Nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of infectious salmon anaemia virus and their use as vaccines

Abstract

The present invention provides the use of nucleic acid sequences and/or amino acid sequences in the preparation of a vaccine for the protection of fish against infectious salmon anaemia virus. Specifically, such vaccines contain at least one nucleic acid sequence which is derived from ISAV or synthetically prepared analogues thereof, or substantially homologous sequences. These nucleic acid sequences are transcripted and translated into peptide sequences which are incorporated into a vaccination strategy to induce and immune response to the surface antigens of ISAV and therefore ISAV itself. Therefore both the use of a vaccine against ISAV, and the incorporation of peptide sequences is herein described.

1 - 52 . (canceled)  
     
     
         53 . An isolated protein comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein when an expression vector containing DNA that encodes said protein is injected into salmon, the salmon have reduced mortality when exposed to ISAV compared to naive salmon exposed to ISAV infection.  
     
     
         54 . An immunogenic composition comprising the protein of  claim 53  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         55 . A diagnostic composition comprising the protein of  claim 53 .  
     
     
         56 . A diagnostic kit comprising the protein of  claim 53 .  
     
     
         57 . An isolated protein comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein when an expression vector containing DNA that encodes said protein is injected into salmon, the salmon have reduced mortality when exposed to ISAV compared to naive salmon exposed to ISAV infection.  
     
     
         58 . An immunogenic composition comprising the protein of  claim 57  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         59 . A diagnostic composition comprising the protein of  claim 57 .  
     
     
         60 . A diagnostic kit comprising the protein of  claim 57.