Neurovirulent strain of the west nile virus and uses thereof

Abstract

Neuroinvasive and neurovirulent strain of the West Nile virus, named IS-98-ST1, nucleic acid molecules derived from its genome, proteins and peptides encoded by said nucleic acid molecules, and uses thereof.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A polyclonal antibody, obtained by immunizing a nonhuman mammal with an isolated strain of the West Nile virus, wherein its genome consists of the sequence SEQ ID No. 1. 
     
     
         9 . The antibody as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said nonhuman mammal is a mouse homozygous for the Flv r  allele for resistance to infection with viruses of the family Flaviviridae. 
     
     
         10 . A polyclonal or monoclonal antibody, obtained by immunizing a nonhuman mammal with a recombinant vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule, selected from the group consisting of the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, the fragments of at least 15 nucleotides of the sequence SEQ ID No. 1 and the sense and antisense sequences complementary to the above sequences, excluding the fragment having the GENBANK sequence AF205882. 
     
     
         11 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The polyclonal or monoclonal antibody of  claim 10 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is chosen from the group consisting of the primers comprising at least 15 nucleotides of the sequence upstream or downstream of one of the codons corresponding to the following positions in the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID No. 1:
 alanine codon at positions 1117-1119 (position 51 in the amino acid sequence of the E protein),   asparagine codon at positions 2518-2520 (position 17 of the amino acid sequence of the NS1 protein),   arginine codon at positions 4018-4020 (position 164 of the amino acid sequence of the NS2A protein),   glycine codon at positions 4462-4464 and glutamic acid codon at positions 4465-4467 (position 82 and 83 of the amino acid sequence of the NS2B protein),   proline codon at positions 6097-6099 and glutamic acid codon at positions 6172-6174 (positions 496 and 521 of the amino acid sequence of the NS3 protein), and   serine codon at positions 7840-7842, asparagine codon at positions 8518-8520 and alanine codon at positions 8794-8796 (position 54, 280 and 372 of the amino acid sequence of the NS5 protein).   
     
     
         20 . The polyclonal or monoclonal antibody of  claim 10 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule is chosen from the group consisting of fragments amplified using a primer comprising at least 15 nucleotides of the sequence upstream or downstream of one of the codons corresponding to the following positions in the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID No. 1:
 alanine codon at positions 1117-1119 (position 51 in the amino acid sequence of the E protein),   asparagine codon at positions 2518-2520 (position 17 of the amino acid sequence of the NS1 protein),   arginine codon at positions 4018-4020 (position 164 of the amino acid sequence of the NS2A protein),   glycine codon at positions 4462-4464 and glutamic acid codon at positions 4465-4467 (position 82 and 83 of the amino acid sequence of the NS2B protein),   proline codon at positions 6097-6099 and glutamic acid codon at positions 6172-6174 (positions 496 and 521 of the amino acid sequence of the NS3 protein), and   serine codon at positions 7840-7842, asparagine codon at positions 8518-8520 and alanine codon at positions 8794-8796 (position 54, 280 and 372 of the amino acid sequence of the NS5 protein).