The present invention is directed to raising a detectable immune response in a
vertebrate by administering
in vivo, into a tissue of the
vertebrate, at least one
polynucleotide comprising one or more regions of
nucleic acid encoding a SARS-CoV
protein or a fragment, a variant, or a derivative thereof. The present invention is further directed to raising a detectable immune response in a
vertebrate by administering,
in vivo, into a tissue of the vertebrate, at least one SARS-CoV
protein or a fragment, a variant, or derivative thereof. The SARS-CoV
protein can be, for example, in purified form. The
polynucleotide is incorporated into the cells of the vertebrate
in vivo, and an immunologically effective amount of an immunogenic
epitope of a SARS-CoV polypeptide, fragment, variant, or derivative thereof is produced in vivo. The SARS-CoV protein is also administered in an immunologically effective amount.