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View Patent ↗The invention relates to the field of the diagnosis of and vaccination against Streptococcal infections, and to the detection of virulence markers of Streptococci. The invention discloses a method for modulating virulence of a Streptococcus comprising modifying a genomic fragment of the Streptococcus , wherein the genomic fragment comprises at least a functional part of a fragment identifiable by hybridization in Streptococcus suis to a nucleic acid or fragment thereof.
1. An isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising:
a first nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus suis origin
wherein the first nucleotide sequence comprises a contiguous sequence which hybridizes to the full length of nucleotides 89-263 of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:37 at 65° C. in a buffer having 0.5 M sodium phosphate, 1 mM EDTA, and 7% sodium dodecyl sulphate at a pH of 7.2,
wherein the first nucleic acid molecule remains hybridized to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:37 after
washing twice with a buffer containing 40 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.2), 1 mM EDTA and 5% sodium dodecyl sulphate for 30 minutes at 65° C. and;
washing twice with a buffer containing 40 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.2), 1 mM EDTA and 1% sodium dodecyl sulphate for 30 minutes at 65° C.
2. A vector comprising the isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
3. A host cell comprising the isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
4. The host cell of claim 3 , wherein the host cell is of a Streptococcus origin.
5. A composition comprising the isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
6. A process for modulating virulence of a Streptococcus comprising: providing a Streptococcus species having a genomic fragment capable of hybridizing to the isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 ; modifying the genomic fragment of the Streptococcus species, wherein modifying the genomic fragment comprises functionally deleting at least part of the genomic fragment; and generating a Streptococcus clone having the modified genomic fragment.
7. A clone of a Streptococcus , obtained by the process according to claim 1 .
8. A process for assaying virulence of a Streptococcus comprising: providing a Streptococcus species; providing genomic DNA of said Streptococcus species; determining whether at least part of the genomic DNA is capable of hybridizing to the isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 ; wherein the capability of at least part of the genomic fragment to hybridize to the isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 is indicative for the virulence of the Streptococcus.
9. An isolated or recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus suis origin comprising nucleotides 89-263 of SEQ ID NO:37.