METHODS OF INDUCING AN IMMUNE RESPONSE WITH COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING A NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS 741 PROTEIN
Two or more Neisserial proteins are joined such that they are translated as a single polypeptide chain. Hybrid proteins are represented by the formula NH 2 -A-[—X-L-] n -B—COOH where X is an amino acid sequence, L is an optional linker amino acid sequence, A is an optional N-terminal amino acid sequence, B is an optional C-terminal amino acid sequence, and n is an integer greater than 1. Proteins where each of the n-X— moieties shares sequence identity to each other —X— moiety, the protein is a ‘tandem protein’.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A purified polypeptide comprising (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity to SEQ ID NO: 3, or (ii) at least 50 consecutive amino acids from SEQ ID NO: 3.
3 . The purified polypeptide of claim 2 , wherein the amino acid sequence has at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO: 3.
4 . The purified polypeptide of claim 2 , wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 60 consecutive amino acids from SEQ ID NO: 3.
5 . A method of inducing an immune response in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising the purified polypeptide of claim 2 .
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises an aluminum salt adjuvant.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the purified polypeptide is adsorbed to the aluminum salt adjuvant.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
12 . A purified protein having formula:
NH2-A-[—X-L-]n-B—COOH
wherein L is an optional linker amino acid sequence, A is an optional N-terminal amino acid sequence, B is an optional C-terminal amino acid sequence, and n is 2 and X is an amino acid sequence comprising at least 40 consecutive amino acids from a 741 protein, wherein the first 741 protein is SEQ ID NO: 3 and the second 741 protein is SEQ ID NO: 7.
13 . A composition comprising the purified protein of claim 12 adsorbed to an aluminum salt adjuvant.
14 . A composition comprising the purified protein of claim 12 and an aluminum hydroxyphosphate adjuvant.
15 . A method of inducing an immune response in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a composition comprising the purified polypeptide of claim 12 .
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises an aluminum salt adjuvant.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the purified polypeptide is adsorbed to the aluminum salt adjuvant.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the aluminum salt adjuvant comprises aluminum phosphate.