Article
Environmental Sciences
Baotong Zhu, Na Wei
Summary: In this study, a novel biocatalyst was created using synthetic biology techniques for the effective degradation and detoxification of bisphenol compounds. The biocatalyst showed high reusability and stability when immobilized on polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer beads. This study provides a promising approach for the development of sustainable water reclamation.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ying Wu, Baotong Zhu, Na Wei
Summary: This study successfully created a new bactericidal material using synthetic biology, which showed effective removal of bacteria in water. The material exhibited strong antimicrobial activity and retained its efficiency even after long-term storage.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ying Wu, Baotong Zhu, Na Wei
Summary: In this study, a new bactericidal material BDH was developed by expressing and displaying an antimicrobial peptide HHC10 on the surface of PHA bio-beads using synthetic biology. Experimental results showed that BDH had high antimicrobial activity and performed better in removing bacteria in real-world water samples. This study makes an important contribution to the development of biomaterial-based technology for water disinfection.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Zennia Jean C. Gonzaga, Shuxiong Chen, Melanie Lehoux, Mariela Segura, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen affecting both pigs and humans with severe economic and health implications. A study shows that biopolymer particle (BP) vaccines coated with S. suis antigens can induce protective immunity and potentially develop into particulate vaccines.
Article
Microbiology
Manami Ishii-Hyakutake, Tetsuo Sakurai, Takeharu Tsuge
Summary: A high-throughput screening method based on the degree of polymerization of PHA was developed using HPLC, which successfully identified mutants capable of producing high molecular weight PHAs.
Review
Microbiology
Nonna I. Nadolinskaia, Maria S. Kotliarova, Anna V. Goncharenko
Summary: Tuberculosis is a major infectious disease with high mortality rates in certain regions, and the existing BCG vaccine is ineffective for long-term protection. The exact immune factors crucial for preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and progression of the disease are still unknown after decades of research. Developing a new vaccine to replace BCG and provide better protection is a challenging task due to the intracellular lifestyle of the pathogen and its manipulation of host immunity. This review discusses promising strategies and possibilities for creating a new vaccine, including supplementing mycobacterial strains with immunodominant antigens and genetic engineering to alter the bacterium-host cell interaction.
Editorial Material
Immunology
Philip C. Hill, Frank Cobelens, Leonardo Martinez, Marcel A. Behr, Gavin Churchyard, Tom Evans, Andrew J. Fiore-Gartland, Alberto L. Garcia-Basteiro, Willem Hanekom, Molebogeng X. Rangaka, Johan Vekemans, Richard G. White
Summary: The development of a new tuberculosis vaccine is crucial, but the traditional development pathway is a major obstacle. By increasing sample size, simplifying screening criteria and procedures, and strengthening site capacity, phase 3 tuberculosis vaccine trials can be significantly shortened.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Manaswini Jagadeb, Kali Prasad Pattanaik, Surya Narayan Rath, Avinash Sonawane
Summary: The study identified potential peptide-based vaccine targets against tuberculosis using an immune-informatics approach. By analyzing the Mtb proteome, two potential vaccine candidates were selected, showing the ability to induce protective immune responses. The peptides exhibited strong binding affinity and antigenic properties, suggesting their potential as vaccine candidates against TB.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Andrew D. White, Andy C. Tran, Laura Sibley, Charlotte Sarfas, Alexandra L. Morrison, Steve Lawrence, Mike Dennis, Simon Clark, Sirine Zadi, Faye Lanni, Emma Rayner, Alastair Copland, Peter Hart, Gil Reynolds Diogo, Matthew J. Paul, Miyoung Kim, Fergus Gleeson, Francisco J. Salguero, Mahavir Singh, Matthias Stehr, Simon M. Cutting, Juan I. Basile, Martin E. Rottenberg, Ann Williams, Sally A. Sharpe, Rajko Reljic
Summary: This study focuses on the vaccine for tuberculosis and finds that the Spore-FP1 mucosal vaccine candidate can provide certain protection in guinea pigs and rhesus macaques. Although this vaccine can elicit higher immune responses compared to the BCG vaccine, it does not significantly improve disease pathology and bacterial burden.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Joanne M. O'Hara, Shoko Wakabayashi, Noman Siddiqi, Elaine Cheung, Gregory H. Babunovic, Claudette M. Thompson, Ying-Jie Lu, Eric J. Rubin, Richard Malley, Fan Zhang
Summary: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We evaluate a novel vaccine which induces a broad immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This vaccine significantly reduces bacterial loads in the lungs and spleens to the same extent as BCG and enhances BCG-mediated protection, especially in the lungs, making it a promising TB vaccine candidate.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sasha E. Larsen, Susan L. Baldwin, Rhea N. Coler
