Behringwerke Aktiengesellschaft

Bernhard Knapp

Burkhard Enders

Erika Hundt

Hans Kupper

Hans K Upper

The invention relates to malaria-specific nucleic acid sequences, to the expression products thereof, and to the use thereof. A combination of three of the expression proteins whose nucleic acid sequences were isolated by screening a lambda gt11 gene bank with a monospecific antiserum against the protective 41 kD antigen band from P. falciparum protects Aotus monkeys from a P. falciparum infection in model experiments.

Malaria-specific DNA sequences, expression products thereof, and the use

Protective Plasmodium falciparum hybrid proteins which contain part-sequences of the malaria antigens HRPII and SERP, the preparation and use thereof. The invention relates to hybrid proteins composed of part-sequences of the malaria antigens HRPII and SERP. The HRPII sequence has already proven protective in the monkey model (EP-A2-0 315 085), where a C-terminal region of 189 amino acids has been used in the present invention in the same way as in the preceding protection experiment. SERP was identified with the aid of an antiserum against a protective protein band (EP-A1-0 283 882); the part-sequence used (amino acids (AA) 631-892 or 630-764) contains at least two T-cell epitopes (Roussilhon et al. (1990), Immunol. Letters 25, 149-154). In preferred embodiments, further T-cell epitope-containing regions of other P. falciparum proteins such as merozoite surface antigen I (MSA I or else '195 kd antigen'), amino acids from 100 to 300, are incorporated (Crisanti et al. (1988), Science 240, 324-326). The property common to all the hybrid components is that they represent highly conserved peptide sequences. Protection against a malaria infection is generated by immunization with abovementioned hybrid proteins.

Protective Plasmodium falciparum hybrid proteins which contain

The invention relates to malaria-specific DNA sequences, to the expression products thereof, and to the use thereof. A combination of three of the expression proteins whose DNA sequences were isolated by screening a lambda gt11 gene bank with a monospecific antiserum against the protective 41kD antigen bend from P. falciparum protects Aotus monkeys completely from a P. falciparum infection in model experiments.

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Marburg-Schrock, Germany

Bernhard Knapp