There is provided an amino acid sequence comprised within the PV E1 protein
region A delineated by amino acids 352 and 439, and any derivative variant or fragment
thereof, necessary for the oligomerization of the E1 protein. This amino acid sequence
is capable of self-association and of associating with the full length E1 protein
and any derivative, variant or fragment thereof comprising the sequence of this
invention. A specific aspect of this first embodiment, the amino acid domain of
this invention delimited by amino acids 353 to 438 of the PV E1 protein. More particularly,
the amino acid domain of this invention is as defined by SEQ ID NO. 2. There is
also provided a cross-linking assay to directly measure the level of oligomerization
(or inhibition thereof) of the E1 protein. In accordance with a fourth embodiment
of this invention, there is provided a N-terminally truncated E1 protein. More
particularly, one aspect of this fourth embodiment encompasses the E1 protein delimited
by amino acid 72 to 649 (SEQ ID NO. 78).
