Uses of avian interferon gamma (IFN-γ)
AssigneeCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
InventorsJohn W. Lowenthal, Michael A. Johnson, Terri E. O'Neil, Jennifer J. York
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Abstract
The present invention provides compositions comprising recombinant avian IFN-γ polypeptides and methods using said recombinant avian IFN-γ polypeptides and compositions to enhance the immune responses of birds, and to enhance growth and/or prevent weight loss in birds. The present invention is particularly useful in the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of birds against coccidiosis and the causative agent thereof.
Claims6
A method of enhancing the growth performance of a healthy or diseased bird, said method comprising administering to said bird an avian IFN-γ cytokine polypeptide for a time and under conditions sufficient to induce weight gain in said healthy or diseased bird or to prevent weight loss in said diseased bird, wherein said avian IFN-γ cytokine polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of:
- (a) a polypeptide encoded by DNA present in an avian DNA library, wherein said DNA hybridizes under conditions of at least moderate stringency with a probe having a sequence complementary to at least 50 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:
- 1;
- and
- (b) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence that is degenerate with a DNA molecule according to (a).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.