 protein. However, eight peptides reacted with polyclonal antiviral serum and two of them elicited antiviral antibody production. The E2-2 site might be associated with amino acid residues 30-45, and the region of E2 residues 57-62 in which antigenic mutations are observed is not a linear type antigenic determinant, but participates in the formation of antigenic determinants of the conformational type. The mapping of residues 202-250 demonstrated that all the peptides in this region were well recognized by polyclonal antiviral serum. The residues 235-240 were shown to form a linear epitope which provided a crossover between VEE and EEE viruses and was not recognized by 19 types of monoclonal antibodies cross-reacting with VEE and EEE viruses.