| abstract |
The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode an antigen from a Chlamydia species, a vector which comprises such nucleic acid molecule, and a host cell comprising such vector. Furthermore, the invention provides antigens from a Chlamydia species, as well as fragments and variants thereof, a process for producing such antigens, and a process for producing a cell, which expresses such antigen. More specifically such antigens are produced by or associated with bacterial infections caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae . Moreover, the present invention provides antibodies binding to such antigen, a hybridoma cell producing such antibodies, methods for producing such antibodies, a pharmaceutical composition comprising such nucleic acid molecule, antigen, vector or antibody, the use of such nucleic acid molecule, antigen, vector or antibody for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition, methods for identifying an antagonist capable of binding such antigen or of reducing or inhibiting the interaction activity of such antigen, methods for diagnosing an infection with Chlamydia and methods for the treatment or prevention of an infection with Chlamydia. |