| abstract |
The present invention relates, in general, to granulocytic ehrlichia (GE) proteins. In particular, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules coding for WI1, WI2, WI3, WI4, WIC, NY1, NY2, NY3, SWED, BOV, EQ, SLOV1, and SLOV2 proteins; purified WI1, WI2, WI3, WI4, WIC, NY1, NY2, NY3, SWED, BOV, EQ, SLOV1, and SLOV2 proteins and polypeptides; recombinant nucleic acid molecules; cells containing the recombinant nucleic acid molecules; antibodies having binding affinity specifically to WI1, WI2, WI3, WI4, WIC, NY1, NY2, NY3, SWED, BOV, EQ, SLOV1, and SLOV2 proteins and polypeptides; hybridomas containing the antibodies; nucleic acid probes for the detection of nucleic acids encoding WI1, WI2, WI3, WI4, WIC, NY1, NY2, NY3, SWED, BOV, EQ, SLOV1, and SLOV2 proteins; a method of detecting nucleic acids encoding WI1, WI2, WI3, WI4, WIC, NY1, NY2, NY3, SWED, BOV, EQ, SLOV1, and SLOV2 proteins or polypeptides in the sample; kits containing nucleic acid probes or antibodies; bioassays using the nucleic acid sequence, protein or antibodies of this invention to diagnose, assess, or prognose a mammal afflicted with ehrlichiosis; therapeutic uses, specifically vaccines comprising proteins, polypeptides or nucleic acids; and methods of preventing or inhibiting ehrlichiosis in an animal. |