Compounds and methods for treatment and diagnosis of chlamydial infection   

Abstract: Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydial infection are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of a Chlamydia antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides or DNA sequences are also provided, together with antibodies directed against such polypeptides. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides or DNA sequences and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of Chlamydial infection in patients and in biological samples.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/929,665 filed Oct. 30, 2007 (now allowed); which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/872,155 filed Jun. 18, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,462,357); which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/841,132 filed Apr. 23, 2001 (now abandoned), these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The Sequence Listing associated with this application is provided in text format in lieu of a paper copy, and is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification. The name of the text file containing the Sequence Listing is 210121—469C18_SEQUENCE_LISTING.txt. The text file is 1.121 KB, was created on Sep. 29, 2011, and is being submitted electronically via EFS-Web, concurrent with the filing of the specification.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the detection and treatment of Chlamydial infection. In particular, the invention is related to polypeptides comprising a Chlamydia antigen and the use of such polypeptides for the serodiagnosis and treatment of Chlamydial infection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chlamydiae are intracellular bacterial pathogens that are responsible for a wide variety of important human and animal infections. Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted diseases and can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), resulting in tubal obstruction and infertility. Chlamydia trachomatis may also play a role in male infertility. In 1990, the cost of treating PID in the US was estimated to be $4 billion. Trachoma, due to ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, is the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Chlamydia pneumonia is a major cause of acute respiratory tract infections in humans and is also believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and, in particular, coronary heart disease. Individuals with a high titer of antibodies to Chlamydia pneumonia have been shown to be at least twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease as seronegative individuals. Chlamydial infections thus constitute a significant health problem both in the US and worldwide.

Chlamydial infection is often asymptomatic. For example, by the time a woman seeks medical attention for PID, irreversible damage may have already occurred resulting in infertility. There thus remains a need in the art for improved vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention and treatment of Chlamydia infections. The present invention fulfills this need and further provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides compositions and methods for the diagnosis and therapy of Chlamydia infection. In one aspect, the present invention provides polypeptides comprising an immunogenic portion of a Chlamydia antigen, or a variant of such an antigen. Certain portions and other variants are immunogenic, such that the ability of the variant to react with antigen-specific antisera is not substantially diminished. Within certain embodiments, the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence encoded by a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 358-361; (b) the complements of said sequences; and (c) sequences that hybridize to a sequence of (a) or (b) under moderate to highly stringent conditions. In specific embodiments, the polypeptides of the present invention comprise at least a portion of a Chlamydial protein that includes an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of sequences recited in SEQ ID NO:362-365 and variants thereof.

The present invention further provides polynucleotides that encode a polypeptide as described above, or a portion thereof (such as a portion encoding at least 15 amino acid residues of a Chlamydial protein), expression vectors comprising such polynucleotides and host cells transformed or transfected with such expression vectors.

In a related aspect, polynucleotide sequences encoding the above polypeptides, recombinant expression vectors comprising one or more of these polynucleotide sequences and host cells transformed or transfected with such expression vectors are also provided.

In another aspect, the present invention provides fusion proteins comprising an inventive polypeptide, or, alternatively, an inventive polypeptide and a known Chlamydia antigen, as well as polynucleotides encoding such fusion proteins, in combination with a physiologically acceptable carrier or immunostimulant for use as pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines thereof.

The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions that comprise: (a) an antibody, both polyclonal and monoclonal, or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to a Chlamydial protein; and (b) a physiologically acceptable carrier. Within other aspects, the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions that comprise one or more Chlamydia polypeptides disclosed herein, e.g., a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO:362-365, 431-454 and 560-581, or a polynucleotide molecule encoding such a polypeptide, such as a polynucleotide according to SEQ ID NO:358-361, 407-430, 525-559 and 582-598, and a physiologically acceptable carrier. The invention also provides vaccines for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes comprising one or more of the disclosed polypeptides and an immunostimulant, as defined herein, together with vaccines comprising one or more polynucleotide sequences encoding such polypeptides and an immunostimulant.

In yet another aspect, methods are provided for inducing protective immunity in a patient, comprising administering to a patient an effective amount of one or more of the above pharmaceutical compositions or vaccines.

