The present invention discloses isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a hyperimmune serum reactive antigen or a fragment thereof as well as hyperimmune serum reactive antigens or fragments thereof from S. agalactiae , and methods for isolating such antigens and specific uses thereof.
1. An isolated hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen fragment consisting of amino acids 9-16, 33-39, 47-59, 65-79, 81-95, 103-108, 115-123, 138-148, 163-171, 176-185, 191-196, 205-211, 213-221, 224-256, 261-276, 294-302, 357-363, 384-390, 95-111, 161-189, or 162-188 of SEQ ID NO: 307.
2. An immunogenic composition comprising an isolated hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen fragment of claim 1 .
3. The immunogenic composition of claim 2 , comprising at least two different isolated hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen fragments.
4. The immunogenic composition of claim 2 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance.
5. The immunogenic composition of claim 4 , wherein the immunostimulatory substance is a polycationic polymer, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide (ODN), a peptide containing at least two LysLeuLys motifs, a neuroactive compound, alum, or a Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant.
6. The immunogenic composition of claim 5 , wherein the polycationic polymer is a polycationic peptide.
7. The immunogenic composition of claim 5 , wherein the neuroactive compound is human growth hormone.
8. A method of eliciting an immune response in a subject comprising:
administering the immunogenic composition of claim 2 to the subject.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the subject is a human.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the immune response is directed against S. agalactiae.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the immunogenic composition comprises at least two different isolated hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen fragments.
12. A fusion protein comprising the hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen fragment according to claim 1 , further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence.
13. An immunogenic composition comprising the fusion protein according to claim 12 .
14. The immunogenic composition of claim 13 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance.
15. The immunogenic composition of claim 14 , wherein the immunostimulatory substance is a polycationic polymer, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide (ODN), a peptide containing at least two LysLeuLys motifs, a neuroactive compound, alum, or a Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant.
16. The immunogenic composition of claim 15 , wherein the polycationic polymer is a polycationic peptide.
17. The immunogenic composition of claim 15 , wherein the neuroactive compound is human growth hormone.
18. A method of eliciting an immune response in a subject comprising:
administering the immunogenic composition of claim 13 to the subject.
19. An isolated protein consists of a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 307, wherein said fragment comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: amino acids 9-16, 33-39, 47-59, 65-79, 81-95, 103-108, 115-123, 138-148, 163-171, 176-185, 191-196, 205-211, 213-221, 224-256, 261-276, 294-302, 357-363, 384-390, 95-111, 161-189, or 162-188 of SEQ ID NO: 307, and wherein said fragment is less than 403 amino acids in length.
20. A fusion protein comprising the protein according to claim 19 , further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence.
21. An immunogenic composition comprising the isolated protein of claim 19 .
22. The immunogenic composition of claim 21 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance.
23. The immunogenic composition of claim 22 , wherein the immunostimulatory substance is a polycationic polymer, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide (ODN), a peptide containing at least two LysLeuLys motifs, a neuroactive compound, alum, or a Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant.
24. The immunogenic composition of claim 23 , wherein the polycationic polymer is a polycationic peptide.
25. The immunogenic composition of claim 23 , wherein the neuroactive compound is human growth hormone.
26. A method of eliciting an immune response in a subject comprising:
administering the immunogenic composition of claim 21 to the subject.
27. An immunogenic composition comprising the fusion protein according to claim 20 .
28. The immunogenic composition of claim 27 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance.
29. The immunogenic composition of claim 28 , wherein the immunostimulatory substance is a polycationic polymer, an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide (ODN), a peptide containing at least two LysLeuLys motifs, a neuroactive compound, alum, or a Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvant.
30. The immunogenic composition of claim 29 , wherein the polycationic polymer is a polycationic peptide.
31. The immunogenic composition of claim 29 , wherein the neuroactive compound is human growth hormone.
32. A method of eliciting an immune response in a subject comprising:
administering the immunogenic composition of claim 27 to the subject.