Solvay & Cie

John L Tedesco

Thomas C Gore

Virginia M Brothers

James G Files

William H Andrews

Karel Z Newman, Jr

Michael T McCaman

Stacey R Sias

Irene Kuhn

Leland S Paul

Leland Shawn Paul

Karel Z Mewman, Jr

Gary R Petersen

Nucleic acid molecules are provided which encode antigenic proteins capable of inducing in a chicken an immune response conferring protection against Eimeria tenella. Expression vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules are also provided. Methods for producing the proteins or antigenic polypeptides having amino acid sequences included within these proteins are also provided.

DNA encoding an antigenic protein derived from Eimeria tenella and

A purified antigenic protein has been obtained which is capable of inducing in a chicken an immune response conferring protection against infection by Eimeria necatrix or Eimeria tenella. The protein has a molecular weight of about 26,000 and is composed of two polypeptides joined by a disulfide bond. The two polypeptide subunits have molecular weights of about 18,000 and about 8,000, respectively. The gene encoding the protein has been sequenced and the amino acid sequence of the protein deduced therefrom. The protein and antigenic polypeptides having an amino acid sequence included within the protein may be incorporated into a vaccine for conferring upon a chicken active immunity against infection by E. necatrix or E. tenella.

Antigenic proteins and vaccines containing them for prevention of

A genomic DNA molecule having the nucleic acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1 and encoding an antigenic protein derived from Eimeria tenella has been isolated. The protein has a molecular weight of about 25,000 daltons and is composed of two polypeptides joined by a disulfide bond. One of the polypeptides is characterized by a molecular weight of about 17,000 daltons and by a blocked N-terminal amino acid and having the amino acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1. The other polypeptide is characterized by a molecular weight of about 8,000 daltons and has the amino acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1. A cDNA molecule encoding the 25,000 dalton polypeptide with a continuous amino acid sequence has been inserted into expression vectors capable of expressing the 25,000 dalton polypeptide directly or as a fused polypeptide. The polypeptides produced are used in vaccines to immunize chickens against infection by Eimeria tenella.

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Charles City, IA, United States of America

John L Tedesco