Basb027 proteins and genes from moraxella catarrhalis, antigens, antibodies, and uses

Abstract

The invention provides BASB027 polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding BASB027 polypeptides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic uses.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An isolated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide or the full complement to the isolated polynucleotide, wherein the polypeptide is selected from (a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4; (b) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4; or (c) a polypeptide comprising an immunogenic fragment that is at least 15 contiguous amino acids of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         15 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 14 , wherein the isolated polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         16 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 14  comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         17 . An isolated polynucleotide segment comprising a polynucleotide sequence or the full complement of the entire length of the polynucleotide sequence, wherein the polynucleotide sequence hybridizes to the full complement of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3 minus the complement of any stop codon, wherein the hybridization conditions include incubation at 42° C. in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5×SSC (150 mM NaCl, 15 mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5×Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20 micrograms/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing in 0.1×SSC at 65° C.; and, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3 minus any terminal stop codon, except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NOs:1 or 3 minus any terminal stop codon, n n  nucleotides are substituted, inserted or deleted, wherein n n  satisfies the following expression
     n   n   ≦x   n −( x   n   •y ),   
       wherein x n  is the total number of nucleotides in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3 minus any terminal stop codon, y is at least 0.95, and wherein any non-integer product of x n  and y is rounded down to the nearest integer before subtracting the product from x n ; and wherein the polynucleotide sequence detects  Moraxella catarrhalis.    
     
     
         18 . An expression vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         19 . A host cell transformed with the expression vector of  claim 18 . 
     
     
         20 . A process of producing an isolated polypeptide comprising (a) culturing the host cell of  claim 19  under conditions sufficient for the production of the encoded polypeptide and (b) recovering the polypeptide. 
     
     
         21 . A nucleic acid vaccine comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 14  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         22 . An isolated polynucleotide segment comprising a polynucleotide sequence or the full complement of the entire length of the polynucleotide sequence, wherein the polynucleotide sequence is identical to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3 minus any terminal stop codon, except that, over the entire length corresponding to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3 minus any terminal stop codon n n  nucleotides are substituted, inserted or deleted, wherein n n  satisfies the following expression
     n   n   ≦x   n −( x   n   •y ),   
       wherein x n  is the total number of nucleotides in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3 minus any terminal stop codon y is at least 0.90, and wherein any non-integer product of x n  and y is rounded down to the nearest integer before subtracting the product from x n ; and wherein the polynucleotide sequence detects  Moraxella catarrhalis.    
     
     
         23 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 22  wherein y is at least 0.95. 
     
     
         24 . An expression vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 22  which codes for a polypeptide that, when administered to a mammal induces an immune response that recognizes a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         25 . A host cell transformed with (a) the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 22  or (b) an expression vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 22 . 
     
     
         26 . A process of producing an isolated polypeptide comprising (a) culturing the host cell of  claim 25  under conditions sufficient for the production of the encoded polypeptide and (b) recovering the polypeptide. 
     
     
         27 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A process for expressing the isolated polynucleotide of  claim 14  comprising transforming a host cell with an expression vector comprising the polynucleotide and culturing the host cell under conditions sufficient for expression of the polynucleotide.