POLYPEPTIDES ANTIGENS OR VACCINES PROTECTIVE AGAINST BABESIOSIS

• Main Authors: WRIGHT, IAN G, GALE, KEVIN R, WALTISBUHL, DAVID J, GOODGER, BRIAN V
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 25.07.1990
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CULTURE MEDIA; ENZYMOLOGY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; ORGANIC CHEMISTRY; PEPTIDES; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; SPIRITS; VINEGAR; WINE

ABSTRACT An antigen which produces immunity against homologous or heterologous challenge with babesia of cattle. The antigen is immunoreactive with a monoclonal antibody or polyclonal antisera recognising a protein located on the surface of babesia-infected erythrocytes and within a spherical or mitochondrion like organelle. The antigen can be prepared by (i) preparing nucleic acids from babesia injected erythrocytes depleted of leucocytes; (ii) forming a cDNA or genomic library from nucleic acids obtained in step (i); (iii) screening said library formed in step (ii) with a suitable probe to identify clones of interest; and thus providing DNA inserts for an expression vector which may be used to transform an appropriate host; (iv) obtaining a recombinant polypeptide from said transformed hosts which is protective against babesiosis. A monoclonal antibody reactive with the antigen, a DNA sequence which produces a protein protective against babesiosis when administered as a vaccine, and a vaccine including the antigen in combination with an adjuvant is also included in the inventive concept.