Streptococcus pyogenes antigens

Abstract

The present invention discloses isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a hyperimmune serum reactive antigen or a fragment thereof as well as hyperimmune serum reactive antigens or fragments thereof from S. pyogenes , methods for isolating such antigens and specific uses therefor.

1 . An isolated antigenic  S. pyogenes  polypeptide consisting of
 a. a functionally active fragment of the antigenic polypeptide of Seq ID No:164 comprising one or more amino acid sequence selected from the group of amino acids consisting of 8-35, 36-873, 533-556, 583-604, 625-645, 690-714, 741-763, 37-241, 409-534, 582-604 and 743-804 of Seq ID No:164, or   b. a functionally active fragment of the antigenic polypeptide of Seq ID No:164 comprising at least 95% sequence identity to one or more amino acid sequence selected from the group of amino acids consisting of 8-35, 36-873, 533-556, 583-604, 625-645, 690-714, 741-763, 37-241, 409-534, 582-604 and 743-804 of Seq ID No:164, or   c. a functionally active fragment of the antigenic polypeptide of Seq ID No:164 comprising one or more amino acid sequence selected from the group of amino acids consisting of 38-56, 52-57, 66-73, 81-88, 108-114, 125-131, 160-167, 174-180, 230-235, 237-249, 254-262, 278-285, 308-314, 321-326, 344-353, 358-372, 376-383, 393-411, 439-446, 453-464, 471-480, 485-492, 502-508, 523-529, 558-563, 567-584, 589-597, 605-619, 647-666, 671-678, 721-728, 766-773, 777-787, 792-802, 809-823 and 849-864 of Seq ID No:164, or   d. a functionally active variant of the antigenic polypeptide of Seq ID No:164 that differs from the antigenic polypeptide of Seq ID No:164 by at least one amino acid substitution or deletion, or a combination thereof, and wherein the functionally active variant has at least 90% sequence identity to the antigenic polypeptide of Seq ID No:164, or   e. a functionally active variant of the antigenic amino acid sequence 36-873 of Seq ID No: 164 that differs from the antigenic amino acid sequence 36-873 of Seq ID No: 164 by at least one amino acid substitution or deletion, or a combination thereof, and wherein the functionally active variant has at least 90% sequence identity to the antigenic amino acid sequence 36-873 of Seq ID No: 164.   
     
     
         2 . A composition comprising
 a. a polypeptide according to  claim 1 , and   b. a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or excipient.   
     
     
         3 . An immunogenic composition comprising
 a. a polypeptide according to  claim 1 , and   b. a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or excipient.   
     
     
         4 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 3 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance. 
     
     
         5 . A fusion protein comprising a polypeptide according to  claim 1  and a heterologous peptide consisting of 1 to 50 amino acids. 
     
     
         6 . A composition comprising
 a. a fusion protein according to  claim 5 , and   b. a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or excipient.   
     
     
         7 . An immunogenic composition comprising
 a. a fusion protein according to  claim 5 , and   b. a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or excipient.   
     
     
         8 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 7 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance. 
     
     
         9 . A fusion protein comprising two or more of the polypeptides of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A composition comprising
 a. a fusion protein according to  claim 9 , and   b. a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or excipient.   
     
     
         11 . An immunogenic composition comprising
 a. a fusion protein according to  claim 9 , and   b. a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or excipient.   
     
     
         12 . The immunogenic composition of  claim 11 , further comprising an immunostimulatory substance.