Vaccine for periodontal disease

An isolated pigmented anaerobic bacteria which causes, either directly or in combination with other pathogenic agents, periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the bacteria can be used to prepare a vaccine for treating or preventing periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the vaccine comprises an immunologically effective amount of the bacteria which has been inactivated or attenuated, provided that the bacteria is not a strain of P. gulae sp. nov. designated ATCC 51700.

An isolated pigmented anaerobic bacteria which causes, either directly or in combination with other pathogenic agents, periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the bacteria can be used to prepare a vaccine for treating or preventing periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the vaccine comprises an isolated polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the polypeptide is coded for by a polynucleotide molecule isolated from the bacteria provided that the bacteria is not a strain of P. gulae sp. nov. designated ATCC 51700.

An isolated pigmented anaerobic bacteria which causes, either directly or in combination with other pathogenic agents, periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the bacteria can be used to produce a vaccine for treating or preventing periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the vaccine comprises an isolated polynucleotide molecule which encodes a polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, wherein the polynucleotide molecule is isolated from the bacteria, provided that the bacteria is not a strain of P. gulae sp. nov. designated ATCC 51700.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence isolated from a bacteria selected from the group consisting of a bacterium having the identifying characteristics of Porphyromonas gulae B43, P. cansulci B46, P. circumdentaria B52, P. gulae B69, P. circumdentaria B97, P. cangingivalis B98, P. salivosa B104, P. denticanis B106 and P. endodontalis B114 provided that the bacteria is not a strain of P. gulae sp. nov. designated ATCC 51700.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising any of the nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:

• 86 to 94 and homologues having at least 95% homology thereto, provided that the nucleotide sequence is not the 16S rRNA DNA from bacteria P. gulae sp. nov. designated ATCC 51700.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising any of the nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111-119 fimA or oprF, which sequence encodes a polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, or complements thereto.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising any of the nucleotide sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111-119, homologues having at least 95% homology thereto, which sequence encodes a polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, or complements thereto.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising any of the nucleotide sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111-119 or fragments or variants thereof, which sequence encodes a polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, or complements thereto.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under conditions of high stringency to any of the sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111-119, or complements thereto.

An isolated polynucleotide sequence, wherein said sequence comprises the sequence of fimA, selected from any of the sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102, a fragment or variant thereof, which fragment or variant has at least about 95%, 98% or 99% sequence identity thereto.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule, wherein said sequence comprises the sequence of oprF, selected from, selected from any of the sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 111 to 119, a fragment or variant thereof, which fragment or variant has at least about 95%, 98% or 99% sequence identity thereto.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule, comprising a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under conditions of high stringency to fimA, selected from any of the sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102, or the complement thereof.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule, comprising a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under conditions of high stringency to oprF, selected from any of the sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 111 to 119, or the complement thereof.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence of about 30 nucleotides, which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to a DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having a sequence of at least about 10 contiguous amino acids of any of the polypeptides encoded by any of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 109 to 119, or its complement.

An isolated polynucleotide molecule comprising at least about 90 nucleotides, which hybridizes under conditions of high stringency to a DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having a sequence of at least about 30 contiguous amino acids of any of the polypeptides encoded by any of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111 to 119, or its complement.

A recombinant expression vector comprising a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of any of the nucleotide sequences SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111 to 119, fragments or variants thereof, operably linked to a promoter sequence.

A plasmid comprising a polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of any of the nucleotide sequences SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111 to 119, fragments or variants thereof, operably linked to a promoter sequence.

An isolated polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals comprising an amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 103 to 110 and 120 to 128.

An isolated polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, which polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 103 to 110 and 120 to 128 and homologues having at least 95%, 98%, or 99% sequence identity thereto.

An isolated polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, which polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 103 to 110 and 120 to 128, or fragments or variants thereof.

An isolated polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals having an amino acid sequence encoded by a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under conditions of high stringency to any of the sequences depicted in SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111 to 119.

An isolated polypeptide immunologically effective as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, which polypeptide comprises at least about 10 contiguous amino acids comprising a fragment of any of the polypeptide sequences of SEQ ID NOS:

• 103 to 110 and 120 to 128, which polypeptide is immunologically effective, either alone or linked to a carrier, as a vaccine for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals.

An isolated polypeptide, for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, encoded by a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which comprises the sequence of fimA (SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102).

An isolated polypeptide, for preventing or treating periodontal disease in companion animals, encoded for by a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which comprises the sequence of oprF (SEQ ID NOS:

• 111 to 119).

A recombinantly expressed polypeptide, which polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of FimA (SEQ ID NOS:

• 103 to 110) and OprF (SEQ ID NOS:
• 120 to 128).

A recombinantly expressed polypeptide, which polypeptide is fused to a carrier polypeptide.

A vaccine for treating or preventing periodontal disease in companion animals comprising an immunologically effective amount of FimA and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A vaccine for treating or preventing periodontal disease in companion animals comprising an immunologically effective amount of OprF and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A kit comprising in at least one container a protein having an amino acid sequence comprising at least 30 contiguous amino acids, which polypeptide is encoded by any of the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOS:

• 95 to 102 and 111 to 119 and a statement indicating that the kit is useful for the detection of Porphyromonas spp.

A hybridization kit comprising in at least one container an isolated DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least about 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from any of SEQ ID NOS:

• 86 to 94, 95 to 102, and 111 to 119, or its complement, wherein the hybridization is specific to Porphyromonas spp. and wherein the kit further comprises a set of instructions indicating that the kit is useful for the detection of Porphyromonas spp.