Abstract: The present invention relates to canine and feline proteins. In particular, the present invention discloses feline interleukin-18, feline caspase-1, feline interleukin-12 single chain and canine interleukin-12 single chain proteins. The present invention also includes feline interleukin-18, feline caspase-1, feline interleukin-12 single chain and canine interleukin-12 single chain nucleic acid molecules encoding such proteins, antibodies raised against such proteins and/or inhibitors of such proteins or nucleic acid molecules. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such nucleic acid molecules, proteins, antibodies and/or inhibitors, as well as their use to evaluate and regulate an immune response in an animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: parasitic helminth cuticlin proteins; parasitic helminth cuticlin nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such cuticlin proteins; antibodies raised against such cuticlin proteins; and compounds that inhibit parasitic helminth cuticlin activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by parasitic helminths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to introduce a nucleic acid molecule into a felid by administration of a nucleic acid-cationic lipid complex composition. The method includes the step of administering to the felid, by a parenteral route, a nucleic acid-cationic lipid complex to elicit and/or enhance an immune response. In one embodiment, this method enhances the immune response in a felid compared to a method in which a naked DNA vaccine is administered to a felid. Also provided is a method to deliver a nucleic acid to a felid. This method comprises parenterally administering to the felid a composition that includes a nucleic acid molecule complexed with a cationic lipid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; to flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; to antibodies raised against such flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; and to compounds that inhibit flea ecdysone receptor and/or ultraspiracle activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising a protective compound derived from a protein of the present invention that inhibits the binding between ecdysone receptor and ecdysone as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from flea infestation.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: The invention relates to canine immunoglobulin G (IgG) and canine interleukin-13 receptors (IL-13R) as well as fusion proteins containing canine IgG and/or canine IL-13R. In particular, the present invention discloses nucleic acid molecules encoding canine IgG, including species-specific regions of the heavy chain of canine IgG, and canine IL-13R alpha chain (IL-13R&agr;) proteins, particularly canine interleuken receptor alpha 1 (IL-13R&agr;1) and canine interleuken receptor alpha 2 (IL-13R&agr;2) proteins. Also included are canine IgG and IL-13R&agr; proteins, antibodies having selectivity for such proteins, inhibitors of such proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules, cells transformed with said nucleic acid molecules, assays employing such cells, nucleic acids molecules, proteins, antibodies and/or inhibitors, and therapeutic compositions comprising said nucleic acids molecules, proteins, antibodies and/or inhibitors.

Abstract: The present invention provides experimentally-generated cold-adapted equine influenza viruses, and reassortant influenza A viruses comprising at least one genome segment of such an equine influenza virus, wherein the equine influenza virus genome segment confers at least one identifying phenotype of the cold-adapted equine influenza virus, such as cold-adaptation, temperature sensitivity, dominant interference, or attenuation. Such viruses are formulated into therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A viruses, and in particular, to protect horses from disease caused by equine influenza virus. The present invention also includes methods to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A virus utilizing the claimed therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method to detect IgE using a human Fc epsilon receptor (Fc&egr;R) to detect IgE antibodies in a biological sample from a cat, a dog, or a horse. The present invention also relates to kits to perform such methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to arthropod esterase proteins; to arthropod esterase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such esterase proteins; to antibodies raised against such esterase proteins; and to other compounds that inhibit arthropod esterase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from hematophagous arthropod infestation.

Abstract: The present invention provides experimentally-generated cold-adapted equine influenza viruses, and reassortant influenza A viruses comprising at least one genome segment of such an equine influenza virus, wherein the equine influenza virus genome segment confers at least one identifying phenotype of the cold-adapted equine influenza virus, such as cold-adaptation, temperature sensitivity, dominant interference, or attenuation. Such viruses are formulated into therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A viruses, and in particular, to protect horses from disease caused by equine influenza virus. The present invention also includes methods to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A virus utilizing the claimed therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to canine COX-1 and COX-2 proteins; to canine COX-1 and COX-2 nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such COX-1 and COX-2 proteins, respectively; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to compounds that inhibit the activity of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such inhibitory compounds, particularly those that specifically inhibit COX-2 activity, as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to treat animals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to parasitic helminth aromatic amino acid decarboxylase proteins; to parasitic helminth aromatic amino acid decarboxylase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such aromatic amino acid decarboxylase proteins; to antibodies raised against such aromatic amino acid decarboxylase proteins; and to compounds that inhibit parasitic helminth aromatic amino acid decarboxylase activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by filariids. The present invention also includes a method for detecting the presence of amino acid decarboxylases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to equine Fc epsilon receptor alpha chain nucleic acid molecules, proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, antibodies raised against such proteins, and inhibitors of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to detect IgE using such proteins and antibodies. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to mediate Fc epsilon receptor-mediated biological responses.

Abstract: The present invention provides experimentally-generated cold-adapted equine influenza viruses, and reassortant influenza A viruses comprising at least one genome segment of such an equine influenza virus, wherein the equine influenza virus genome segment confers at least one identifying phenotype of the cold-adapted equine influenza virus, such as cold-adaptation, temperature sensitivity, dominant interference, or attenuation. Such viruses are formulated into therapeutic compositions to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A viruses, and in particular, to protect horses from disease caused by equine influenza virus. The present invention also includes methods to protect animals from diseases caused by influenza A virus utilizing the claimed therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to flea peritrophin proteins; to flea peritrophin nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such flea peritrophin proteins; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to compounds that inhibit the activity of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to obtain and use such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such inhibitory compounds, particularly those that specifically inhibit flea peritrophin activity, as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to treat animals.

Abstract: The invention relates to: nucleic acid molecules encoding the light chain and heavy chain of feline immunoglobulin E (IgE), including species-specific regions of feline IgE; proteins encoded by the nucleic acid molecules; inhibitors to the nucleic acids and proteins; antibodies to the proteins; cells transformed with the nucleic acid molecules; assays employing the transformed cells, nucleic acids, antibodies and/or proteins or portions thereof; methods for treating IgE-mediated responses (ie. allergy) using the materials provided; methods for eliciting an immune response to IgE and kits containing the nucleic acid molecules, proteins or derivatives thereof (ie. antibodies).

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: In broad terms, the present invention includes materials and methods useful to distinguish between and among species of a genus. The present methods utilize the differences in PCR amplicon sizes to specifically identify a given species.

Abstract: The present invention relates to immunogenic Toxoplasma gondii proteins, to T. gondii nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such proteins and to antibodies raised against such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules and antibodies. Also included in the present invention are compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules and/or antibodies, as well as the use of such compositions to inhibit oocyst shedding by cats due to infection with T. gondii. The present invention also includes the use of certain T. gondii-based antisera to identify such nucleic acid molecules and proteins, as well as nucleic acid molecules and proteins identified by such methods. The present invention also relates to novel methods for the detection of cysts and oocysts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; to flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; to antibodies raised against such flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; and to compounds that inhibit flea ecdysone receptor and/or ultraspiracle activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising a protective compound derived from a protein of the present invention that inhibits the binding between ecdysone receptor and ecdysone as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from flea infestation.