Immunization Against Chlamydia Infection

A isolated and purified nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 1;
• (b) SEQ ID No:
• 3;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 5;
• (d) SEQ ID No:
• 7;
• (e) a sequence comprising at least 38 consecutive nucleotides from any one of the nucleic acid sequences of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a sequence which encodes a polypeptide which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution without loss of immunogenicity and which is at least 75% identical in amino acid sequence to the polypeptides encoded by SEQ ID No:
• 1, 3, 5, or 7.

A vaccine comprising a vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No. 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No:
• 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 100 consecutive amino acids from the polypeptide of any one of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution;
• wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e);
• wherein the nucleic acid molecule is either operatively linked to one or more control sequences for expression of the polypeptide in a mammalian or a bacterial cell;
• wherein the vaccine provides an immune response protective against disease caused by Chlamydia.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent suitable for use in a vaccine and a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No. 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No:
• 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 100 consecutive amino acids from the polypeptide of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution without loss of immunogenicity;
• wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e);
• wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operatively linked to one or more control sequences for expression of the polypeptide in a mammalian cell.

A method for preventing or treating Chlamydia infection comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No:
• 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No. 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 100 consecutive amino acids from the polypeptide of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of any one of a) to (e) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution without loss of immunogenicity, wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e);
• wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operatively linked to one or more control sequences for expression of the polypeptide.

The method of claim 17 for preventing or treating Chlamydia infection, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No:
• 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• and
• (d) SEQ ID No. 8.

An isolated polynucleotide from a strain of Chlamydia selected from the group consisting of:

• (a) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1;
• (b) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3;
• (c) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:5;
• (d) a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:7;
• (e) a polynucleotide that is at least 95% homologous to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 3, 5, or 7;
• and
• (f) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent hybridizing conditions of 6×SSC containing 50% formamide at 42° C. with a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, 3, 5, or 7;
• wherein administration of said isolated polynucleotide, in an immunogenically-effective amount to a mammal, induces an immune response in said mammal against infection by said strain of Chlamydia.

An isolated and purified polypeptide molecule comprising a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No:
• 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No:
• 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 12 consecutive amino acids from a polypeptide of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of (a), (b), (c) or (d) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution without loss of immunogenicity;
• wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 75% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of (a), (b), (c) or (d).

A vaccine comprising a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No. 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No:
• 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 100 consecutive amino acids from the polypeptide of any one of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution, wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e);
• wherein the nucleic acid molecule is either operatively linked to one or more control sequences for expression of the polypeptide in a mammalian or a bacterial cell, wherein the vaccine provides an immune response protective against disease caused by Chlamydia

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent suitable for use in a vaccine and a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No. 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No:
• 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 100 consecutive amino acids from the polypeptide of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution without loss of immunogenicity;
• wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e).

A method for preventing or treating Chlamydia infection comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a polypeptide selected from any one of:

• (a) SEQ ID No:
• 2;
• (b) SEQ ID No:
• 4;
• (c) SEQ ID No:
• 6;
• (d) SEQ ID No. 8;
• (e) an immunogenic fragment comprising at least 100 consecutive amino acids from the polypeptide of (a) to (d);
• and
• (f) a polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e) which has been modified by conservative amino acid substitution without loss of immunogenicity;
• wherein said modified polypeptide is at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to the corresponding polypeptide of any one of (a) to (e).