Flea allantoinase nucleic acid molecules, proteins and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to flea allantoinase proteins; to flea allantoinase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such flea allantoinase proteins; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to compounds that inhibit the activity of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such inhibitory compounds, particularly those that specifically inhibit flea allantoinase activity, as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to treat animals.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
     
     
         21 . An isolated antibody that selectively binds to a protein encoded by a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes to a polynucleotide with a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5; SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:11, under conditions comprising (1) hybridizing in a solution comprising 1×SSC in the absence of helix destabilizing compounds, at a temperature of about 37° C. and (2) washing in a solution comprising 1×SSC and in the absence of helix destabilizing compounds, at a temperature of about 47.5° C., wherein said isolated protein has allantoinase activity.  
     
     
         22 . The isolated antibody of  claim 21 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:9 and fragments thereof, wherein said fragment encodes a protein having allantoinase activity.  
     
     
         23 . The isolated antibody of  claim 21 , wherein said protein comprises a  C. felis  allantoinase protein at least 70% identical to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:10.  
     
     
         24 . The isolated antibody of  claim 21 , wherein said protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:10, and fragments thereof, wherein said fragment has allantoinase activity.  
     
     
         25 . The isolated antibody of  claim 24 , wherein said fragment comprises at least 25 contiguous nucleotides from a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:9 and encodes a protein having allantoinase activity.  
     
     
         26 . A method of inhibiting a protein having flea allantoinase activity in an animal, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the isolated antibody of  claim 21  to said animal to inhibit the allantoinase activity of said protein.  
     
     
         27 . A composition comprising the isolated antibody of  claim 21  and an excipient.