Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds and methods for treating a mammal exposed to Francisella tularensis.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying, isolating, and producing htrB mutants of gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The method comprises mutating the htrB gene of a gram-negative bacterial pathogen so that there is a lack of a functional htrB protein, resulting in a mutant that lacks one or more secondary acyl chains contained in the wild type gram-negative bacterial pathogen, and displays substantially reduced toxicity as compared to the wild type strain. Also, the present invention provides methods for using a vaccine formulation containing the htrB mutant, the endotoxin isolated therefrom, or the endotoxin isolated therefrom which is then conjugated to a carrier protein, to immunize an individual against infections caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogens by administering a prophylactically effective amount of the vaccine formulation.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel bacterial sialic acid transporter that is a member of the family of ABC transporters. The transporter is a useful target for pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying, isolating, and producing htrB mutants of gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The method comprises mutating the htrB gene of a gram-negative bacterial pathogen so that there is a lack of a functional htrB protein, resulting in a mutant that lacks one or more secondary acyl chains contained in the wild type gram-negative bacterial pathogen, and displays substantially reduced toxicity as compared to the wild type strain. Also, the present invention provides methods for using a vaccine formulation containing the htrB mutant, the endotoxin isolated therefrom, or the endotoxin isolated therefrom which is then conjugated to a carrier protein, to immunize an individual against infections caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogens by administering a prophylactically effective amount of the vaccine formulation.

Abstract: This invention relates to purified sialic acid permease systems, and inhibitory agents of sialic acid permease systems.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to sialytransferases, such as SiaA sialytransferases isolated from Haemophilus influenzae. Further provided herein are methods for producing sialylated lipooligosaccharides, vaccines, and host cells and systems for the production of sialylated lipooligosaccharides.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides, polynucleotides and vaccines for use against Neisseria gonorrhoeae colonization or infection. The vaccines contain an immunogenic amount of a neisserial protein.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying, isolating, and producing htrB mutants of gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The method comprises mutating the htrB gene of a gram-negative bacterial pathogen so that there is a lack of a functional HtrB protein, resulting in a mutant that lacks one or more secondary acyl chains and displays substantially reduced toxicity as compared to the wild type strain. Also, the present invention provides methods for using a vaccine formulation containing the htrB mutant, or the endotoxin isolated therefrom, to immunize an individual against infections caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogens by administering a prophylactically effective amount of the vaccine formulation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fast and efficient method for determining the three-dimensional conformation of a protein. The steps of the method of the invention include: 1) formation of physical distance constraints, e.g., forming intramolecular chemical crosslinks of known size between residues of a protein; 2) enriching the number of the molecules that have intramolecular chemical crosslinks in the reaction pool, e.g., using size separation to remove proteins with intermolecular bonds; 3) exposing the enriched reaction pool to a protease that cuts the protein at specific sites to produce peptide fragments; 4) measuring the size of the peptide fragments to determine linkage sites with a certain spatial relationship in the protein; and 5)interpreting the data produced to determine spatial geometry and protein structure based on the deduced spatial relationship of the linkage sites.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying, isolating, and producing htrB mutants of gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The method comprises mutating the htrB gene of a gram-negative bacterial pathogen so that there is a lack of a functional htrB protein, resulting in a mutant that lacks one or more secondary acyl chains contained in the wild type gram-negative bacterial pathogen, and displays substantially reduced toxicity as compared to the wild type strain. Also, the present invention provides methods for using a vaccine formulation containing the htrB mutant, the endotoxin isolated therefrom, or the endotoxin isolated therefrom which is then conjugated to a carrier protein, to immunize an individual against infections caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogens by administering a prophylactically effective amount of the vaccine formulation.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying, isolating, and producing htrB mutants of gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The method comprises mutating the htrB gene of a gram-negative bacterial pathogen so that there is a lack of a functional HtrB protein, resulting in a mutant that lacks one or more secondary acyl chains and displays substantially reduced toxicity as compared to the wild type strain. Also, the present invention provides methods for using a vaccine formulation containing the htrB mutant, or the endotoxin isolated therefrom, to immunize an individual against infections caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogens by administering a prophylactically effective amount of the vaccine formulation.

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying, isolating, and producing htrB mutants of gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The method comprises mutating the htrB gene of a gram-negative bacterial pathogen so that there is a lack of a functional HtrB protein, resulting in a mutant that lacks one or more secondary acyl chains and displays substantially reduced toxicity as compared to the wild type strain. Also, the present invention provides methods for using a vaccine formulation containing the htrB mutant, or the endotoxin isolated therefrom, to immunize an individual against infections caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogens by administering a prophylactically effective amount of the vaccine formulation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to sialytransferases, such as SiaA sialytransferases isolated from Haemophilus influenzae. Further provided herein are methods for producing sialylated lipooligosaccharides, vaccines, and host cells and systems for the production of sialylated lipooligosaccharides.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for making complex carbohydrates in a bacterial production cell are disclosed. The complex carbohydrates that can be made include oligosaccharides and polysaccharides of bacterial or mammalian origin.

Abstract: Mitochondrial targets for drug screening assays and for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of diseases associated with altered mitochondrial function are provided. Complete amino acid sequences [SEQ ID NOS:1-3025] of polypeptides that comprise the human heart mitochondrial proteome are provided, using fractionated proteins derived from highly purified mitochondrial preparations, to identify previously unrecognized mitochondrial molecular components.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for making complex carbohydrates in a bacterial production cell are disclosed. The complex carbohydrates that can be made include oligosaccharides and polysaccharides of bacterial or mammalian origin.

Abstract: Antigenic conjugates are provided which comprise a carrier protein covalently bonded to the conserved portion of a lipopolysaccharide of a gram negative bacteria, wherein said conserved portion of the lipopolysaccharide comprises the inner core and lipid A portions of said lipopolysaccharide, said conjugate eliciting a cross reactive immune response against heterologous strains of said gram negative bacteria.

Abstract: Antigenic conjugates are provided which comprise a carrier protein covalently bonded to the conserved portion of a lipopolysaccharide of a gram negative bacteria, wherein the conserved portion of the lipopolysaccharide comprises the inner core and lipid A portions of the lipopolysaccharide, the conjugate eliciting a cross reactive immune response against heterologous strains of the gram negative bacteria.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for identifying oxidative modifications of proteins by mass spectrometric analysis, including MALDI-TOF MS, of protein and peptide fractions of biological samples to determine specific occurrences of nitrotyrosine at amino acid sequence and proteomic levels. Diagnostic methods for diseases characterized by elevated free radicals and oxidative stress, and screening assays for therapeutic agents useful in treating such diseases, are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides, polynucleotides and vaccines for use against Neisseria gonorrhoeae colonization or infection. The vaccines contain an immunogenic amount of a neisserial protein.