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In doing so, the antisense molecule prevents the synthesis of a protein involved in a specific disease.

For example, an antisense molecule can prohibit human host cells from producing key portions of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when infection has occurred.

Vaccines represent another application of recombinant DNA technology.

The hepatitis B vaccine now in use is composed of viral proteins manufactured by yeast cells and recombined with viral genes.

The vaccine is safe because it contains no viral particles.

Experimental vaccines against AIDS are being produced in the same way.

One vaccine uses vaccinia (cowpox) virus as a vector.

The virus has been combined with genes from several viruses, and it is hoped that injections of the vaccine will stimulate resistance to multiple diseases.

Vaccines can also be produced by eliminating certain disease-inducing genes from a pathogen, leading to a harmless organism that will stimulate an immune response.