Method of preparing an immunogenic membrane protein aggregate of influenza and parainfluenza viruses and rhabdoviruses

Claim 1

Process of preparing immunogenically active, lipid- and detergent-free soluble aggregates of amphiphilic membrane proteins of parainfluenza-, influenza- or rhabdo-viruses by extraction of the membrane with surface active agents, which process comprises mixing the virus with a nonionic bile acid detergent, layering the mixture in buffered aqueous salt solution above a detergent-free sugar gradient which in turn is over-layered with a detergent-containing sugar solution, centrifuging the resulting mixture at a centrifugal force of at least 150,000 g, isolating the protein-containing fraction, dialyzing same against the buffered solution, and then lyophilizing the obtained protein micelle solution.