Hybrid expression of neisserial proteins
Two or more Neisserial proteins (e.g. A and B) are expressed as a single hybrid protein which can be represented simply by the formula NH 2 -A-B—COOH.
1. A hybrid protein of formula NH 2 -A-B—COOH, wherein A and B are different Neisserial proteins and are each selected from orf1, orf4, orf25, orf40, orf46, orf83, 233, 287, 2921, 564, 687, 741, 907, 919, 953, 961 and 983, wherein when the different Neisserial proteins are 953 and 287, A is 953 and B is 287.
2. The protein of claim 1 , wherein A and B are each selected from ORF46, 287, 741, 919, 953, 961 and 983.
3. The protein of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said ORF46, 287, 741, 919, 953, 961 and 983 consists essentially of the full-length form of the protein.
4. The protein of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said ORF46, 287, 741, 919, 953, 961 and 983 has a deletion.
5. The protein of claim 4 , wherein A and/or B has a poly-glycine deletion (‘ΔG’).
6. The protein of claim 5 , wherein A and/or B is ΔG741 or ΔG983 or B is ΔG-287.
7. The protein of claim 4 , wherein A and/or B is a truncated protein.
8. The protein of claim 7 , wherein B is Δ1-287, Δ2-287, Δ3-287 or Δ4-287.
9. The protein of claim 1 , wherein A and B are: (a) 919 and 287; (b) 953 and 287; (c) 287 and ORF46; (d) ORF1 and ORF46; (e) 919 and ORF46; (f) ORF46 and 919; (g) ORF46 and 741; (h) ORF46 and 961; (i) 961 and ORF46; (j) 961 and 741; or (k) 961 and 983.
10. The protein of claim 4 , wherein the protein is ΔG287-919, ΔG287-961, ΔG983-ORF46, ΔG983-741, ΔG983-961, ΔG983-961C, ΔG741-961, ΔG741-961C, ΔG741-983, ΔG741-ORF46, ORF46-961C, 961C-ORF46, 961C-741, 961C-983, 961CL-ORF46, 961CL-741 or 961CL-983.
11. The protein of claim 2 , wherein B is 287.
12. The protein of claim 1 , wherein B is ΔG-287.
13. The protein of claim 12 , wherein A is ORF46, 919, 953 or 961.
14. The protein of claim 11 , wherein 287 is from strain 2996 or 394/98.
15. The protein of claim 2 , wherein A is 961.
16. The protein of claim 1 , wherein A and B are from the same strain.
17. The protein of claim 1 , wherein A and B are joined directly.
18. The protein of claim 1 , wherein A and B are joined via a linker peptide.
19. The protein of claim 18 , wherein the linker peptide is a poly-glycine linker, with the proviso that B is not a AG protein.
20. The protein of claim 11 , wherein 287 is from strain 2996 or 394/98.
21. The protein of claim 12 , wherein 287 is from strain 2996 or 394/98.
22. The protein of claim 13 , wherein 287 is from strain 2996 or 394/98.
23. The protein of claim 9 , wherein A and B are from the same strain.
24. The protein of claim 10 , wherein A and B are from the same strain.
25. The protein of claim 9 , wherein A and B are joined directly.
26. The protein of claim 10 , wherein A and B are joined directly.
27. The protein of claim 9 , wherein A and B are joined via a linker peptide.
28. The protein of claim 10 , wherein A and B are joined via a linker peptide.
29. A method for producing the hybrid protein of claim 1 comprising expressing in a cell a nucleic acid encoding the hybrid protein of claim 1 .
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein A and B are: (a) 919 and 287; (b) 953 and 287; (c) 287 and ORF46; (d) ORF1 and ORF46; (e) 919 and ORF46; (f) ORF46 and 919; (g) ORF46 and 741; (h) ORF46 and 961; (i) 961 and ORF46; (j) 961 and 741; or (k) 961 and 983.
31. The method of claim 29 , in which the cell is an E. coli cell.
32. The method of claim 30 , in which the cell is an E. coli cell.
33. A composition comprising the hybrid protein of claim 1 and an aluminum salt.
34. The composition of claim 33 , wherein A and B are: (a) 919 and 287; (b) 953 and 287; (c) 287 and ORF46; (d) ORF1 and ORF46; (e) 919 and ORF46; (f) ORF46 and 919; (g) ORF46 and 741; (h) ORF46 and 961; (i) 961 and ORF46; (j) 961 and 741; or (k) 961 and 983.