目的  克隆和表达截短的丙型肝炎病毒（hepatitis C virus，HCV）核心区基因，为制备HCV核心区抗体准备抗原。方法  根据软件分析选取带有优势抗原表位的HCV核心区多肽，找出对应DNA序列，逆转录PCR扩增目的基因，并将其克隆到原核表达载体中进行诱导表达。表达的目的蛋白纯化后用间接ELISA法检测免疫活性。结果  获得了序列正确的HCV目的基因片段。表达的目的蛋白为可溶性蛋白，能被很好地纯化。使用该纯化蛋白检测各种样本，结果HCV阴性样本的平均吸光度（A）值为0.081，HCV阳性样本与阴性对照的A值之比均>2.1，乙型肝炎和梅毒阳性样本的A值都在0.101以下。结论 成功地克隆和表达了HCV核心区小片段基因，获得了具有良好抗原性的截短HCV核心区多肽。

Objective  To clone and express truncated hepatitis C virus (HCV) core gene for preparing antigens used for production of HCV-core antibody.  Method  HCV-core polypeptide with predominant antigenic determinants was selected by software analysis. The corresponding DNA sequence was amplified by reverse transcription PCR. Then, the gene was cloned into a prokaryotic expression vector for expressing HCV-core antigen. The expressed antigen was purified and detected by indirect ELISA. Result  A target gene with correct DNA sequence was obtained. The expressed antigen was a soluble protein and was purified for detection of different samples. The results showed that the average absorbance (A) value of HCV-negative samples was 0.081, the ratio of A values for HCV-positive samples to negative samples were >2.1, and the A values of hepatitis B- and syphilis-positive samples were <0.101. Conclusions  HCV-core gene is successfully cloned. The expressed HCV core polypeptide has good antigenicity.