Cloned leptospira outer membrane protein

Abstract

An antigenic preparation is provided which contains a 31 Kd outer membrane protein from Leptospira which can be used immunologically as a vaccine for leptospirosis caused by this organism.

1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of OmpL1.  
     
     
         2 . The polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide has a molecular weight of about 31 kD as determined by SDS-PAGE.  
     
     
         3 . The polypeptide of  claim 2 , wherein the polypeptide has essentially the amino acid sequence of FIG. 1.  
     
     
         4 . The polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the OmpL1 is from  Leptospira alstoni.    
     
     
         5 . The polypeptide of  claim 4 , wherein the OmpL1 is from a serovar of  Leptospira alstoni  selected the group consisting of grippotyphosa and fortbragg.  
     
     
         6 . The polypeptide of  claim 1 , wherein the OmpL1 is from  Leptospira interrogans.    
     
     
         7 . The polypeptide of  claim 6 , wherein the OmpL1 is from a serovar of  Leptospira interrogans  selected from the group consisting of icterohaemorrhagiae, pomona and bratislava.  
     
     
         8 . An isolated polynucleotide sequence which encodes the polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . The polynucleotide sequence of  claim 8 , wherein the polynucleotide is DNA.  
     
     
         10 . The polynucleotide sequence of  claim 8 , wherein the polynucleotide is RNA.  
     
     
         11 . A recombinant expression vector containing the polynucleotide of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         12 . The expression vector of  claim 11 , wherein the vector is a plasmid.  
     
     
         13 . The vector of  claim 11 , wherein the polynucleotide sequence is from  L. alstoni.    
     
     
         14 . A host cell transformed with the expression vector of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         15 . The host cell of  claim 14 , wherein the cell is a prokaryote.  
     
     
         16 . The prokaryote of  claim 15 , which is  E. coli.    
     
     
         17 . The host cell of  claim 14 , wherein the cell is a eukaryote.  
     
     
         18 . A method of producing OmpL1 polypeptide which comprises: 
 a. transforming a host with the polynucleotide of  claim 8;  and    b. expressing the polynucleotide in the host.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , which further comprises isolating the OmpL1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the host is a prokaryote.  
     
     
         21 . A pharmaceutical composition useful for inducing an immune response to pathogenic Leptospira in an animal comprising an immunogenically effective amount of OmpL1 in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier contains an adjuvant.  
     
     
         23 . A method of inducing an immune response to pathogenic Leptospira in an animal comprising immunizing the animal with the composition of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         24 . A pharmaceutical composition useful for inducing an immune response to pathogenic Leptospira in an animal comprising an immunogenically effective amount of antibody which binds OmpL1 in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         25 . An antibody which binds to OmpL1.  
     
     
         26 . The antibody of  claim 25 , wherein the antibody is polyclonal.  
     
     
         27 . The antibody of  claim 25 , wherein the antibody is monoclonal.  
     
     
         28 . A method of detecting a pathogenic Leptospira in a sample comprising contacting a pathogen-specific cell component in the sample with a reagent which binds to the pathogen-specific cell component.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the pathogen-specific cell component is nucleic acid which encodes OmpL1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the nucleic acid is DNA.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the nucleic acid is RNA.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the pathogen specific cell component is OmpL1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the reagent is a probe.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the probe is nucleic acid.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the probe is an antibody.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the antibody is polyclonal.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the antibody is monoclonal.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the probe is detectably labeled.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the label is selected from the group consisting of a radioisotope, a bioluminescent compound, a chemiluminescent compound, a fluorescent compound, a metal chelate, or an enzyme.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the sample is from an animal selected from the group consisting of human, swine and cattle.  
     
     
         41 . A method for detecting antibody to OmpL1 polypeptide in a sample which comprises contacting the sample with OmpL1 polypeptide under conditions which allow the antibody to bind to OmpL1 polypeptide and detecting the binding of the antibody to the OmpL1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the OmpL1 polypeptide is detectably labelled.  
     
     
         43 . A kit useful for the detection of OmpL1; the kit comprising carrier means being compartmentalized to receive in close confinement therein one or more containers comprising, container containing a OmpL1 binding reagent.  
     
     
         44 . The kit of  claim 43 , wherein the reagent is an antibody.  
     
     
         45 . The kit of  claim 44 , wherein the antibody is human.  
     
     
         46 . The kit of  claim 44 , wherein the antibody is monoclonal.  
     
     
         47 . A kit useful for the detection of OmpL1, the kit comprising carrier means being compartmentalized to receive in close confinement therein one or more containers comprising container containing a OmpL1 polynucleotide binding reagent.  
     
     
         48 . The kit of  claim 47 , wherein the binding reagent is nucleic acid.  
     
     
         49 . A kit useful for the detection of antibody to OmpL1 polypeptide, the kit comprising carrier means being compartmentalized to receive in close confinement therein one or more containers comprising container containing OmpL1 polypeptide.