Degradation and detection of tse infectivity
AssigneeHealth Protection Agency
InventorsNeil David Hammond Raven, John Mark Sutton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent is inactivated by exposing the TSE agent to a thermostable proteolytic enzyme at elevated temperature and at acid or alkaline pH. Following this step, or separately, presence of TSE infectivity is detected by detection of dimers of prion protein.
Claims34
A method for inactivating a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent comprising exposing the TSE agent to a thermostable proteolytic enzyme at an alkaline pH.
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The method of claim 17, wherein the thermophilic organism is selected from the group consisting of Thermotoga maritima;
- Thermotoga neopolitana;
- Thermotoga thermarum;
- Fervidobacterium islandicum;
- Fervidobacterium nodosum;
- Fervidobacterium pennivorans;
- Thermosipho africanus;
- Aeropyrum pernix;
- Thermus flavus;
- pyrococcus spp.;
- Sulfolobus solfataricus;
- Desulfurococcus;
- Bacillus thermoproteolyticus;
- Bacillus stearo-thermophilus;
- Bacillus sp. 11231;
- Bacillus sp. 11276;
- Bacillus sp. 11652;
- Bacillus sp. 12031;
- Thermus aquaticus;
- Thermus caldophilus;
- Thermus sp. 16132;
- Thermus sp. 15673;
- and Thermus sp. Rt41A.
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A method of examining a sample infected with or suspected to be infected by prion protein, comprising detecting dimers of prion protein in the sample.
An antibody, which binds to a prion dimer.
A method for inactivating a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent comprising exposing the TSE agent to a thermostable proteolytic enzyme and a detergent.
A method for inactivating a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent comprising exposing the TSE agent to a thermostable proteolytic enzyme and an enzyme selected from the group consisting of proteases, lipases, peptidases, glycosylases, and nucleases.
A method for inactivating a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agent comprising exposing the TSE agent to a thermostable proteolytic enzyme and sonication.
Isolated prion dimer.
An antigen for stimulating the production of an antibody which binds to a prion dimer, comprising a peptide comprising a peptide sequence selected from the group consisting SEQ ID NOs:1-4.
An apparatus for inactivating a TSE agent, comprising:
- (a) a chamber, containing the TSE agent, wherein the TSE agent is on or within an apparatus or material;
- (b) a temperature controller, for the chamber;
- and
- (c) a thermostable proteolytic enzyme, within the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.