Virulent Dichelobacter nodosus detection using DNA probe for virulence-associated determinant and recombinant vaccine production

Patent Report This section provides information on worldwide patents relevant to vaccine design and production. The Patent Report gives the following information: title of patent, patentee, patent number, publication date and summary of the patent. A number of patents in this report are reproduced from 'Biotechnology Abstracts' with permission of Derwent Publications Ltd. Rochdale House, 128 Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8RP, Telephone 071 242 5823; Fax 071 405 3630.

Virulent Dichelobacter nodosus detection using DNA probe for virulence-associated determinant and recombinant vaccine production Aust. Wool Res. Develop. Au 9189 969; 23 July 1992 An isolated nucleic acid fragment (I) unique to a virulent Dichelobacter nodosus strain (in the diagnosis of footrot) is claimed. Also claimed are: (1) a recombinant vector containing (I); (2) phage lambda clones R3, R13, R18, R19, R25, R29, R73, R80 or R82 and their derivatives; (3) a DNA probe containing (I); (4) vaccine production unique to a virulent D. nodosus strain; (5) a monoclonal antibody against (4); (6) a diagnostic test for virulent D. nodosus comprising a hybridization assay (using (3) or (I)) based on the polymerase chain reaction, where positive hybridization with plasmids of pJIR series indicates a high certainty of virulence; and (7) a diagnostic test for virulent D. nodosus. The vector is a plasmid or phage, and includes host DNA or RNA, especially plasmid pUC18 DNA; it is preferably plasmid pJIR313, plasmid pJIR314A, plasmid pJIR314B, plasmid pJIR318, plasmid pJIR557, plasmid pJIR590, plasmid pJIR589, plasmid pJIR592, plasmid pJIR571, plasmid pJIR662, plasmid pJIR663, plasmid pJIR673 or plasmid pJIR701; and incorporates all/part of the phage lambda clones of (2). 017-93

Vaccine comprising antigen derived from parasitic nematode; recombinant vaccine production by e.g. Haemonchus contortus gene cloning and expression in Escherichia coli using plasmid pBTA983 vector; DNA sequence Biotechnol. Aust; CSIRO World 9213 890; 20 August 1992 A new purified antigen, derived from a first parasitic nematode species and capable of providing protection to a host from a second nematode species, is new. The first and second nematodes may be the same or different (e.g. Haemonchus contortus, or a Trichinella, Ancylostoma, Strongylus, Trichostrongylus, Ostertagia , Ascaris, Toxascaris, Uncinaria, Trichuris, Dictycaulus, Dirofilaria, Toxocara, Necator, Enterobius, Strongyloides or Wuchereria sp.). The antigen has a mol wt. of 40 000. The following are also new: an antigen homologue; DNA (e.g. cDNA) encoding the antigen, or a sequence with at least 50% homology; a plasmid, virus or cosmid vector (e.g. plasmid pBTA983) containing the DNA; a bacterium, yeast, fungus, insect, plant or mammal cell culture host (e.g. Escherichia coli K12 BTA 2147) carrying the DNA; a recombinant antigen (preferably as a fusion protein); a process for preparing the antigen from nematode membrane material by extraction with surfactant, and wheatgerm lectin-Sepharose chromatography; and a (possibly anti-idiotype) antibody against the antigen. The antigen is useful in recombinant vaccine production. 018-93 0264-410X/93/030388~2 © 1993 Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd 388

Vaccine, Vol. 11, Issue 3, 1993

Polypeptides encoded by pilCl of Neisseria gonorrhoeae; recombinant PilC protein production by expression in host may be used in the production of a recombinant vaccine; DNA sequence Washington Univ. World 9213 871; 20 August 1992 The following are claimed: i. a recombinant polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an immunoreactive epitope of a protein encoded in pilC of Neisseria gonorrhoeae; ii. a vector comprising the recombinant protein; iii. a host cell transformed with the vector; iv. a recombinant expression system comprising a protein as in (i.) operably linked to a control sequence compatible with a desired host; v. a cell transformed with the recombinant expression system; vi. a protein produced by the cell; vii. a purified protein comprising an immunoreactive epitope of a protein encoded in pilC of Neisseria; viii. a recombinant protein comprising an immunoreactive epitope of a protein encoded in pilC of Neisseria; ix. 2 compositions; x. an oligomer capable of hybridizing to a sequence in pilC; and xi. a recombinant protein comprising a DNA sequence (specified) of at least eight contiguous nucleotides from pilC. Portions of the DNA sequences of the pilC genes are useful as probes to diagnose the presence of microorganisms contained type-4 pilin, e.g. Neisseria, in samples. They may also be used in diagnosis and as components in the production of vaccines. 019-93

Herpes simplex virus-1 deletion variant; use in herpes virus-2, human cytomegalovirus or HIV virus-1 or -2 recombinant vaccine production SK & Beecham World 9213 943; 20 August 1992 A new herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1 1714 or HSV-1 1716) strain has a modified terminal portion of RL within BamHI s (0-0.02 and 0.81-0.83 nm). At least 100 nucleotides (preferably 0.5-3 kb, especially 0.7-2.5 kb) in the BamHI s region between the AluI site at 125074 np and 125972 np and its counterpart in TRL have been deleted. The following are also new: an isolated light particle preparation from a herpes virus carrying a heterologous antigen; a recombinant vaccine containing the HSV-1 strain and an excipient; and a method for production of the HSV-1 strain by deletion mutagenesis of the genome of HSV-1. The heterologous antigen is from herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) gD, human cytomegalovirus gB, HSV-2 ICP0, ICP4, VMW65, HIV virus-1 gpl20 or HIV virus-2 gpl20. The HSV-1 strain may be modified further by incorporating a ts mutation into the UL26 gene, and by rendering the LAP promoter ineffective. The modified HSV-1 is useful in recombinant vaccine production against herpes and other infections. 020-93

HTLV-I virus and HTLV-II virus peptide antigen derived from gp46 envelope protein; production using peptide library for use in recombinant vaccine or diagnostic immunoassay Genelabs World 9213 946; 20 August 1992 A new peptide antigen contains less than 77 (preferably less than 50) amino acids derived from HTLV-I or HTLV-II virus envelope protein gp46, and includes an immunogenic region