Patent ID: 7179645

Claim:
An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising: a) a first expressible nucleic acid sequence encoding a protein of interest or polypeptide of interest which contains a first MHC Class II-presented epitope; and b) a second expressible nucleic acid sequence encoding an antigen presentation enhancing hybrid polypeptide comprising: i) an N-terminal element consisting essentially of the residues LRMK (amino acids 1–4) of SEQ ID NO.: 1 and 0–12 additional sequential residues of SEQ ID NO.: 1, and modifications of SEQ ID No: 1 that retain antigen presentation enhancing activity; ii) a C-terminal element comprising a second an MHC Class II-presented epitope, said second MHC Class II-presented epitope being in the form of a polypeptide or peptidomimetic structure which binds to the antigenic peptide binding site of an MHC class II molecule, the second MHC Class II-presented epitope being from the same protein or polypeptide of interest encoded by the nucleic acid sequence a); and iii) an intervening peptidyl structure linking the N-terminal and C-terminal elements of the hybrid, the peptidyl structure having a length of about 20 amino acids or less.