A protective immunodominant epitope included in the S1 subunit of pertussis toxin

摘要

There are described a protective immunodominant epitope of pertussis toxin which is included in the S1 subunit, and synthetic peptides with an aminoacid sequence similar to that of the epitope or to regions thereof which show an immunochemical reactivity with anti-PT protective monoclonal antibodies equivalent to that of the protein itself. Ihe peptides are particularly useful for the preparation of an antipertussis vaccine.