Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

Other

Biomolecular Research Institute Ltd.

Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research Ltd.- Fairfield Hospital

Ahmed Abdullah Azad

Kevin John Fahey

Cyril C Curtain

Peter John Hudson

Mittur N Jagadish

Alison Louise Greenway

Dale Alan McPhee

Ian MacReadie

Neil Moreton McKern

Paul Richard Vaughan

Hans-Georg Heine

Antony J Chapman

Ian G Macreadie

The invention relates to a biologically-active peptide fragment of the Nef protein of human immunodeficiency virus, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these peptides or biologically-active analogues thereof, to antagonists of the peptides and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these antagonists, and to therapeutic and screening methods utilizing compounds and compositions of the invention.

Therapeutic compounds

This invention relates to the cloning and characterization of the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) genome, to the identification of cloned genes for host-protective antigens of IBDV, to the expression of cDNA inserts encoding the whole or part of host-protective antigens of IBDV in E.coli or other host cells, and to the use of the expressed antigens in the production of virus neutralizing antibodies in chickens. The invention also relates to the production of an effective sub-unit vaccine against IBDV utilizing the expressed antigens, as well as to the use of the expressed antigens in diagnostic tests, assays and the like.

Cloning and expression of host-protective immunogens of IBDV

A recombinant DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence substantially corresponding to all or a portion of IBDV RNA, particularly the IBDV RNA segment of approximately 3400 b.p. In particular, a DNA molecule coding for all or a part of at least one structural protein of IBDV, for example, the 32 Kd and/or the 41/37 Kd structural proteins. Synthetic peptides or polypeptides, and fused polypeptides, prepared by expression of host cells containing these DNA molecules are also disclosed.

A highly immunogenic form of the VP2 structural protein of IBDV comprises a high molecular weight aggregated form of VP2 produced by the expression of a nucleotide sequence coding for the VP2 structural protein or a polypeptide displaying the antigenicity of all or a part of the VP2 structural protein in a yeast or other eukaryotic host cell.

Production of IBDV VP2 in highly immunogenic form

A recombinant DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a conformational epitope of the VP2 polypeptide of IBDV. In particular, a DNA molecule comprising a sequence which substantially corresponds to the AccI-SpeI fragment, and optionally the ScaI-XhoI fragment, of the IBDV genome segment coding for the VP2 polypeptide. Synthetic peptides or polypeptides, including fused polypeptides, prepared by expression of host cells containing these DNA molecules are also disclosed, as well as compositions for stimulating an immune response against IBDV comprising at least one such synthetic peptide or polypeptides.

IBDV VP2 epitope recognized by virus neutralizing and protective

Growing community of inventors

Melbourne, Australia

Ahmed Abdullah Azad