NZ555934A - Polypeptides from the Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and uses thereof in treating and detecting GBS disease or infection - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a polypeptide from the Group B streptococcus (GBS) comprising of at least 70 amino acids of SEQ ID NO:20906. Further described are fusion proteins comprising the said protein and at least 7 amino acids from the polypeptide sequences (even numbers) from the group of SEQ ID NO: 2-22740. The said proteins are used for the treatment of GBS infection and/or disease, generating antibodies and also in vaccines. Also disclosed is the use of the nucleotide sequences encoding for the above polypeptides and use as therapeutics (odd numbers 1-22740).

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number 555934 555934 WO 2006/069200 PCT/US2005/046491 GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS This application incorporates by reference the contents of each of two duplicate CD-ROMs which contain an identical 90.1 MB file labeled "PP28007 PCT sequence listing.txt," which is the sequence listing for this application. The CD-ROMs were created on December 21, 2005. This 5 application also incorporates by reference the contents of each of two duplicate CD-ROMs which contain an identical 681 KB file labeled "Table I.txt" and containing Table I. The CD-ROMs were created on December 20,2005.

All documents cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention is in the field of Streptococcus biology, and in particular relates to S.agalactiqe. also / known as 'group B streptococcus' (GBS).

BACKGROUND ART Once thought to infect only cows, the Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae (or "group B streptococcus", abbreviated to "GBS") is now known to cause serious disease, bacteremia and 15 meningitis, in immunocompromised individuals and in neonates. There are two types of neonatal infection. The first (early onset, usually within 5 days of birth) is manifested by bacteremia and pneumonia. It is contracted vertically as a baby passes through the birth canal. GBS colonises the vagina of about 25% of young women, and approximately 1% of infants born via a vaginal birth to colonised mothers will become infected. Mortality is between 50-70%. The second is a meningitis 20 that occurs 10 to 60 days after birth. If pregnant women are vaccinated with type III capsule so that the infants are passively immunised, the incidence of the late onset meningitis is reduced but is not entirely eliminated.

The "B" in "GBS" refers to the Lancefield classification, which is based on the antigenicity of a carbohydrate which is soluble in dilute acid and called the C carbohydrate. Lancefield identified 13 25 types of C carbohydrate, designated A to O, that could be serologically differentiated. The organisms that most commonly infect humans are found in groups A, B, D, and G. Within group B, strains can be divided into 8 serotypes (la, lb, Ia/c, II, III, IV, V, and VI) based on the structure of-their _ polysaccharide capsule. The genome sequence of a serotype V strain of GBS has been published and analysed [1,2], including a comparative genome hybridization analysis of 19 disease-causing isolates 30 of the same type V strain 2603V/R. The genome sequence of a serotype III strain is also known [3].

Current GBS vaccines are based on polysaccharide antigens, although these suffer from poor immunogenicity. Anti-idiotypic approaches have also been used {e.g. ref. 4). There remains a need, however, for effective adult vaccines against S.agalactiae infection.

It is an object of the invention to provide proteins which can be used in the development of such 35 vaccines. The proteins may also be useful for diagnostic purposes, and as targets for antibiotics.