126 PATENT ABSTRACTS

5198361

P L A S M I D S F O R P R O D U C T I O N O F M E T - A S P - G L N B O V I N E

G R O W T H H O R M O N E , H O S T S C O N T A I N I N G T H E P L A S M I D S , P R O D U C T S M A N U F A C T U R E D

T H E R E B Y A N D R E L A T E D M E T H O D S

Haim Aviv, Marian Gorecki, Avigdor Levanon, Amos Oppenheim, Tikva Vogel, Elisha Zcelon, Menachem Zeevi, Strasbourg, assigned to Bio- Technology General Corp

An improved vector upon introduction into a suitable bacterial host containing the thermo- labile repressor CI renders the host cell capable, upon increasing the temperature of the host cell to a temperature at which the repressor is destroyed, of effecting expression of a desired gene inserted into the vector and production of polypeptide encoded by the gene. The vector is a double-stranded DNA molecule which includes in 5' to 3' order the following: a DNA sequence which contains the promoter and operator PLOL from lambda bacteriophage; the N utilization site for binding antiterminator N pro- tein produced by the host cell; a DNA sequence which contains a ribosomal binding site for ren- dering the mRNA of the desired gene capable of binding to ribosomes within the host cell; an ATG initiation codon or a DNA sequence which is converted into an ATG initiation codon upon insertion of the desired gene into the vector; a restriction enzyme site for inserting the desired gene into the vector in phase with the ATG in- itiation codon; and additionally a DNA sequence which contains an origin of replication from a bacterial plasmid capable of autonomous replication in the host cell and a DNA sequence which contains a gene associated with a selec- table or identifiable trait which is manifested when the vector is present in the host cell.

5198535

immunogen for vaccination against malaria. This use of this protein, which is distinct from the extensively characterized circumsporozoite (CS) protein, will also facilitate research into host immunological responses to malaria. This anti- gen is detected by a monoclonal antibody (NYS4) which is specific for a 140 kilodalton (kD) protein on the sporozoite cell surface. Immunoreactive genomic clones are described which express this surface antigen gene and the primary nucleic acid sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence derived from this DNA sequence are disclosed. Unique repetitive sequences of amino acids are described which further demonstrate the distinction between SSP2 and the CS protein. A synthetic peptide containing repeating epitopes of SSP2 derived protein antigen and which are substantially shor- ter in length than the intact antigen are disclosed. The peptide when administered to a host elicits antibodies which bind to the SSP2 protein on the sporozoite surface. A recombinant plasmid bearing SSP2 DNA sequences expresses SSP2 epitopes in mammalian cells and the introduc- tion of these transfected cells into mice elicits antibody and cytotoxic T-cell lymphocytic responses which confer partial protection to the recipient animals against challenge infection. In combination, the SSP2 protein and the CS pro- tein elicit immunological responses in the mam- malian host which confer 100% protection against challenge infection.

5198536

P E P T I D E S C O M P R I S I N G A N I M M U N O G E N I C S I T E O F P O L I O V I R U S A N D D N A S

C O N T A I N I N G N U C L E O T I D E S E Q U E N C E S C O D I N G F O R

T H E S E P E P T I D E S

P R O T E C T I V E M A L A R I A S P O R O Z O I T E S U R F A C E

P R O T E I N I M M U N O G E N A N D G E N E

Stephen L Hoffman, Yupi Charoenvit, Richar Hedstrom, Srisin Khusmith, William O Rogers assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

A protein antigen (SSP2) on the surface of Plas- modium sporozoites is disclosed as a candidate

Marc Girard, Weft Sylvie Van Der, Strasbourg, assigned to Institut Pasteur

The invention relates to a DNA fragment con- mining at the most 315 pairs of nucleotides coding for a peptide which can be recognized by antibodies acting both against the C and D par- ticles of the same poliovirus and against the VP-1 structural polypeptide of the capsid of this poliovirus. This peptide contains in particular the following sequence: See Patent for Tabular Presentation