Vaccine and methods to reduce campylobacter infection

Vaccine vectors and methods for enhancing resistance to Campylobacter infection or for enhancing the immune response to Campylobacter are provided herein. The vaccine vectors include a first polynucleotide which encodes an antigenic polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO: 7-9 or a fragment thereof. The vector may also include an immunostimulatory polypeptide. The methods include administering the vaccine vectors to a subject

Mucosal adjuvants and delivery systems

Adjuvants comprising chitosan cross-linked with an aldehyde or mannosylated chitosan are provided herein. Methods of making the adjuvants and methods of combining or linking the adjuvants with antigens are also provided. The adjuvant-antigen combinations can be used in vaccine formulations and the vaccine formulations can be used in methods to vaccinate animals against the source of the antigen or to enhance the immune response in a subject

Compositions and methods of enhancing immune responses to enteric pathogens

Vaccine vectors capable of eliciting an immune response to enteric bacteria and methods of using the same are provided. The vaccine vectors include a polynucleotide encoding a PAL polypeptide. The PAL polypeptide may be expressed on the surface of the vaccine vector. The vaccine vector may also include a second polypeptide encoding an immunostimulatory polypeptide such as a CD154 polypeptide or an HMGB1 polypeptide

Compositions and methods of enhancing immune responses to enteric pathogens

Vaccine vectors capable of eliciting an immune response to enteric bacteria and methods of using the same are provided. The vaccine vectors include a polynucleotide encoding a PAL polypeptide. The PAL polypeptide may be expressed on the surface of the vaccine vector. The vaccine vector may also include a second polypeptide encoding an immunostimulatory polypeptide such as a CD154 polypeptide or an HMGB1 polypeptide

Vaccine and methods to reduce campylobacter infection

Describe vaccine vectors and methods for enhancing resistance to Campylobacter infection or for enhancing the immune response to Campylobacter. The vaccine vectors include a first polynucleotide which encodes an antigenic polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO 7-9 or a fragment thereof. The vector may also include an immunostimulatory polypeptide. The methods include administering the vaccine vectors to a subject

Methods and compositions including spore-forming bacteria for increasing the health of animals

Describe methods, compositions and bacterial isolates for improving the gastrointestinal health of animals and in particular of poultry are provided herein. The methods include administering an endospore-forming bacteria to an animal. The bacteria are selected for the ability to reduce the growth and presence of bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella, Clostridium, and Campylobacter, in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. The bacteria are also selected for the ability to improve at least one production parameter in the animal

Association of Mitochondrial Function and Feed Efficiency

Studies were conducted to evaluate the potential link between mitochondrial function and biochemistry with the phenotypic expression of feed efficiency (FE) in a single line of broilers fed the same diet. Mitochondria isolated from low FE birds had lower respiratory chain coupling but oxidative phosphorylation capability was either equal or superior to that of mitochondria from broilers with high FE. Higher H2O2 production and higher protein carbonyls (oxidation) was also consistently observed in mitochondria or homogenate from low FE broilers. Respiratory chain complex activities, except for Complex IV activity in the duodenum, were lower in mitochondria from low FE birds. There were differences in gene and protein expression of certain mitochondrial and extra-mitochondrial proteins, but there was no indication that the lower complex activity and respiratory chain coupling in mitochondria from low FE birds is due to a generalized decreased in gene or protein expression. However, three mitochondrial proteins (COX II, cyt c1, and cyt c) and vinculin, a focal adhesion regulator, appear to be differentially expressed with broiler FE phenotype in several tissues. To our knowledge, these studies are the first to demonstrate functional and biochemical differences in mitochondria isolated from tissues of broilers with low and high FE. Furthermore, differences in expression of mitochondrial proteins between high and low FE birds could be exploited to develop FE biomarker(s) to aid selection programs in identifying breeder replacement stock with inferior or superior FE