Tuberculosis Compositions And Methods Of Treating Or Preventing Tuberculosis

1 . A composition or fusion protein comprising at least three Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens, wherein the Mtb antigens are chosen from Rv1009, Rv3136, Rv3615c, Rv2628, Rv2034, and Rv3136 N-terminus.

2 - 7 . (canceled)

8 . The fusion protein according to claim 1 comprising:

Rv1009-Rv3615c-Rv3136;

Rv1009-Rv2034-Rv3136;

Rv2034-Rv1009-Rv3136;

Rv3136-Rv2034-Rv1009.

9 . The fusion protein according to claim 8 wherein:

Rv1009 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:4;

Rv3136 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:8;

Rv3615c comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11;

Rv2628 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 14;

Rv2034 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16; and

Rv3136Nt comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 18.

10 . The fusion protein according to claim 8 wherein:

Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3;

Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, or SEQ ID NO:7;

Rv3615c is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:10;

Rv2628 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 12 or SEQ ID NO:13;

Rv2034 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 15; and

Rv3136Nt is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:17.

11 . The fusion protein according to claim 8 wherein:

Rv1009-Rv3615c-Rv3136 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:39;

Rv1009-Rv2034-Rv3136 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:41;

Rv2034-Rv1009-Rv3136 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:47;

Rv3136-Rv2034-Rv1009 comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:49.

12 . The fusion protein according to claim 8 wherein:

Rv1009-Rv3615c-Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:38;

Rv1009-Rv2034-Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:40;

Rv1009-Rv2628-Rv3615c-Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:42;

Rv1009-Rv2034-Rv2628-Rv3615c-Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:44;

Rv2034-Rv1009-Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:46;

Rv3136-Rv2034-Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:48;

Rv1009-Rv3615c-Rv2034-Rv2628 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:50;

Rv3615c-Rv2034-Rv2628-Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 52;

Rv2034-Rv3615c-Rv2628-Rv3136 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 54;

Rv3136-Rv2628-Rv3615c-Rv2034 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:56;

Rv1009-Rv3136Nt-Rv2628-Rv2034-Rv3615c is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:58;

Rv2034-Rv3615c-Rv3136Nt-Rv2628-Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:60;

Rv3615c-Rv2628-Rv1009-Rv3136Nt-Rv2034 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62;

Rv1009-Rv2628-Rv3136Nt-Rv2034-Rv3615c is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:70;

Rv2628-Rv3136Nt-Rv1009-Rv2034-Rv3615c is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:72; and

Rv2628-Rv3136Nt-Rv2034-Rv3615c-Rv1009 is encoded by a nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:74.

13 . A composition or fusion protein comprising at least two Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens, wherein the Mtb antigens are Rv1733 and Rv2626c.

14 . The fusion protein according to claim 13 comprising Rv1733-Rv2626c.

15 . A composition or fusion protein comprising at least three Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) antigens, wherein the Mtb antigens are chosen from Ag85A, Ag85B, Rv3407, RpfA, RpfC, and RpfD.

16 . The composition or fusion protein according to claim 15 comprising:

Ag85A, Ag85B, and Rv3407 Mtb antigens; or

RpfA, RpfC, and RpfD Mtb antigens.

17 . The fusion protein according to claim 16 comprising:

Ag85A-Ag85B-Rv3407; or

RpfA-RpfC-RpfD.

18 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition or fusion protein according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

19 . A vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding the fusion protein according to claim 1 .

20 . A cell comprising the vector according to claim 19 .

21 . A method of eliciting an immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an immunologically sufficient amount of the composition or fusion protein according to claim 1 .

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the composition or fusion protein is administered to the mammal in the form of an aerosol.