Borrelia antigens

Abstract

The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein, preferably a hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen from Borrelia , a vector comprising such nucleic acid molecule, a host cell comprising such vector, a protein, preferably a hyperimmune serum-reactive antigen from Borrelia , a process for producing such protein, a process for producing a cell which expresses such protein, an antibody that binds to such protein, a hybridoma cell producing such antibody, a method for producing such antibody, a pharmaceutical composition comprising such nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody, use of such nucleic acid molecule, protein, or antibody for the manufacture of a medicament, a method for identifying an antagonist capable of reducing or inhibiting the activity of such protein, a method for diagnosis or treatment of an infection with a pathogen causing Lyme disease or an infection with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l.

1 . An isolated protein:
 (a) having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 202, or   (b) comprising at least 95% sequence identity to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 202.   
     
     
         2 . The protein according to  claim 1 , wherein the protein is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule set forth as SEQ ID NO: 68. 
     
     
         3 . An isolated antigen, wherein the antigen consists of amino acids 4-18, 35-44, 54-67, 77-85, 92-101, 106-119, 131-144, 146-164, 171-177, 182-191, 203-218, 282-288, 297-310, 343-359, 361-367, 400-405, 433-439, 454-462, 483-492, 496-504, 506-517, 522-529, 552-559, 564-572, 574-580, 590-604, 625-660, 252-396, 348-374, 281-307 or 631-654 of SEQ ID NO: 202. 
     
     
         4 . An isolated  Borrelia  protein that consists of a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 202, wherein said fragment comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of amino acids 4-18, 35-44, 54-67, 77-85, 92-101, 106-119, 131-144, 146-164, 171-177, 182-191, 203-218, 282-288, 297-310, 343-359, 361-367, 400-405, 433-439, 454-462, 483-492, 496-504, 506-517, 522-529, 552-559, 564-572, 574-580, 590-604, 625-660, 252-396, 348-374, 281-307 and 631-654 of SEQ ID NO: 202, and wherein said fragment is less than 663 amino acids in length. 
     
     
         5 . A fusion protein comprising the protein according to  claim 1 , further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence. 
     
     
         6 . A fusion protein comprising the protein according to  claim 4 , further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence. 
     
     
         7 . A fusion protein comprising the antigen according to  claim 3 , further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence. 
     
     
         8 . An immunogenic composition comprising the protein according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . An immunogenic composition comprising the protein according to  claim 4 . 
     
     
         10 . An immunogenic composition comprising the antigen according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         11 . An immunogenic composition comprising the fusion protein according to  claims 5 . 
     
     
         12 . An immunogenic composition comprising the fusion protein according to  claim 6 . 
     
     
         13 . An immunogenic composition comprising the fusion protein according to  claim 7 .