STREPTOCOCCAL C BETA PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS

摘要

The invention relates to protein fragments or peptides that elicit antibodie s to Gram positive bacteria which are bactericidal with complement alone witho ut involving an opsonophagocytic mechanism, and to vaccines and conjugates comprising the same. The protein fragments or peptides comprise an immunogen ic IgG binding domain, which comprises a peptide sequence of at least 8 amino acids between positions 828 and 1027 of the amino acid sequence shown in Fig . 1. The invention also relates to a polynucleotide molecule encoding the protein fragments or peptides, vectors comprising such polynucleotide molecules and host cells transformed therewith. The invention relates to a process for obtaining a substantially pure C beta protein or fragment and/or mutant thereof. The invention also relates to a method of inducing an immune response in an animal, comprising administering the vaccine of the invention to an animal in a therapeutically effective amount in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.