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Abstract

Isolated extracellular matrix-binding proteins, designated ClfB, SdrC, SdrD and SdrE, and their corresponding amino acid and nucleic acid sequences and motifs are described. The proteins, peptides, fragments thereof or antigenic portions thereof are useful for the prevention, inhibition, treatment and diagnosis ofinfection and as scientific research tools. Further, antibodies or antibody fragments to the proteins, peptides, fragments thereof or antigenic portions thereof are also useful for the prevention, inhibition, treatment and diagnosis ofinfection. In particular, the proteins or antibodies thereof may be administered to wounds or used to coat biomaterials to act as blocking agents to prevent or inhibit the binding ofto wounds or biomaterials. ClfB is a cell-wall associated protein having a predicted molecular weight of approximately 88 kDa and an apparent molecular weight of approximately 124 kDa, which binds both soluble and immobilized fibrinogen. ClfB binds both the alpha and beta chains of fibrinogen and acts as a clumping factor. SdrC, SdrD and SdrE are cell-wall associated proteins that exhibit cation-dependent ligand binding to the extracellular matrix. It has been discovered that in the A region of SdrC, SdrD, SdrE, ClfA and ClfB, there is a highly conserved amino acid sequence that can be used to derive a consensus motif of TYTFTDYVD.