New nucleic acid encoding a trans-sialidase, useful for treating or preventing e.g. infections by sialic acid-containing parasites, bacteria or viruses, or tumors

摘要

A polynucleotide (I) that encodes a protein (II) with trans-sialidase activity and that is isolated from Trypanosoma congolense, is new. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) an oligonucleotide (ON) that hybridizes to (I), particularly under stringent conditions; (2) polynucleotide (Ia) that hybridizes to ON, particularly under stringent conditions, and encodes a gene product of the genus Trypanosoma; (3) polypeptide (IIa) that is encoded by (I) or (Ia), has a sequence that includes at least 10 consecutive amino acids (aa) from sequences (reproduced) (2; 497 aa) or (4; 277 aa), or their functional equivalents with trans-sialidase activity; (4) expression cassette (EC) containing (I) or (Ia) and regulatory sequences; (5) recombinant vector that contains EC; (6) prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells transformed with the vector of (5); (7) method for enzymatic sialization of an acceptor molecule (AM) by incubating it with a donor that contains a sialic acid residue in presence of (II); (8) effectors of the activity of (IIa); and (9) method for isolating (IIa).