Abstract: Methods of inducing an immune response which protects a susceptible animal subject from lethal infection with Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) are provided. One method comprises administering an effective amount of wild-type, or preferably a mutated form of, B. anthracis lethal factor (LF) or an immunogenic fragment thereof to the subject. A second method comprises administering an effective amount of a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and an effective amount of the B anthracis protective antigen (PA) or an immunogenic fragment of the PA protein to the subject A third method comprises administering a polynucleotide or nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding a mutated B. anthracis LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein to the subject. A fourth method comprises administering a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for the B.

Abstract: A method is provided for preserving live bacteria by subjecting an aqueous system containing the growing bacteria to drying without special equipment, in the presence of trehalose with or without the addition of divalent cations as stabilizing agents. Further, a dried composition for preservation of aerobic bacteria in a viable state is provided. The dried composition consists essentially of dried viable aerobic bacteria and an appropriate growth medium. The bacteria and growth medium are initially placed in an aqueous solution of 10 mM to 200 mM trehalose and a divalent cation, and dried at room temperature.

Abstract: Methods of inducing an immune response which protects a susceptible animal subject from lethal infection with Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) are provided. One method comprises administering an effective amount of wild-type, or preferably a mutated form of, B. anthracis lethal factor (LF) or an immunogenic fragment thereof to the subject. A second method comprises administering an effective amount of a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and an effective amount of the B anthracis protective antigen (PA) or an immunogenic fragment of the PA protein to the subject A third method comprises administering a polynucleotide or nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding a mutated B. anthracis LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein to the subject. A fourth method comprises administering a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for the B.

Abstract: Methods of inducing an immune response which protects a susceptible animal subject from lethal infection with Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) are provided. One method comprises administering an effective amount of wild-type, or preferably a mutated form of, B. anthracis lethal factor (LF) or an immunogenic fragment thereof to the subject. A second method comprises administering an effective amount of a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and an effective amount of the B anthracis protective antigen (PA) or an immunogenic fragment of the PA protein to the subject A third method comprises administering a polynucleotide or nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding a mutated B. anthracis LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein to the subject. A fourth method comprises administering a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for the B.

Abstract: Methods of inducing an immune response which protects a susceptible animal subject from lethal infection with Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) are provided. One method comprises administering an effective amount of wild-type, or preferably a mutated form of, B. anthracis lethal factor (LF) or an immunogenic fragment thereof to the subject. A second method comprises administering an effective amount of a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and an effective amount of the B anthracis protective antigen (PA) or an immunogenic fragment of the PA protein to the subject A third method comprises administering a polynucleotide or nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding a mutated B. anthracis LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein to the subject. A fourth method comprises administering a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for a mutated LF protein or an immunogenic fragment of an LF protein and a polynucleotide which comprises a coding sequence for the B.

Abstract: Methods of intducing an immune response which protects a susceptible animal subject from lethal infection with Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) are provided. One method comprises administering B. anthracis lethal factor (LF) or an immunogenic fragment thereof to the subject. A second method comprises administering LF or an immunogenic fragment thereof and the B anthracis protective antigen (PA) to the subject. A third method comprises administering a polynucleotide which encodes B. anthracis LF or an immunogenic fragment thereof to the subject. A fourth method comprises administering a polynucleotide which encodes LF or an immunogenic fragment thereof and a polynucleotide which encodes the B. anthracis PA to the subject. The present invention also relates to a protein or peptide based-immunogenic composition for preparing a vaccine which is capable of prophylactically protecting a subject against lethal effects of infection with B. anthracis.