Glanders/meliodosis vaccines

A DNA fragment which encodes a B. mallei LuxR transcriptional regulator gene.

A DNA fragment which encodes a B. pseudomallei AHS protein.

A DNA fragment which encodes a B. pseudomallei LuxR transcriptional regulator.

A recombinant DNA construct comprising:

• (i) a vector, and
• (ii) at least one of the B. mallei DNA fragments chosen from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 or a sequence with 90% identity to said sequence.

A recombinant DNA construct comprising:

• (i) a vector, and
• (ii) at least one of the B. pseudomallei DNA fragments chosen from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 or a sequence with 90% identity to said sequence.

An isolated and purified B. mallei AHS protein chosen from the group specified in SEQ ID NO:15 and 16 and conservative substitutions thereof.

An isolated and purified B. mallei LuxR transcriptional regulator protein chosen from the group specified in SEQ ID NO:17, 18, 19 and 20 and conservative substitutions thereof.

An isolated and purified B. pseudomallei AHS protein chosen from the group specified in SEQ ID NO:21, 22, and 23 and conservative substitutions thereof.

An isolated and purified B. pseudomallei LuxR transcriptional regulator protein chosen from the group specified in SEQ ID NO:24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 and conservative substitutions thereof.

An antibody to a peptide encoded by a sequence chosen from the group consisting of the sequences specified in SEQ ID NO:15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20.

An antibody to a peptide encoded by a sequence chosen from the group consisting of the sequences specified in SEQ ID NO:21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28.

A method for screening agents or drugs which reduce or eliminate B. mallei virulence said method comprising detecting a decrease BmaI3 enzyme activity in the presence of said agent or drug.

An agent or drug capable of inhibiting B. mallei BmaI3 enzyme activity.

A therapeutic compound comprising said agent or drug according to claim 45 for use in treatment of glanders disease.

A method for detecting bpmI2 in a sample using the polymerase chain reaction.

A diagnostic kit for detecting bmaI3 RNA/cDNA in a sample comprising primers or oligonucleotides specific for bmaI3 RNA or cDNA suitable for hybridization to bmaI3 RNA or cDNA and amplification of bmaI3 sequences and suitable ancillary reagents.

A therapeutic method for the treatment or amelioration of diseases resulting from B. mallei, said method comprising providing to an individual in need of such treatment an effective amount of an agent or drug which reduces or eliminates BmaI3 expression or function in a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent.

A mutant B. mallei strain with reduced virulence wherein said strain is altered in expression or function of BmaI3.

An avirulent B. mallei strain devoid of BmaI3 activity.

A B. mallei vaccine strain comprising B. mallei having a non-revertant mutation in bmaI3, wherein said strain has reduced virulence and is devoid of BmaI3 activity.

A B. pseudomallei vaccine strain comprising B. pseudomallei having a non-revertant mutation in bpmI3, wherein said strain has reduced virulence and is devoid of BpmI3 activity.

An Burkholderia infection diagnostic kit comprising at least 12 consecutive nucleotides of any of SEQ ID NO:1-14 specific for the amplification of DNA or RNA of Burkholderia in a sample using the polymerase chain reaction and ancillary reagents suitable for use in such a reaction for detecting the presence or absence of Burkholderia DNA or RNA in a sample.

A method for distinguishing between B. mallei and B. pseudomallei, said method comprising detecting the presence of bpmIR2, wherein presence of bpmIR2 indicates the presence of B. pseudomallei.