Novel adherence factors of non pathogenic microorganisms and applications thereof for screening microorganisms for specific probiotic properties; novel pharmaceutical compositions and food additives comprising such microorganisms and adherence factors

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mucosa binding activity is equal to or exceeds that of L. fermentum 104R 29 kD adherence factor with the amino acid sequence of SEQ.ID. No. 2.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid consensus sequence as illustrated in SEQ.ID. No. 6.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid consensus sequence as illustrated in SEQ.ID. No. 13.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid consensus sequence as illustrated in SEQ.ID No. 6 and SEQ.ID. No. 13.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims wherein the amino acid sequence present is more than 90% identical with that of any of I-V.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims wherein the amino acid sequence present is more than 80%, preferably more than 90% identical to one or more of the amino acid sequences II-V.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises one or more of the amino acid sequences II-V.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein or polypeptide has a two lobe structure.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein or polypeptide has an amino acid sequence more than 20% identical to the amino acid sequence of any of the following proteins noc, occ, GlnH, HisJ, LAO.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence more than 40% identical to the amino acid sequence of any of the following proteins noc, occ, GlnH, HisJ, LAO.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence more than 40% identical to the amino acid sequence of L. fermentum 104R adherence factor of 29 kD of Seq. Id. No. 2, preferably more than 60%, more preferably more than 80%.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims wherein the protein or polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence identical to the amino acid sequence of L. fermentum 104R adherence factor of 29 kD of SEQ.ID. No. 2.

A protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims obtainable by binding to an antibody either polyclonal or monoclonal raised against the protein or polypeptide with the amino acid sequence of L. fermentum 104R adherence factor of 29 kD of SEQ.ID. No. 2.

Polypeptide fragment being a fragment of a protein or polypeptide according to any of the preceding claims of at least 5 and preferably 7 amino acids having mucosa binding activity, the at least 5 and preferably 7 amino acids of said polypeptide fragment being present as a contiguous sequence in any of the protein or polypeptides according to the preceding claims, said fragment having a length less than 60 amino acids.

Recombinant protein, polypeptide or polypeptide fragment comprising the amino acid sequence of any of the proteins, polypeptides or polypeptide fragments according to any of the preceding claims.

Fusion protein or polypeptide comprising a protein, polypeptide or polypeptide fragment having mucosa binding activity according to any of the preceding claims attached to a drug, an immunomodulator or antigen of choice.