| abstract |
Novel heat shock proteins (HSPs) of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae having apparent molecular masses of 70-72 kDa, immunologically related polypeptides, the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of HSP72 of S. pneumoniae (SEQ ID NO:4; SEQ ID NO:5), the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of HSP70 of S. pyogenes (SEQ ID NO:19; SEQ ID NO:20), the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of HSP 70 of S. agalactiae (SEQ ID NO:21; SEQ ID NO:22), antibodies that bind to the HSPs, and recombinant DNA methods for the production of the HSPs and immunologically related polypeptides are described. The polypeptides, DNA sequences and antibodies of this invention provide new means for the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of Streptococcal disease. |