Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests are disclosed. In particular, novel insecticidal proteins having toxicity Coleopteran and/or Lepidopteran insect pests are provided. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the novel insecticidal proteins are also provided. Methods of making the insecticidal proteins and methods of using the insecticidal proteins and nucleic acids encoding the insecticidal proteins of the invention, for example in transgenic plants to confer protection from insect damage, are also disclosed.

Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests are disclosed. In particular, novel insecticidal proteins having toxicity Coleopteran and/or Lepidopteran insect pests are provided. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the novel insecticidal proteins are also provided. Methods of making the insecticidal proteins and methods of using the insecticidal proteins and nucleic acids encoding the insecticidal proteins of the invention, for example in transgenic plants to confer protection from insect damage, are also disclosed.

The invention provides compositions and methods for using Leptospiral virulence modifying (VM) proteins or fragments or fusions thereof, as vaccines and as therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer.

The invention provides compositions and methods for using Leptospiral virulence modifying (VM) proteins or fragments or fusions thereof, as vaccines and as therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer.

Provided is a Helicobacter pylori ferritin-based novel coronavirus S protein single-region subunit nano-vaccine. According to the present invention, a receptor binding domain (RBD) of a virus is used as an antigen and is connected with a Helicobacter pylori multimeric protein (HP_Ferritin) to form a fusion protein RBD-HP_Ferritin, such that antigen multimerization is realized; and an eukaryotic cell expression system is then utilized for expression, so as to form a 24-mer nano-antigen by means of the self-assembly action of the HP_Ferritin. According to the solution, the defect that RBD monomers are insufficient in immunogenicity can be overcome; the obtained vaccine can remarkably improve the level of neutralizing antibodies of a host to viruses; and the generated antibodies have the capacity to strongly prevent the viruses from invading target cells.

Provided is a Helicobacter pylori ferritin-based novel coronavirus S protein single-region subunit nano-vaccine. According to the present invention, a receptor binding domain (RBD) of a virus is used as an antigen and is connected with a Helicobacter pylori multimeric protein (HP_Ferritin) to form a fusion protein RBD-HP_Ferritin, such that antigen multimerization is realized; and an eukaryotic cell expression system is then utilized for expression, so as to form a 24-mer nano-antigen by means of the self-assembly action of the HP_Ferritin. According to the solution, the defect that RBD monomers are insufficient in immunogenicity can be overcome; the obtained vaccine can remarkably improve the level of neutralizing antibodies of a host to viruses; and the generated antibodies have the capacity to strongly prevent the viruses from invading target cells.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising the OspA fusion protein of SEQ ID NO: 1 (LipSID1-S2D1), the OspA fusion protein of SEQ ID NO: 2 (Lip-S4D1-SShybD1) and the OspA fusion protein of SEQ ID NO: 3 (Lip-S5D1-S6D1) for use in a vaccine or for use in a method for eliciting an immune response in a human against Lyme disease.

Compositions and methods are provided for detection, diagnosis and prognosis of Lyme disease (LD), including a method for confirming Borrelia spp. infection by contacting, in vitro, whole blood samples from subjects suspected of having LD with synthetic peptides comprising T-cell epitope-containing regions derived from Borrelia proteins that are expressed at different stages of Lyme disease, and indirectly detecting LD-specific activated T-cells by determining production of a T-cell immune response indicator (e.g., interferon-Y) in response to stimulation by the peptides. Also disclosed are methods for predicting elimination of LD spirochetes in LD patients who have undergone LD treatment, by exposing whole blood samples from such subjects to peptides comprising specific T-cell epitope regions of Borrelia proteins that are expressed at different stages of Lyme disease, and confirming a lack of Borrelia-specific activated T-cells in the samples by the absence of a detectable T-cell immune response indicator (e.g., interferon-Y).

Compositions and methods are provided for detection, diagnosis and prognosis of Lyme disease (LD), including a method for confirming Borrelia spp. infection by contacting, in vitro, whole blood samples from subjects suspected of having LD with synthetic peptides comprising T-cell epitope-containing regions derived from Borrelia proteins that are expressed at different stages of Lyme disease, and indirectly detecting LD-specific activated T-cells by determining production of a T-cell immune response indicator (e.g., interferon-Y) in response to stimulation by the peptides. Also disclosed are methods for predicting elimination of LD spirochetes in LD patients who have undergone LD treatment, by exposing whole blood samples from such subjects to peptides comprising specific T-cell epitope regions of Borrelia proteins that are expressed at different stages of Lyme disease, and confirming a lack of Borrelia-specific activated T-cells in the samples by the absence of a detectable T-cell immune response indicator (e.g., interferon-Y).

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid construct having a chimeric nucleic acid molecule comprising a first nucleic acid moiety encoding an amphipathic shield domain protein; a second nucleic acid moiety encoding an integral membrane protein; and a third nucleic acid moiety encoding a water soluble expression decoy protein, as well as a chimeric nucleic acid molecule having a first nucleic acid moiety encoding an amphipathic shield domain protein and a second nucleic acid moiety encoding an integral membrane protein. The present invention further relates to an expression vector, a host cell, and a protein encoded by the nucleic acid construct. Also disclosed is a method of recombinantly producing an integral membrane protein in soluble form.