In yet a further aspect, methods for the treatment of Chlamydia infection in a patient are provided, the methods comprising obtaining peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the patient, incubating the PBMC with a polypeptide of the present invention (or a polynucleotide that encodes such a polypeptide) to provide incubated T cells and administering the incubated T cells to the patient. The present invention additionally provides methods for the treatment of Chlamydia infection that comprise incubating antigen presenting cells with a polypeptide of the present invention (or a polynucleotide that encodes such a polypeptide) to provide incubated antigen presenting cells and administering the incubated antigen presenting cells to the patient. Proliferated cells may, but need not, be cloned prior to administration to the patient. In certain embodiments, the antigen presenting cells are selected from the group consisting of dendritic cells, macrophages, monocytes, B-cells, and fibroblasts. Compositions for the treatment of Chlamydia infection comprising T cells or antigen presenting cells that have been incubated with a polypeptide or polynucleotide of the present invention are also provided. Within related aspects, vaccines are provided that comprise: (a) an antigen presenting cell that expresses a polypeptide as described above and (b) an immunostimulant.

The present invention further provides, within other aspects, methods for removing Chlamydial-infected cells from a biological sample, comprising contacting a biological sample with T cells that specifically react with a Chlamydial protein, wherein the step of contacting is performed under conditions and for a time sufficient to permit the removal of cells expressing the protein from the sample.

Within related aspects, methods are provided for inhibiting the development of Chlamydial infection in a patient, comprising administering to a patient a biological sample treated as described above. In further aspects of the subject invention, methods and diagnostic kits are provided for detecting Chlamydia infection in a patient. In one embodiment, the method comprises: (a) contacting a biological sample with at least one of the polypeptides or fusion proteins disclosed herein; and (b) detecting in the sample the presence of binding agents that bind to the polypeptide or fusion protein, thereby detecting Chlamydia infection in the biological sample. Suitable biological samples include whole blood, sputum, serum, plasma, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid and urine. In one embodiment, the diagnostic kits comprise one or more of the polypeptides or fusion proteins disclosed herein in combination with a detection reagent. In yet another embodiment, the diagnostic kits comprise either a monoclonal antibody or a polyclonal antibody that binds with a polypeptide of the present invention.

The present invention also provides methods for detecting Chlamydia infection comprising: (a) obtaining a biological sample from a patient; (b) contacting the sample with at least two oligonucleotide primers in a polymerase chain reaction, at least one of the oligonucleotide primers being specific for a polynucleotide sequence disclosed herein; and (c) detecting in the sample a polynucleotide sequence that amplifies in the presence of the oligonucleotide primers. In one embodiment, the oligonucleotide primer comprises at least about 10 contiguous nucleotides of a polynucleotide sequence peptide disclosed herein, or of a sequence that hybridizes thereto.

In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting Chlamydia infection in a patient comprising: (a) obtaining a biological sample from the patient; (b) contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide probe specific for a polynucleotide sequence disclosed herein; and (c) detecting in the sample a polynucleotide sequence that hybridizes to the oligonucleotide probe. In one embodiment, the oligonucleotide probe comprises at least about 15 contiguous nucleotides of a polynucleotide sequence disclosed herein, or a sequence that hybridizes thereto.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description.

All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.

SEQ ID NO: 1 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis clone 1-B1-66.

SEQ ID NO: 2 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis clone 4-D7-28.

SEQ ID NO: 3 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis clone 3-G3-10.

SEQ ID NO: 4 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis clone 10-C10-31.

SEQ ID NO: 5 is the predicted amino acid sequence for 1-B1-66.

SEQ ID NO: 6 is the predicted amino acid sequence for 4-D7-28.

SEQ ID NO: 7 is a first predicted amino acid sequence for 3-G3-10.

SEQ ID NO: 8 is a second predicted amino acid sequence for 3-G3-10.

SEQ ID NO: 9 is a third predicted amino acid sequence for 3-G3-10.

SEQ ID NO: 10 is a fourth predicted amino acid sequence for 3-G3-10.

SEQ ID NO: 11 is a fifth predicted amino acid sequence for 3-G3-10.

