Compositions and Methods Related to Bacterial EAP, EMP, and/or ADSA Proteins

1 . An antigen composition comprising:

(a) an isolated Emp antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof; and

(b) at least one additional staphylococcal antigen selected from a group consisting of an isolated ClfA, CIfB, Eap, EsaB, EsxA, EsxB, EsaC, IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, SasF, SasB, SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, SasH, Ebh, Coa, vWa, Hla and SpA antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof,

wherein the antigens are comprised in a pharmaceutically acceptable composition capable of stimulating an immune response in a subject in need thereof.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a type V capsular saccharide, a type VIII capsular saccharide, and/or a polysaccharide intracellular adhesin (PIA).

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional staphylococcal antigen is selected from the group consisting of an isolated ClfB, Eap, EsxA, EsxB, IsdA, and SrdD.

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one additional staphylococcal antigen is an isolated IsdA antigen.

7 . The composition of claim 6 , further comprising one or more additional staphylococcal antigens selected from the group consisting of ClfB, Eap, EsxA, EsxB, Hla, and SdrD.

8 . The composition of claim 7 , further comprising one or more of a type V capsular saccharide, a type VIII capsular saccharide, and/or a polysaccharide intracellular adhesin (PIA).

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises less than a 1% weight/weight contamination with other staphylococcal bacterial components.

12 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein one or more isolated antigens are coupled to an adjuvant.

13 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Emp antigen comprises at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2.

14 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Emp antigen is at least 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 98% identical to SEQ ID NO:2.

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the Emp antigen comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

18 . (canceled)

19 . An antigen comprising two or more of a CIfA, CIfB, Eap, Emp, EsaB, EsxA, EsxB, EsaC, IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, SasF, SasH, Ebh, Coa, vWa, Hla, SasB, SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, and SpA antigen, wherein the two or more antigens are coupled forming a multimeric antigen.

20 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method for eliciting an immune response against a staphylococcus bacterium in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising:

(a) an isolated Emp antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and

(b) at least one additional staphylococcal antigen selected from a group consisting of an isolated ClfA, ClfB, Eap, EsaB, EsxA, EsxB, EsaC, Hla, SasB, SasH, Ebh, Coa, vWa, IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, SasF, SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, and SpA antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the subject is provided with an effective amount of an isolated antigen by administering to the subject a composition comprising:

i) the isolated antigen, or

ii) at least one isolated recombinant nucleic acid molecule encoding the antigen.

33 . The method of claim 31 , where the subject is also administered an adjuvant.

34 . (canceled)

35 . (canceled)

36 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the Emp antigen comprises at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 consecutive amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2.

37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the Emp antigen is at least 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 98% identical to SEQ ID NO:2.

38 . (canceled)

39 . (canceled)

40 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the Emp antigen comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.

41 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the staphylococcus bacterium is a S. aureus bacterium.

42 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the stapylococcus bacterium is a drug resistant bacterium.

43 - 52 . (canceled)

53 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the composition includes a recombinant, non-staphylococcus bacterium expressing an isolated Emp antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and at least one additional staphylococcal antigen selected from a group consisting of an isolated ClfA, CIfB, Eap, EsaB, EsxA, EsxB, EsaC, Hla, SasB, SasH, Ebh, Coa, vWa, IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, SasF, SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, and SpA antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

54 . (canceled)

55 . (canceled)

56 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the subject is human.

57 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the immune response is a protective immune response.

58 - 71 . (canceled)

72 . A method for limiting staphylococcal abscess formation and/or persistence in a subject comprising providing to a subject having or suspected of having or at risk of developing a staphylococcal infection an effective amount of an isolated Emp antigen or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and at least one additional staphylococcal antigen selected from a group consisting of an isolated ClfA, ClfB, Eap, EsaB, EsaC, EsxA, EsxB, IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, SasB, SasH, Ebh, Coa, vWa, SasF, SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, Hla and SpA antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

73 - 97 . (canceled)

98 . A method for eliciting an immune response against a staphylococcus bacterium in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising:

(a) an isolated Eap antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and

(b) at least one additional staphylococcal antigen selected from a group consisting of an isolated ClfA, ClfB, Emp, EsaB, EsaC, EsxA, EsxB, IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, SasF, SasH, Ebh, Coa, vWa, SasB, SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, Hla and SpA antigen, or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

99 - 162 . (canceled)

163 . A method for eliciting an immune response against a staphylococcus bacterium in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising an isolated AdsA peptide, or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

164 - 215 . (canceled)