Summary: This article discusses the application of a novel replicating RNA (repRNA)-based vaccine in the prevention and control of tuberculosis (TB). The results show that the RNA vaccine has the potential to combat intracellular bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis by enhancing cell-mediated immune responses and improving bacterial burden outcomes in vivo.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Fan Jiang, Tiehui Sun, Peng Cheng, Jie Wang, Wenping Gong
Summary: This study conducted a bibliometric analysis to examine the development of tuberculosis (TB) vaccines over the past 20 years and identified research priorities and directions for the future. The results showed that the number of publications on TB vaccines has been increasing, with developed countries playing a significant role and developing countries catching up. Future research will focus on understanding the mechanisms of interaction between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the host.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jia Wang, Wen Li, Wenzhong Huang, Yuan Gao, Yanming Liu, Qian Hui Teng, Qi Zhao, Mingting Chen, Yuming Guo, Wei Ma
Summary: This study investigates the association between ambient PM2.5 exposure and tuberculosis (TB) incidence in China, and whether temperature modifies this association. The results show a J-shaped relationship between PM2.5 and TB at the national level, with higher PM2.5 concentrations associated with increased TB risk. However, no significant modifying effects of temperature were found. Approximately 20% of TB cases in the study cities were attributed to PM2.5 exposure.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Fangbin Zhou, Dongmei Zhang
Summary: Tuberculosis remains a serious global public health threat and an effective vaccine is urgently needed. Despite substantial progress in TB vaccine development, challenges to authorization for use remain. Virus-like particles (VLPs) show promising prospects in vaccine development due to their immunological features.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Mariateresa Coppola, Rachel P-J. Lai, Robert J. Wilkinson, Tom H. M. Ottenhoff
Summary: This study fills the knowledge gap regarding pulmonary expression of Mtb genes, revealing high concordance in the in vivo expressed genes among different datasets and species. It suggests that the consistently and highly expressed genes in vivo could be novel targets for future TB vaccine and drug development.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
M. Fata Moradali, Bernd H. A. Rehm
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Nurul Syahidah Sheffee, Patricia Rubio-Reyes, Mayelin Mirabal, Romel Calero, Humberto Carrillo-Calvet, Shuxiong Chen, Kai Ling Chin, Nur Atiqah Syairah Shakimi, Fadhilah Zulkipli Anis, Siti Suraiya, Maria E. Sarmiento, Mohd Nor Norazmi, Armando Acosta, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: Researchers engineered Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins into core-shell nanobeads for enhanced TB diagnosis. IL2 and CCL11 were identified as the best individual cytokines for distinguishing between pulmonary TB patients and healthy individuals, with IP10 + IL2 combination showing the highest sensitivity and specificity.
NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Narshone Soda, Zennia Jean Gonzaga, Shuxiong Chen, Kevin M. Koo, Nam-Trung Nguyen, Muhammad J. A. Shiddiky, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: Our study focuses on bioengineering Escherichia coli to self-assemble PHB inclusions that codisplay iron-binding peptides and antibody-binding Z domains. These nanobeads can specifically bind cancer biomarkers in complex mixtures, enabling efficient magnetic separation for enhanced electrochemical detection. This research lays the foundation for utilizing superparamagnetic core-shell structures for sensitive and specific detection of cancer biomarkers, demonstrating the potential of engineering advanced nanomaterials for diverse diagnostic applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuxiong Chen, Diana H. Quan, Xiaonan T. Wang, Sarah Sandford, Joanna R. Kirman, Warwick J. Britton, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: Current tuberculosis vaccines do not consistently protect against the disease, prompting the need for new and improved vaccines. Research has shown that mycobacterial antigen fusions assembled into particulate vaccines can induce long-lasting antigen-specific T cell responses and protective immunity in mice challenged with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This study demonstrated that polyester nanoparticles displaying the mycobacterial antigen fusion H4 can offer a level of protection in the lungs comparable to the currently approved TB vaccine, making it a promising subunit vaccine candidate for cost-effective manufacturing and efficient protection against TB.