SEQ ID NO: 12 is the predicted amino acid sequence for 10-C10-31.

SEQ ID NO: 13 is the amino acid sequence of the synthetic peptide 1-B1-66/48-67.

SEQ ID NO: 14 is the amino acid sequence of the synthetic peptide 1-B1-66/58-77.

SEQ ID NO: 15 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar LGV II clone 2C7-8

SEQ ID NO: 16 is a DNA sequence of a putative open reading frame from a region of the C. trachomatis serovar D genome to which 2C7-8 maps

SEQ ID NO: 17 is the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16

SEQ ID NO: 18 is the amino acid sequence of the synthetic peptide CtC7.8-12

SEQ ID NO: 19 is the amino acid sequence of the synthetic peptide CtC7.8-13

SEQ ID NO: 20 is the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by a second putative open reading from C. trachomatis serovar D

SEQ ID NO: 21 is the determined DNA sequence for clone 4C9-18 from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 22 is the determined DNA sequence homologous to Lipoamide Dehydrogenase from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 23 is the determined DNA sequence homologous to Hypothetical protein from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 24 is the determined DNA sequence homologous to Ubiquinone Methyltransferase from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 25 is the determined DNA sequence for clone 4C9-18#2 BL21 pLysS from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 26 is the predicted amino acid sequence for 4C9-18#2 from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 27 is the determined DNA sequence for Cp-SWIB from C. pneumonia strain TWAR

SEQ ID NO: 28 is the predicted amino acid sequence for Cp-SWIB from C. pneumonia strain TWAR

SEQ ID NO: 29 is the determined DNA sequence for Cp-S13 (CT509) from C. pneumonia strain TWAR

SEQ ID NO: 30 is the predicted amino acid sequence for Cp-S13 from C. pneumonia strain TWAR

SEQ ID NO: 31 is the amino acid sequence for a 10 mer consensus peptide from CtC7.8-12 and CtC7.8-13

SEQ ID NO: 32 is the predicted amino acid sequence for clone 2C7-8 from C. trachomatis LGV II

SEQ ID NO: 33 is the DNA sequence corresponding to nucleotides 597304-597145 of the C. trachomatis serovar D genome (NCBI, BLASTN search), which shows homology to clone 2C7-8

SEQ ID NO: 34 is the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 33

SEQ ID NO: 35 is the DNA sequence for C.p. SWIB Nde (5′ primer) from C. pneumonia

SEQ ID NO: 36 is the DNA sequence for C.p. SWIB EcoRI (3′ primer) from C. pneumonia

SEQ ID NO: 37 is the DNA sequence for C.p. S13 Nde (5′ primer) from C. pneumonia

SEQ ID NO: 38 is the DNA sequence for C.p. S13 EcoRI (3′ primer) from C. pneumonia

SEQ ID NO: 39 is the amino acid sequence for CtSwib 52-67 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II SEQ ID NO: 40 is the amino acid sequence for CpSwib 53-68 peptide from C. pneumonia

SEQ ID NO: 41 is the amino acid sequence for HuSwib 288-302 peptide from Human SWI domain

SEQ ID NO: 42 is the amino acid sequence for CtSWI-T 822-837 peptide from the topoisomerase-SWIB fusion of C. trachomatis

SEQ ID NO: 43 is the amino acid sequence for CpSWI-T 828-842 peptide from the topoisomerase-SWIB fusion of C. pneumonia

SEQ ID NO: 44 is a first determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19783.3,jen.seq(1>509)CTL2#11-3′, representing the 3′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 45 is a second determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19783.4,jen.seq(1>481)CTL2#11-5′, representing the 5′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 46 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19784CTL2—12consensus.seq(1>427)CTL2#12.

SEQ ID NO: 47 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19785.4,jen.seq(1>600)CTL2#16-5′, representing the 5′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 48 is a first determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19786.3,jen.seq(1>600)CTL2#18-3′, representing the 3′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 49 is a second determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19786.4,jen.seq(1>600)CTL2#18-5′, representing the 5′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 50 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19788CTL2—21consensus.seq(1>406)CTL2#21.

SEQ ID NO: 51 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19790CTL2—23consensus.seq(1>602)CTL2#23.

