Lactobacillus acidophilus nucleic acid sequences encoding stress-related proteins and uses therefor

Abstract

Stress-related nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides and fragments and variants thereof are disclosed in the current invention. In addition, stress-related fusion proteins, antigenic peptides, and anti-stress-related antibodies are encompassed. The invention also provides recombinant expression vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule of the invention and host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced. Methods for producing the polypeptides and methods of use for the polypeptides of the invention are further disclosed.

1 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 147;   b) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 147, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide having stress-related activity;   c) a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 148; and,   d) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:148, wherein said polypeptide retains stress-related activity.   
     
     
         2 . A plasmid comprising a heterologous nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         3 . The plasmid of  claim 2 , further comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a heterologous polypeptide. 
     
     
         4 . A microbial cell comprising a heterologous plasmid of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The microbial cell of  claim 4 , wherein said microbial cell is a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         6 . A microbial cell comprising a heterologous nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The microbial cell of  claim 4 , wherein said microbial cell is a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         8 . The microbial cell of  claim 7 , wherein said bacterial cell is a lactic acid bacterial cell. 
     
     
         9 . The microbial cell of  claim 8 , wherein the bacterial cell is  Lactobacillus acidophilus.    
     
     
         10 . An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 148;   b) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 148, wherein said polypeptide retains stress-related activity.   
     
     
         11 . The polypeptide of  claim 10  further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence. 
     
     
         12 . An antibody that selectively binds to the polypeptide of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a polypeptide comprising culturing a microbial cell comprising a heterologous nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  under conditions in which the heterologous nucleic acid molecule encoding said polypeptide is expressed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the microbial cell is a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said bacterial cell is a lactic acid bacterial cell. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the bacterial cell is  Lactobacillus acidophilus.    
     
     
         17 . A method for increasing the ability of an organism to survive stressful conditions, comprising introducing into said organism at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 a) a nucleotide sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 147;   b) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 147, wherein said nucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide with stress-related activity;   c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 148; and,   d) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 148, wherein said polypeptide has stress-related activity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said stressful conditions comprise acidic conditions.