Article
Immunology
Zennia Jean C. Gonzaga, Christina Merakou, Antonio DiGiandomenico, Gregory P. Priebe, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: The study shows that using PHA inclusions and associated host-cell proteins as a vaccine platform can induce immune responses and prevent P. aeruginosa infection effectively.
Article
Immunology
Benjamin J. Evert, Shuxiong Chen, Robyn McConville, Ryan W. J. Steel, Julie Healer, Justin A. Boddey, Lucas Huntimer, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: A malaria vaccine based on biopolymer particles coated with specific B- and T-cell epitopes was developed, showing enhanced immunogenicity compared to soluble peptide epitopes. The study demonstrated the utility of biologically self-assembled epitope-coated particles as a carrier for next-generation malaria vaccines.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Zennia Jean C. Gonzaga, Jinyong Zhang, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: This study demonstrates that vaccination with biopolymer particles coated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa antigens can induce protective immune responses against P. aeruginosa infections. The vaccine candidate BP-10Ag(2x) showed the best performance and even induced protective immunity in the absence of Alhydrogel adjuvant.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Donna McNeale, Lygie Esquirol, Shoko Okada, Shai Strampel, Noor Dashti, Bernd Rehm, Trevor Douglas, Claudia Vickers, Frank Sainsbury
Summary: This study demonstrates a tunable strategy for controlling the co-encapsulation ratio of P22 cargo proteins inside cells, verified by FRET with fluorescent protein cargo. This strategy was applied to a two-enzyme reaction cascade, where the loading density of enzymes was found to influence their activity. Molecular crowding was found to affect enzyme activity, with higher activity observed at lower loading density. In addition, increasing the loading density of the rate-limiting enzyme can increase overall activity. This work highlights the importance of controlling enzyme stoichiometry in the design of nanoscale biocatalytic compartments based on P22.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gayathri Sam, Shuxiong Chen, Karren Plain, Ian Marsh, Mark E. Westman, John Stenos, Stephen R. Graves, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: A stable and nonreactogenic Q fever vaccine is developed by using self-assembled particles incorporating Q fever antigens. The vaccine shows promising immunogenicity and safety in mice and guinea pigs, indicating its potential for further development as a safe and effective subunit vaccine against Q fever.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Shuxiong Chen, Victoria Ozberk, Gayathri Sam, Zennia Jean C. Gonzaga, Ainslie Calcutt, Manisha Pandey, Michael F. Good, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: In this study, biopolymer particles (BPs) displaying Strep A vaccine candidate peptides p*17 and K4S2 were successfully assembled in one step inside an engineered E. coli strain. The purified BPs showed a spherical core-shell structure with a biopolymer core and peptide shell. When formulated with aluminum hydroxide, the BPs exhibited desirable properties as a potential Strep A vaccine, including stability, immunogenicity, and protection in an animal model of infection.
Review
Immunology
Gayathri Sam, John Stenos, Stephen R. Graves, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Summary: Q fever is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, transmitted from livestock to humans via inhalation of the Small Cell Variant. The current Q-VAX vaccine has limitations due to pre-existing sensitivities, and efforts to develop a universal Q fever vaccine have been unsuccessful. Understanding the mechanisms of reactogenic responses is crucial for the development of a safe vaccine.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Van T. Dau, Tung T. Bui, Canh-Dung Tran, Thanh Viet Nguyen, Tuan-Khoa Nguyen, Toan Dinh, Hoang-Phuong Phan, David Wibowo, Bernd H. A. Rehm, Hang Thu Ta, Nam-Trung Nguyen, Dzung Dao
Summary: Electrohydrodynamic atomization is a promising approach for respiratory treatment, involving the generation and delivery of micro/nanoparticles as carriers for drugs and antigens. The proposed design in this work utilizes dual electrospray and ionic wind at chamfered tips to simultaneously generate and deliver charged reduced particles, which shows potential for pulmonary nano-medicine delivery with simple device design and manufacturing.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ben Evert, Ben Vezina, Bernd H. A. Rehm
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Catarina R. Marques, David Wibowo, Patricia Rubio-Reyes, Luisa S. Serafim, Amadeu M. V. M. Soares, Bernd H. A. Rehm
Review
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Narshone Soda, Bernd H. A. Rehm, Prashant Sonar, Nam-Trung Nguyen, Muhammad J. A. Shiddiky
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2019)