SEQ ID NO: 52 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19791CTL2—24consensus.seq(1>145)CTL2#24.

SEQ ID NO: 53 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CTL2#4.

SEQ ID NO: 54 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CTL2#8b.

SEQ ID NO: 55 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 15-G1-89, sharing homology to the lipoamide dehydrogenase gene CT557.

SEQ ID NO: 56 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 14-H1-4, sharing homology to the thiol specific antioxidant gene CT603.

SEQ ID NO: 57 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 12-G3-83, sharing homology to the hypothetical protein CT622.

SEQ ID NO: 58 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 12-B3-95, sharing homology to the lipoamide dehydrogenase gene CT557.

SEQ ID NO: 59 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 11-H4-28, sharing homology to the dnaK gene CT396.

SEQ ID NO: 60 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 11-H3-68, sharing partial homology to the PGP6-D virulence protein and L1 ribosomal gene CT318.

SEQ ID NO: 61 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 11-G1-34, sharing partial homology to the malate dehydrogenase gene CT376 and to the glycogen hydrolase gene CT042.

SEQ ID NO: 62 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 11-G10-46, sharing homology to the hypothetical protein CT610.

SEQ ID NO: 63 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 11-C12-91, sharing homology to the OMP2 gene CT443.

SEQ ID NO: 64 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 11-A3-93, sharing homology to the HAD superfamily gene CT103.

SEQ ID NO: 65 is the determined amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 14-H1-4, sharing homology to the thiol specific antioxidant gene CT603.

SEQ ID NO: 66 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2#9.

SEQ ID NO: 67 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2#7.

SEQ ID NO: 68 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2#6.

SEQ ID NO: 69 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2#5.

SEQ ID NO: 70 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2#2.

SEQ ID NO: 71 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2#1.

SEQ ID NO: 72 is a first determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 23509.2CtL2#3-5′, representing the 5′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 73 is a second determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 23509.1CtL2#3-3′, representing the 3′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 74 is a first determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 22121.2CtL2#10-5′, representing the 5′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 75 is a second determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 22121.1CtL2#10-3′, representing the 3′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 76 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19787.6CtL2#19-5′, representing the 5′ end.

SEQ ID NO: 77 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. pneumoniae LGV II clone CpS13-His.

SEQ ID NO: 78 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. pneumoniae LGV II clone Cp_SWIB-His.

SEQ ID NO: 79 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 23-G7-68, sharing partial homology to the L11, L10 and L1 ribosomal protein.

SEQ ID NO: 80 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 22-E8-91, sharing homology to the pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 81 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 21-E8-95, sharing homology to the CT610-CT613 genes.

SEQ ID NO: 82 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19-F12-57, sharing homology to the CT858 and recA genes.

SEQ ID NO: 83 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19-F12-53, sharing homology to the CT445 gene encoding glutamyl tRNA synthetase.

SEQ ID NO: 84 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 19-A5-54, sharing homology to the cryptic plasmid gene.

SEQ ID NO: 85 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 17-E11-72, sharing partial homology to the OppC 2 and pmpD genes.

SEQ ID NO: 86 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 17-C1-77, sharing partial homology to the CT857 and CT858 open reading frames.

SEQ ID NO: 87 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 15-H2-76, sharing partial homology to the pmpD and SycE genes, and to the CT089 ORF.

SEQ ID NO: 88 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 15-A3-26, sharing homology to the CT858 ORF.

SEQ ID NO: 89 is the determined amino acid sequence for the C. pnuemoniae clone Cp_SWIB-His.

SEQ ID NO: 90 is the determined amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2_LPDA_FL.

SEQ ID NO: 91 is the determined amino acid sequence for the C. pnuemoniae clone CpS13-His.

SEQ ID NO: 92 is the determined amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone CtL2_TSA_FL.

SEQ ID NO: 93 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 43-61 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II.

SEQ ID NO: 94 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 48-67 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II.

SEQ ID NO: 95 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 52-71 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II.

SEQ ID NO: 96 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 58-77 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II.

SEQ ID NO: 97 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 63-82 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II.

SEQ ID NO: 98 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 51-66 peptide from C. trachomatis LGV II.

