Abstract: A Pichia microorganism is transformed with DNA for the expression of a pertactin antigen whose amino acid sequence is at least 95% homologous with that set forth in FIGS. 1A, 1B, or 1C, or antigenic fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel antigenic preparations comprising proteinaceous material associated with adenylate cyclase activity in cultures of B.pertussis, the said preparations being useful as components of acellular whooping cough vaccines. The invention further provides methods for the isolation of such antigenic preparations.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel antigenic preparations comprising proteinaceous material associated with adenylate cyclase activity in cultures of B. pertussis, the said preparations being useful as components of acellular whooping cough vaccines. The invention further provides methods for the isolation of such antigenic preparations.

Abstract: Production of Bordetella pertactin antigens by expression in the methyltrophic yeast, Pichia; expression vectors containing DNA encoding the antigens and Pichia transformants containing the one of more copies of the DNA encoding a pertactin antigen.

Abstract: A method of deriving an antigen from Bordetella pertussis, wherein the antigen is characterized by the following features: a relative molecular weight of about 67,000 to 73,000 as determined by 12%(w/w) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a proline:glutamic acid ratio of about 1:1 as determined by amino acid analysis. The method comprises: (a) culturing Bordetella pertussiscells; (b) treating the culture of (a) to obtain an outer membrane fraction; and (c) isolating the antigen from the outer membrane fraction of (b).

Abstract: A process for the preparation of tetanus toxoid, which process comprises incubating purified tetanus toxin with 0.2 to 1% (v/v) formaldehyde in the presence of 0.005 to 0.25M lysine for from 24 to 32 days at a pH of from 6.0 to 8.0 and a temperature of from 30 to 45.degree. C.

Abstract: The invention provides a vaccine containing a proteinaceous material derived from the outer membrane of Bordetella pertussis, wherein the proteinaceous material is characterized by a relative molecular weight of about 67,000 to 73,000, preferably 69,000, as determined by 12% (w/w) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a proline:glutamic acid ratio of about 1:1 as determined by amino acid analysis, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or adjuvant. The invention also provides a method of inducing an immune response in an individual involving administering the vaccine of the invention to an individual.

Abstract: A polypeptide for use in a vaccine against Bordetella pertussis, B. parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica contains an epitope selected from (a) the amino acid sequence coded for by nucleotides 1885 to 1902 of the P.69 gene of B. pertussis CN2992; (b) the corresponding amino acid sequence of another strain of B. pertussis or of a strain of B.parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica; and (c) a modified version of sequence (a) or (b) which has substantially the same antigenicity. The polypeptide is no more than 50 amino acid residues long or is a chimaeric protein composed of a carrier protein sequence and a sequence of no more than 50 amino acid residues which contains the required epitope.