Biotinylated MHC complexes
A chimeric peptide comprising an MHC peptide (alpha chain or beta chain) and a biotinylation peptide. The biotinylation peptide is either a natural biotinylation peptide or has greater than 70% sequence homology to a natural biotinylation peptide or has a minimal sequence required for being biotinylated that is longer than 50 amino acids in length. The biotinylation peptide may be the biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP) from E. coli or the P.shermanii 1.3S subunit of transcarboylase (transcarboxilase). Also claimed are methods of biotinylating such a chimeric peptide.