Novel surface antigen

Abstract

The invention provides a novel surface polypeptide from Neisseria meningitidis as well as nucleic acid and nucleic acid sequence homologues encoding this protein. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the polypeptide and nucleic acids of the invention are also disclosed as well as methods useful in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of N. meningitidis infection.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule which encodes a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21. 
     
     
         36 . A nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 35 , comprising a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:20. 
     
     
         37 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide having 90% or greater sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21, wherein the immunogenic polypeptide can raise antibodies which specifically bind to SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21. 
     
     
         38 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a fragment of 25 or more nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:20, wherein the fragment is capable of detecting  N. meningitidis  nucleic acids through hybridization under high stringency conditions comprising a wash in 0.1×SSC, 0.5% SDS solution at 65° C. 
     
     
         39 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an immunogenic polypeptide, wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule can hybridize to a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21 under high stringency conditions comprising a wash in 0.1×SSC, 0.5% SDS solution at 65° C., wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule is capable of detecting  N. meningitidis  nucleic acids through hybridization. 
     
     
         40 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a protein comprising an immunogenic fragment of at least 20 consecutive amino acids of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21, wherein the immunogenic fragment can raise antibodies which specifically bind to SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21. 
     
     
         41 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 37 , wherein the immunogenic polypeptide has 99% or greater sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21. 
     
     
         42 . The isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 37 , wherein the immunogenic polypeptide has 95% or greater sequence identity to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:21.