Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment which encodes a polypeptide fragment which exhibits a substantial immunological reactivity with a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against a polypeptide having an apparent molecular weight of 13 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE followed by visualization, said polypeptide being derived from Borrelia burgdorferi B313 and being encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, said rabbit polyclonal antibody exhibiting substantially no immunological reactivity with proteins from at least 95% of spirochaetes randomly selected from the group consisting of Borrelia hermsii, Borrelia crocidurae, Borrelia anserina, and Borrelia hispanica, and/or hybridises readily under highly stringent hybridization conditions with a DNA fragment having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 18, SEQ ID NO: 20, and SEQ ID NO: 22, or with a DNA fragment complementary thereto, but exhibits no substantial hybridization when the hybridization co

Abstract: An antigen which, as its major immunizing component, comprises a determinant of an adhesin polypeptide or an immunogenically active subsequence thereof or a precursor therefor which is convertible to an immunogenically active form, antibodies against which determinant react with the adhesin polypeptide produced by pathogenic adhesin-forming bacteria which adhere to mammalian tissue, antibodies against such antigen, and DNA expressing, as a principal gene product thereof, such antigen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an expression system comprising a DNA sequence encoding a polypeptide which has a biological activity of human &kgr;-casein, the system comprising a 5′-flanking sequence capable of mediating expression of said DNA sequence. In preferred embodiments the 5′-flanking sequence is from a milk protein gene of a mammal such as a casein gene or whey acidic protein (WAP) gene and the DNA sequence contains at least one intron sequence selected from the intron sequences presented in SEQ ID NO:30. The invention also relates to DNA sequences, replicable expression vectors and cells harboring said vectors, recombinant polypeptide e.g. in glycosylated form, and milk, infant formula or nutrient supplement comprising recombinant polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an expression system comprising a DNA sequence encoding a polypeptide which ha a biological activity of human &kgr;-casein, the system comprising a 5′-flanking sequence capable of mediating expression of said DNA sequence. In preferred embodiments the 5′-flanking sequence is from a milk protein gene of a mammal such as a casein gene or whey acidic protein (WAP) gene and the DNA sequence contains at least one intron sequence. The invention further relates to DNA sequences, replicable expression vectors and cells harboring said vectors, recombinant polypeptide e.g. in glycosylated form, and milk, infant formula or nutrient supplement comprising recombinant polypeptide.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are: substantially pure lipidated OspA protein, compositions containing substantially pure lipidated OspA protein, immunogenic fragments of OspA, compositions containing immunogenic fragments of OspA, polypeptides containing an immunogenic fragment or epitopic region of OspA, and methods for making and using such proteins, fragments, and polypeptides.

Abstract: Nucleic acid fragments are disclosed which encode a polypeptide antigen reactive with antisera from rabbits immunised with a 66 kDa protein from Borrelia garinii IP90. The presence of nucleic acid fragments encoding such a polypeptide antigen as well as the presence of the polypeptide antigen have been demonstrated in three strains of B. burgdorferi sensu lato, but are substantialle absent from at least 95% of randomly selected B. hermsii, B. crocidurae, B. anserina, and B. hispanica. The encoded polypeptide is surface exposed on the bacterial surface, it is highly conserved, and is thus potentially useful as a vaccine agent and as a diagnostic agent in the diagnosis of infections with B. burgdorferi as are the characteristic nucleic acid fragments of the invention. Also disclosed are methods of producing the polypeptide antigen according to the invention as are antibodies directed against the antigen.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is an isolated DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence encoding substantially pure OspA, as well as vectors containing such DNA, uses of such DNA, and compositions containing such vectors.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are isolated polypeptides consisting of amino acid sequences derived form ospA and/or ospB of various B. burgdorferi or portions thereof and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: An antigen which, as its major immunizing component, comprises a determinant of an adhesin polypeptide or an immunogenically active subsequence thereof or a precursor therefor which is convertible to an immunogenically active form, antibodies against which determinant react with the adhesin polypeptide produced by pathogenic adhesin-forming bacteria which adhere to mammalian tissue, antibodies against such antigen, and DNA expressing, as a principal gene product thereof, such antigen.

