The University of Texas System

Research Development Foundation

Alan D Barrett

Michael Holbrook

Haolin Ni

David W Niesel

Robert Fox

Xiuzhen Fan

Christopher Robb

Kate Ryman

David Beasley

The present invention concerns methods and compositions involving flavivirus envelope protein domain III antigens for the detection of virus and detection of antibodies against the virus. Such methods and compositions may be used to detect TBE serocomplex viruses or West Nile virus infection in a subject, patient, animal or biological fluid. The present invention also concerns kits for implementing such methods. In some embodiments, kits contain a recombinant TBE serocomplex virus or West Nile virus envelope protein domain III antigen.

Compositions and methods related to flavivirus envelope protein domain III antigens

Disclosed are polypeptides which include an amino acid sequence corresponding to CCXXXCKEGXXC (SEQ ID NO:1). Also disclosed are methods for inhibiting the activity of a flavivirus or other virus by contacting the virus with a miniprotein ligand under conditions effective for the miniprotein ligand to bind to the virus. Methods for detecting a flavivirus or other virus in a sample by contacting the sample with a miniprotein ligand and determining whether the miniprotein ligand is bound to a flavivirus or other virus as also disclosed, as are methods of assessing a compound's usefulness in inhibiting the activity of a flavivirus or other virus.

Miniprotein ligands and other polypeptides and methods for making and using same

The present invention provides a method of selecting virus vaccine candidates by selecting virus variants that do not bind to brain membrane receptor preparations, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a brain membrane receptor preparation; (b) mixing an amount of a virus of interest with an amount of said membrane receptor preparation containing excess membrane receptors to form a virus-membrane receptor preparation suspension; (c) centrifuging said suspension to form a supernatant; (d) determining residual virus infectivity in said supernatant; and (e) isolating individual membrane receptor preparation binding-resistant virus variants which are useful as virus vaccine candidates.

Method of screening for attenuating viruses

The present invention provides a Mycobacterium-E. coli shuttle vector containing sequences coding for a tribrid fusion containing the M. leprae 18kDa antigen sequence, a phoA protein antigen sequence and a non-mycobacterial, non-E.coli heterologous protein antigen sequence. Also provided is a method of producing protective immunity in an animal or human host in need of such treatment, comprising the step of administering to said animal or human host an effective dose of recombinant mycobacteria carrying the vector of the present invention.

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Galveston, TX, United States of America

Alan D Barrett