The use of flagellin and flagellin related polypeptides for the protection of mammals from the effects of apoptosis is described.

The present invention generally provides methods and compositions for eliciting an immune response against Neisseria spp. bacteria in a subject, particularly against a Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B strain.

Compositions and methods for altering cell activity and function by expressing a light-activated ion pump polypeptide in a cell and contacting the cell with light that activates the expressed light-activated ion pump polypeptide. In some aspects of the invention, a light-activated ion pump polypeptide is a modified haloarcula halorhodopsin polypeptide, for example, a modified Halo 57 polypeptide.

The present invention provides compositions including polypeptides having the characteristics of polypeptides expressed by a reference microbe such E. coli or Salmonella. Examples of Salmonella strains that can be used include, for instance, S. enterica serovar Newport, S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, and S. enterica serovar Dublin. Also provided are compositions including polypeptides having a particular molecular weight and a mass fingerprint that includes polypeptide fragments having a particular set of masses, or polypeptides having an amino acid sequence with at least about 95% identity with an amino acid sequence, wherein the polypeptide has seroreactive activity. The present invention also provides methods of making and methods of using such compositions.

The present invention relates to an immunoglobulin-binding protein, wherein at least one asparagine residue has been mutated to an amino acid other than glutamine or aspartic acid, which mutation confers an increased chemical stability at pH-values of up to about 13-14 compared to the parental molecule. The protein can for example be derived from a protein capable of binding to other regions of the immunoglobulin molecule than the complementarity determining regions (CDR), such as protein A, and preferably the B-domain of Staphylococcal protein A. The invention also relates to a matrix for affinity separation, which comprises an immunoglobulin-binding protein as ligand coupled to a solid support, in which protein ligand at least one asparagine residue has been mutated to an amino acid other than glutamine.