Chlamydia PMP proteins, gene sequences and uses thereof

#The present invention generally relates to polymorphic membrane proteins or PMPs of Chlamydia, amino acid and nucleotide sequences thereof, antibodies specific for such Chlamydia PMP polypeptides, prophylactic and therapeutic compositions, including vaccines, and to methods of preventing, treating or ameliorating disorders in mammals and birds related to Chlamydia infections and for inducing immune responses in animals to Chlamydia.

#Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that infect animals, including mammals and birds, particularly at the epithelial lining of the lung, conjunctivae or genital tract. The most common species of Chlamydia include Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia psittaci, Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Recently, the newly designated species of Chlamydia, C. pneumoniae (formerly C. trachomatis TWAR), has been implicated as a major cause of epidemic human pneumonitis and perhaps may play a role in atherosclerosis.

#There are currently 18 recognized C. trachomatis serovars, causing trachoma and a broad spectrum of sexually transmitted diseases, with the A, B and C serovars being most frequently associated with trachoma, while the D-K serovars are the most common cause of genital infections.

#FIG. 1. Schematic map of the C. trachomatis PMPE expression plasmid M15pREP (pQE-PmpE-Ct#37). The mature form of the C. trachomatis PMPE protein is expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein carrying the MRGS-(H)6 (SEQ ID NO: 71) domain encoded by the vector plasmid pQE-30 at the N-terminus.

#FIG. 2. Schematic map of the C. trachomatis PMPI expression plasmid TOP10 (pBAD-pmpI-Ct-Uni#7). The C. trachomatis PMPI protein is expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein carrying the HP-Thio domain encoded by the vector plasmid pBAD/Thio-E at the N-terminus.

#FIG. 3. A Coomassie blue-stained SDS-PAGE gel of the gel-purified C. trachomatis PMPE protein expressed from the pQE-pmpE-Ct #37 plasmid. The PMPE protein migrates as an ˜100 kDa protein. Pre-stained molecular weight markers (Lane 1) are Myosin (˜250 kDa), Phosphorylase B (˜148 kDa), BSA (˜98 kDa), GDH (˜64 kDa), ADH (˜50 kDa), CAH (˜36 kDa), Myoglobulin (30 kDa), Lysozyme (16 kDa), Aprotinin (˜6 kDa), Insulin B chain (˜4 kDa) (SeeBlue prestained standard Novex LC5625).

#Chlamydia PMP Polypeptides

#The present invention is generally directed to compositions and methods for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Chlamydial infection. In one aspect, the composition of the subject invention provides pure native (wildtype) or recombinantly produced PMP polypeptides that comprise at least one immunogenic portion of a Chlamydia antigen.

#The terms “treatment” or “therapy” as used herein and in the claims encompasses elimination, reduction or amelioration of disease symptoms caused directly or indirectly by the organism or numbers of organisms present.