Physicochemical characterization of several peptide constructs related with hepatitis A and B viruses

Interaction studies of three different presentations of a continuous B epitope of Hepatitis A virus linked to a synthetic T epitope related to Hepatitis B virus with monolayers composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) have been carried out. Surface activity of the peptides was determined as a function of its bulk concentration in an aqueous solution. The maximum pressure achieved at saturation, the molecular area and the surface excess of the different synthetic peptides were determined. The different physicochemical behaviour of the constructs was dependent on the relative position of the B and T epitopes. The ability to insert into DPPC monolayers showed that the highest interaction with phospholipid monolayers corresponded to the peptide with the T-cell epitope located at the C-terminus.