IDENTIFICATION OF VIRULENCE ASSOCIATED REGIONS RD1 AND RD5 LEADING TO IMPROVE VACCINE OF M. BOVIS BCG AND M. MICROTI

摘要

The present invention relates to a strain of M. bovis BCG or M. microti,wherein said strain has integrated part or all of the RD1 region responsiblefor enhanced immunogenicity of the tubercle bacilli, especially the ESAT-6 andCFP-10 genes. These strains will be referred as the M bovis BCG::RDIorM.microti::RD1 strains and are useful as a new improved vaccine forpreventing tuberculosis and as a therapeutical product enhancing thestimulation of the immune system for the treatment of bladder cancer. Thesestrains are also useful for the expression and presentation of heterologousantigens and molecule that are of therapeutic or prophylactic interest.