Isolated FrpB nucleic acid molecule and vaccine

Abstract

The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes an amino acid sequence comprising a FrpB protein. The invention also provides vaccine compositions capable of protecting a mammal against infection by N. gonorrhoeae or N. meningitidis comprising the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes an amino acid sequence comprising a FrpB protein.  
     
     
         2 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  comprising the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 3.  
     
     
         3 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  comprising the nucleotide sequence of FIG. 10.  
     
     
         4 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the FrpB protein is the FrpB protein of  Neisseria gonorrhoeae.    
     
     
         5 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the FrpB protein is the FrpB protein of  Neisseria meningitides.    
     
     
         6 . A polypeptide encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         7 . A polypeptide encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         8 . A vector which comprises the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A vector of  claim 8 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is linked to a plasmid.  
     
     
         10 . A host vector system for the production of a polypeptide having the biological activity of a FrpB antigenic polypeptide which comprises the vector of  claim 8  in a suitable host.  
     
     
         11 . A host vector system of  claim 10 , wherein the suitable host is a bacterial cell or animal cell.  
     
     
         12 . A method of producing a polypeptide having the biological activity of a FrpB antigenic polypeptide which comprises growing the host vector system of  claim 10  under suitable conditions permitting production of the polypeptide and recovering the polypeptide so produced.  
     
     
         13 . A method of producing a vaccine composition that protects a mammal from infection by  N. gonorrhoeae  comprising combining the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1  with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising combining the FrpB with an effective amount of an adjuvant.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide comprises the FrpB protein of  N. gonorrhoeae.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         17 . A method of producing a vaccine composition that protects a mammal from infection by  N. meningitidis  comprising combining the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1  with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising combining the FrpB with an effective amount of an adjuvant.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide comprises at least a portion of the FrpB protein of  N. meningitidis.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         21 . A vaccine composition capable of protecting a mammal against infection by  N. gonorrhoeae , the vaccine composition comprising the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         22 . The vaccine composition of  claim 21  further comprising an effective amount of an adjuvant.  
     
     
         23 . The vaccine composition of  claim 21 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide comprises at least a portion of the FrpB protein of  N. gonorrhoeae.    
     
     
         24 . The vaccine composition of  claim 21 , wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         25 . A vaccine composition capable of protecting a mammal against infection by  N. meningitidis , the vaccine composition comprising the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         26 . The vaccine composition of  claim 25  further comprising an effective amount of an adjuvant.  
     
     
         27 . The vaccine composition of  claim 25 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide comprises at least a portion of the FrpB protein of  N. meningitidis.    
     
     
         28 . The vaccine composition of  claim 25 , wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         29 . A method of protecting a mammal against infection by  N. gonorrhoeae  comprising administering to the mammal a vaccine composition of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         30 . A method of protecting a mammal against infection by  N. meningitidis  comprising administering to the mammal a vaccine composition of  claim 25 .  
     
     
         31 . An antibody directed to an epitope of the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid sequence of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         32 . An antibody directed to an epitope of the FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid sequence of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         33 . A method of detecting an antibody specific for  N. gonorrhoeae  in a sample comprising: 
 (a) contacting the sample with a FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid sequence of  claim 4  under conditions to form a complex between the polypeptide and the antibody; and    (b) detecting any complex so formed;    thereby detecting an antibody specific for  N. gonorrhoeae.      
     
     
         34 . A method of  claim 33 , wherein the FrpB protein is labeled with a detectable marker.  
     
     
         35 . A method of detecting an antibody specific for  N. meningitidis  in a sample comprising: 
 (a) contacting the sample with a FrpB protein encoded by the isolated nucleic acid sequence of  claim 5  under conditions to form a complex between the polypeptide and the antibody; and    (b) detecting any complex so formed;    thereby detecting any antibody specific for  N. meningitidis.      
     
     
         36 . A method of  claim 35 , wherein the FrpB protein is labeled with a detectable marker.  
     
     
         37 . A method of treating a mammal infected by  N. gonorrhoeae  comprising administering to the mammal an antibody of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         38 . A method of treating a mammal infected by  N. gonorrhoeae  comprising administering to the mammal an antibody of  claim 32 .  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  or  38  wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37  or  38  wherein the antibody is monoclonal.  
     
     
         41 . A method of treating a mammal infected by  N. meningitidis  comprising administering to the mammal an antibody of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         42 . A method of treating a mammal infected by  N. meningitidis  comprising administering to the mammal an antibody of  claim 32 .  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  or  42  wherein the mammal is a human.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41  or  42  wherein the antibody is monoclonal.