SEQ ID NO: 99 is the amino acid sequence for Cp-Swib 52-67 peptide from C. pneumonia.

SEQ ID NO: 100 is the amino acid sequence for Cp-Swib 37-51 peptide from C. pneumonia.

SEQ ID NO: 101 is the amino acid sequence for Cp-Swib 32-51 peptide from C. pneumonia.

SEQ ID NO: 102 is the amino acid sequence for Cp-Swib 37-56 peptide from C. pneumonia.

SEQ ID NO: 103 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-Swib 36-50 peptide from C. trachomatis.

SEQ ID NO: 104 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-S13 46-65 peptide from C. trachomatis.

SEQ ID NO: 105 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-S13 60-80 peptide from C. trachomatis.

SEQ ID NO: 106 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-S13 1-20 peptide from C. trachomatis.

SEQ ID NO: 107 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-S13 46-65 peptide from C. trachomatis.

SEQ ID NO: 108 is the amino acid sequence for Ct-S13 56-75 peptide from C. trachomatis.

SEQ ID NO: 109 is the amino acid sequence for Cp-S13 56-75 peptide from C. pneumoniae.

SEQ ID NO: 110 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 21-G12-60, containing partial open reading frames for hypothetical proteins CT875, CT229 and CT228.

SEQ ID NO: 111 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 22-B3-53, sharing homology to the CT110 ORF of GroEL.

SEQ ID NO: 112 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 22-A1-49, sharing partial homology to the CT660 and CT659 ORFs.

SEQ ID NO: 113 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 17-E2-9, sharing partial homology to the CT611 and CT 610 ORFs.

SEQ ID NO: 114 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 17-C10-31, sharing partial homology to the CT858 ORF.

SEQ ID NO: 115 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 21-C7-8, sharing homology to the dnaK-like gene.

SEQ ID NO: 116 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 20-G3-45, containing part of the pmpB gene CT413.

SEQ ID NO: 117 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 18-C5-2, sharing homology to the 51 ribosomal protein ORF.

SEQ ID NO: 118 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 17-C5-19, containing part of the ORFs for CT431 and CT430.

SEQ ID NO: 119 is the determined DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis LGV II clone 16-D4-22, contains partial sequences of ORF3 and ORF4 of the plasmid for growth within mammalian cells.

SEQ ID NO: 120 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar LGV II Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 121 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar LGV II Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 122 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar E Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 123 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar E Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 124 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar 1A Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 125 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar 1A Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 126 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar G Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 127 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar G Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 128 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar F1 NII Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 129 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar F1 NII Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 130 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar L1 Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 131 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar L1 Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 132 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar L3 Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 133 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar L3 Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 134 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar Ba Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 135 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar Ba Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 136 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar MOPN Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 137 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis serovar MOPN Cap1 gene CT529.

SEQ ID NO: 138 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #124-139 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 139 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #132-147 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 140 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #138-155 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 141 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #146-163 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 142 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #154-171 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 143 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #162-178 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 144 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #138-147 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 145 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #139-147 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 146 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #140-147 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 147 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #138-146 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 148 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #138-145 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 149 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide #F140->I of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 150 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide ##S139>Ga of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 151 is the determined amino acid sequence for the Cap1 CT529 ORF peptide ##S139>Gb of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 152 is the determined amino acid sequence for the peptide #2 C7.8-6 of the 216aa ORF of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 153 is the determined amino acid sequence for the peptide #2 C7.8-7 of the 216aa ORF of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 154 is the determined amino acid sequence for the peptide #2 C7.8-8 of the 216aa ORF of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 155 is the determined amino acid sequence for the peptide #2 C7.8-9 of the 216aa ORF of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 156 is the determined amino acid sequence for the peptide #2 C7.8-10 of the 216aa ORF of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 157 is the determined amino acid sequence for the 53 amino acid residue peptide of the 216aa ORF within clone 2C7.8 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 158 is the determined amino acid sequence for the 52 amino acid residue peptide of the CT529 ORF within clone 2C7.8 of C. trachomatis serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 159 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (forward) primer for cloning full-length CT529 serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 160 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (reverse) primer for cloning full-length CT529 serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 161 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (forward) primer for cloning full-length CT529 for serovars other than L2 and MOPN.