Abstract: A superoxide dismutase originally found in extracellular body fluids and therefore termed extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is prepared by growing a cell line, preferably of mammalian origin, producing EC-SOD and recovering the EC-SOD secreted from the cells or by inserting a DNA sequence encoding EC-SOD into a suitable vector, introducing the recombinant vector into a host cell, growing the cell and recovering the EC-SOD produced.EC-SOD may be used for the prophylaxis or treatment of diseases or disorders associated with the presence or formation of superoxide radicals.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are isolated DNA molecules consisting of nucleotide sequences encoding or priming for ospA and/or ospB of various B. burgdorferi or portions thereof and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a DNA sequence encoding the human milk protein .beta.-casein or an analogue or variant thereof which has either the calcium binding activity of human .beta.-casein, or opioid activity, or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, or a combination of any two or three of these activities. The DNA sequence may optionally contain one or more intron sequences and permissive RNA splice signals. The DNA sequence is used in the production of recombinant human .beta.-casein, advantageously by means of production in transgenic non-human mammals such as bovine species. In one embodiment, the DNA sequence is inserted into a milk protein gene of a mammal such as a whey acidic protein (WAP) gene. The main use of the recombinant human .beta.-casein is as a constituent of infant formulae. It is contemplated that the recombinant human .beta.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are substantially pure OspA, vaccines including substantially pure OspA and an immunologically acceptable carrier or vehicle, methods for producing such vaccines, and methods for inducing a protective immunological response against Borrelia burgdorferi employing such vaccines. The methods for producing the vaccines can include admixing the OspA and the carrier or vehicle. The methods for producing the vaccines also can include recovering the OspA from a host organism transformed with a vector containing DNA encoding the OspA and admixing the OspA with an immunologically acceptable carrier or vehicle. Such methods can further include adding an adjuvant. The vaccine can contain OspA from two or more strains of Borrelia burgdorferi.

Abstract: Ganglioside lactam analogue derivatives of general formula (I) in which A is a sialic acid residue of formula (II) which is bound via the dashed line in the 2-position; and in which Z.sup.1 is --OH or a group --NHX.sup.1, and Y.sup.30 is --CH.sub.3 or --CH.sub.2 OH; X.sup.1 and Y.sup.1 together form a bond and Y.sup.2 is --OH or a group OR.sup.20, or X.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 together form a bond and Y.sup.1 is --OH or --NHAc; Y.sup.3 is --OH or a group --OR.sup.20 ; R.sup.1 is H or a sialic acid residue of formula (III) which is bound via the dashed line in the 2-position; and in which Z.sup.2 is --OH or a group --NHX.sup.2, and Y.sup.30 is as defined above; X.sup.2 and Y.sup.10 together form a bond and Y.sup.20 is --OH, or X.sup.2 and Y.sup.20 together form a bond and Y.sup.10 is --OH; with the provisos that when R.sup.1 is H, then Z.sup.1 is --NHX.sup.1, and that when R.sup.1 is a sialic acid residue of formula (III), then at least one of Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 is different from --OH; R.sup.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are isolated nucleic acid molecules, such as DNA encoding Borrelia burgdorferi OspA, vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules, and methods for diagnosing Borrelia burgdorferi infection employing such nucleic acid molecules. The isolated nucleic acid molecule can be an isolated DNA molecule encoding the 31 kD OspA protein of New York strain B31. The isolated nucleic acid molecule also can be an isolated DNA molecule encoding Borrelia burgdorferi OspA and a signal peptide which contains an amino acid recognition sequence. The recognition sequence can be L-z-z-C, where each z independently designates a small, neutral amino acid, such as isoleucine or alanine. The recognition sequence can also be L-I-x-C where x is a non-charged amino acid residue, such as alanine. Further, the isolated nucleic acid molecule can be an isolated DNA molecule encoding Borrelia burgdorferi OspA and which includes a 5'-flanking region containing at least one promoter sequence for expression of the OspA.

Abstract: B fraction of Borrelia burgdorferi, methods for preparing the B fraction, and compositions containing the B fraction, are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method for treating infections caused by galabiose-binding bacteria using galabiose derivatives modified at the 3' and anomeric positions. The galabiose-derivatives and compositions of same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A superoxide dismutase originally found in extracellular body fluids and therefore termed extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is prepared by growing a cell line, preferably of mammalian origin, producing EC-SOD and recovering the EC-SOD secreted from the cells or by inserting a DNA sequence encoding EC-SOD into a suitable vector, introducing the recombinant vector into a host cell, growing the cell and recovering the EC-SOD produced.EC-SOD may be used for the prophylaxis or treatment of diseases or disorders associated with the presence or formation of superoxide radicals.

Abstract: Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) variants having the superoxide dismutating property of the native EC-SOD and having a modified (reduced or increased) binding to heparin as compared to recombinant EC-SOD C as well as compositions comprising such variants. The EC-SOD variants are polypeptides comprising: 1) amino acids 1-193 of native EC-SOD C and 2) an amino acid sequence which is based on, but different from amino acid moieties 194-222 of recombinant EC-SOD C, either by being truncated or prolonged at the C-terminal end or by having substituted or otherwise modified one or more amino acid moieties of the sequence. Another EC-SOD variant is one which differs from recombinant EC-SOD C by being a glycosylation-free mutant. The variants may be produced by recombinant DNA techniques and are useful in the treatment of various diseases.

Abstract: A live vaccine comprising an avirulent, invasive and immunogenic strain of a fish pathogenic bacterial species is used for immunization of fish against infectious diseases caused by fish pathogens by immersion of the fish into a suspension of the vaccine strain. Suitable strains for the preparation of said vaccine include Vibrio anguillarum strains DSM 4506, DSM 4507 and DSM 4508.