Patent ID: 6825028
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: A61K,C12N

Abstract:
A bacterium, from the genus Listeria, comprising an episomal vector that comprises a heterologous gene operably linked to a eukaryotic regulatory sequence, wherein the bacterial genome comprises a functional disruption in the endogenous dapE gene comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the bacterium a) is viable; b) can infect eukaryotic cells via its normal route of infection; c) has an infection cycle that can be terminated by an antibiotic; and d) exhibits properties from the group consisting of: 1) fully pathogenic; 2) attenuated to prevent apoptosis of eukaryotic cells; 3) attenuated to restrict intracellular motility; 4) attenuated to permit efficient elimination after transfer of the heterologous gene to a eukaryotic cell; and 5) non-pathogenic.