SEQ ID NO: 162 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (reverse) primer for cloning full-length CT529 serovars other than L2 and MOPN.

SEQ ID NO: 163 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (forward) primer for cloning full-length CT529 serovar MOPN.

SEQ ID NO: 164 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (reverse) primer for cloning full-length CT529 serovar MOPN.

SEQ ID NO: 165 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (forward) primer for pBIB-KS.

SEQ ID NO: 166 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ (reverse) primer for pBIB-KS.

SEQ ID NO: 167 is the determined amino acid sequence for the 9-mer epitope peptide Cap1#139-147 from serovar L2.

SEQ ID NO: 168 is the determined amino acid sequence for the 9-mer epitope peptide Cap1#139-147 from serovar D.

SEQ ID NO: 169 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpI (CT874) gene.

SEQ ID NO: 170 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpG gene.

SEQ ID NO: 171 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpE gene.

SEQ ID NO: 172 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpD gene.

SEQ ID NO: 173 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 174 is the determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpB gene.

SEQ ID NO: 175 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpI gene.

SEQ ID NO: 176 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpG gene.

SEQ ID NO: 177 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpE gene.

SEQ ID NO: 178 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpD gene.

SEQ ID NO: 179 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 180 is the predicted full-length amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpB gene.

SEQ ID NO: 181 is the determined DNA sequence minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpI gene.

SEQ ID NO: 182 is a subsequently determined full-length DNA sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpG gene.

SEQ ID NO: 183 is the determined DNA sequence minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpE gene.

SEQ ID NO: 184 is a first determined DNA sequence representing the carboxy terminus for the C. trachomatis pmpD gene.

SEQ ID NO: 185 is a second determined DNA sequence representing the amino terminus minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpD gene.

SEQ ID NO: 186 is a first determined DNA sequence representing the carboxy terminus for the C. trachomatis pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 187 is a second determined DNA sequence representing the amino terminus minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 188 is the determined DNA sequence representing the C. pneumoniae serovar MOMPS pmp gene in a fusion molecule with Ra12.

SEQ ID NO: 189 is the predicted amino acid sequence minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpI gene.

SEQ ID NO: 190 is subsequently predicted amino acid sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpG gene.

SEQ ID NO: 191 is the predicted amino acid sequence minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpE gene.

SEQ ID NO: 192 is a first predicted amino acid sequence representing the carboxy terminus for the C. trachomatis pmpD gene.

SEQ ID NO: 193 is a second predicted amino acid sequence representing the Amino terminus minus the signal sequence for the C. trachomatis pmpD gene.

SEQ ID NO: 194 is a first predicted amino acid sequence representing the Carboxy terminus for the C. trachomatis pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 195 is a second predicted amino acid sequence representing the Amino terminus for the C. trachomatis pmpC gene.

SEQ ID NO: 196 is the predicted amino acid sequence representing the C. pneumoniae serovar MOMPS pmp gene in a fusion molecule with Ra12.

SEQ ID NO: 197 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 198 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 199 is the determined DNA sequence for the insertion sequence for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 200 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 201 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 202 is the determined DNA sequence for the insertion sequence for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 203 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpE gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 204 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpE gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 205 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpG gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 206 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpG gene in the SKB vaccine vector.

SEQ ID NO: 207 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the amino terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 208 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the amino terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 209 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the carboxy terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 210 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the carboxy terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpC gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 211 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the amino terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 212 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the amino terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 213 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the carboxy terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 214 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the carboxy terminus portion of the C. trachomatis pmpD gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 215 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpE gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 216 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpE gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 217 is the determined DNA sequence for the insertion sequence for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpE gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 218 is the amino acid sequence for the insertion sequence for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpE gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 219 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpG gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 220 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpG gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 221 is the amino acid sequence for the insertion sequence for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpG gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 222 is the determined DNA sequence for the 5′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpI gene in the pET17b vector.

SEQ ID NO: 223 is the determined DNA sequence for the 3′ oligo primer for cloning the C. trachomatis pmpI gene in the pET17b vector.