Patent ID: 8637234

Claim:
A method for detecting an HIV-1 binding antibody in a subject infected with HIV-1, said method comprising: a) providing a chimeric envelope polypeptide, wherein said chimeric envelope polypeptide comprises: i): an amino acid sequence of an HIV-2 envelope polypeptide, a functional variant of the HIV-2 envelope polypeptide, a Simian Immunodeficiency virus (SIV) envelope polypeptide, or a functional variant of the SIV envelope polypeptide; and ii) a heterologous epitope selected from the group consisting of: 1) a heterologous epitope comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38, or a functional variant thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence of said functional variant differs from SEQ ID NO:38 by up to three amino acids; 2) a heterologous epitope comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15, or an immunologically equivalent epitope thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence of said immunologically equivalent epitope differs from SEQ ID NO:15 by one amino acid; and 3) a heterologous epitope comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:16, or an immunologically equivalent epitope thereof, wherein the amino acid sequence of said immunologically equivalent epitope differs from SEQ ID NO:16 by up to two amino acids; wherein said heterologous epitope is recognized by an HIV-1 binding antibody, and wherein said heterologous epitope is located at a position within the amino acid sequence of said HIV-2 envelope polypeptide, said functional variant of said HIV-2 envelope polypeptide, said Simian Immunodeficiency virus (SIV) envelope polypeptide, or said functional variant of said SIV envelope polypeptide; b) contacting said envelope polypeptide with an amount of bodily fluid from said subject; and, c) detecting said HIV-1 binding antibody, wherein said method is capable of detecting the binding antibody present in said bodily fluid when present at a concentration of less than 0.1 μg/ml.