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Palma JA, Bunyatov MI, Hulbert SW, Jewett MC, DeLisa MP. Bacterial glycoengineering: Cell-based and cell-free routes for producing biopharmaceuticals with customized glycosylation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2024; 81:102500. [PMID: 38991462 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.102500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Glycosylation plays a pivotal role in tuning the folding and function of proteins. Because most human therapeutic proteins are glycosylated, understanding and controlling glycosylation is important for the design, optimization, and manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, natural eukaryotic glycosylation pathways are complex and often produce heterogeneous glycan patterns, making the production of glycoproteins with chemically precise and homogeneous glycan structures difficult. To overcome these limitations, bacterial glycoengineering has emerged as a simple, cost-effective, and scalable approach to produce designer glycoprotein therapeutics and vaccines in which the glycan structures are engineered to reduce heterogeneity and improve biological and biophysical attributes of the protein. Here, we discuss recent advances in bacterial cell-based and cell-free glycoengineering that have enabled the production of biopharmaceutical glycoproteins with customized glycan structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaymee A Palma
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mehman I Bunyatov
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sophia W Hulbert
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Matthew P DeLisa
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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2
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Unay J, Kint N, Viollier PH. Evolution of paralogous multicomponent systems for site-specific O-sialylation of flagellin in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2932-2947.e7. [PMID: 38897200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Many bacteria glycosylate flagellin on serine or threonine residues using pseudaminic acid (Pse) or other sialic acid-like donor sugars. Successful reconstitution of Pse-dependent sialylation by the conserved Maf-type flagellin glycosyltransferase (fGT) may require (a) missing component(s). Here, we characterize both Maf paralogs in the Gram-negative bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and reconstitute Pse-dependent glycosylation in heterologous hosts. Remarkably, we uncovered distinct acceptor determinants and target specificities for each Maf. Whereas Maf-1 uses its C-terminal tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain to confer flagellin acceptor and O-glycosylation specificity, Maf-2 requires the newly identified conserved specificity factor, glycosylation factor for Maf (GlfM), to form a ternary complex with flagellin. GlfM orthologs are co-encoded with Maf-2 in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and require an invariant aspartate in their four-helix bundle to function with Maf-2. Thus, convergent fGT evolution underlies distinct flagellin-binding modes in tripartite versus bipartite systems and, consequently, distinct O-glycosylation preferences of acceptor serine residues with Pse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovelyn Unay
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine and Geneva Center for Inflammation Research (GCIR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Kint
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine and Geneva Center for Inflammation Research (GCIR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Patrick H Viollier
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Medicine and Geneva Center for Inflammation Research (GCIR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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3
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Qin J, Hong Y, Totsika M. Determining glycosyltransferase functional order via lethality due to accumulated O-antigen intermediates, exemplified with Shigella flexneri O-antigen biosynthesis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0220323. [PMID: 38747588 PMCID: PMC11218652 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02203-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The O antigen (OAg) polysaccharide is one of the most diverse surface molecules of Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. The structural classification of OAg, based on serological typing and sequence analysis, is important in epidemiology and the surveillance of outbreaks of bacterial infections. Despite the diverse chemical structures of OAg repeating units (RUs), the genetic basis of RU assembly remains poorly understood and represents a major limitation in assigning gene functions in polysaccharide biosynthesis. Here, we describe a genetic approach to interrogate the functional order of glycosyltransferases (GTs). Using Shigella flexneri as a model, we established an initial glycosyltransferase (IT)-controlled system, which allows functional order allocation of the subsequent GT in a 2-fold manner as follows: (i) first, by reporting the growth defects caused by the sequestration of UndP through disruption of late GTs and (ii) second, by comparing the molecular sizes of stalled OAg intermediates when each putative GT is disrupted. Using this approach, we demonstrate that for RfbF and RfbG, the GT involved in the assembly of S. flexneri backbone OAg RU, RfbG, is responsible for both the committed step of OAg synthesis and the third transferase for the second L-Rha. We also show that RfbF functions as the last GT to complete the S. flexneri OAg RU backbone. We propose that this simple and effective genetic approach can be also extended to define the functional order of enzymatic synthesis of other diverse polysaccharides produced both by Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.IMPORTANCEThe genetic basis of enzymatic assembly of structurally diverse O antigen (OAg) repeating units (RUs) in Gram-negative pathogens is poorly understood, representing a major limitation in our understanding of gene functions for the synthesis of bacterial polysaccharides. We present a simple genetic approach to confidently assign glycosyltransferase (GT) functions and the order in which they act during assembly of the OAg RU. We employed this approach to determine the functional order of GTs involved in Shigella flexneri OAg assembly. This approach can be generally applied in interrogating GT functions encoded by other bacterial polysaccharides to advance our understanding of diverse gene functions in the biosynthesis of polysaccharides, key knowledge in advancing biosynthetic polysaccharide production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilong Qin
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yaoqin Hong
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Max Planck Queensland Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia
| | - Makrina Totsika
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Max Planck Queensland Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia
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4
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Lehri B, Atkins E, Scott TA, Abouelhadid S, Wren BW, Cuccui J. Investigation into the efficiency of diverse N-linking oligosaccharyltransferases for glycoengineering using a standardised cell-free assay. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14480. [PMID: 38858807 PMCID: PMC11164674 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The application of bacterial oligosaccharyltransferases (OSTs) such as the Campylobacter jejuni PglB for glycoengineering has attracted considerable interest in glycoengineering and glycoconjugate vaccine development. However, PglB has limited specificity for glycans that can be transferred to candidate proteins, which along with other factors is dependent on the reducing end sugar of glycans. In this study, we developed a cell-free glycosylation assay that offers the speed and simplicity of a 'yes' or 'no' determination. Using the assay, we tested the activity of eleven PglBs from Campylobacter species and more distantly related bacteria. The following assorted glycans with diverse reducing end sugars were tested for transfer, including Streptococcus pneumoniae capsule serotype 4, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium O antigen (B1), Francisella tularensis O antigen, Escherichia coli O9 antigen and Campylobacter jejuni heptasaccharide. Interestingly, while PglBs from the same genus showed high activity, whereas divergent PglBs differed in their transfer of glycans to an acceptor protein. Notably for glycoengineering purposes, Campylobacter hepaticus and Campylobacter subantarcticus PglBs showed high glycosylation efficiency, with C. hepaticus PglB potentially being useful for glycoconjugate vaccine production. This study demonstrates the versatility of the cell-free assay in rapidly assessing an OST to couple glycan/carrier protein combinations and lays the foundation for future screening of PglBs by linking amino acid similarity to glycosyltransferase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burhan Lehri
- Department of Infection BiologyLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - Elizabeth Atkins
- Department of Infection BiologyLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - Timothy A. Scott
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical CentreUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Sherif Abouelhadid
- Department of Infection BiologyLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - Brendan W. Wren
- Department of Infection BiologyLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - Jon Cuccui
- Department of Infection BiologyLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
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5
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Zhang Y, Sun P, Li T, Li J, Ye J, Li X, Wu J, Lu Y, Zhu L, Wang H, Pan C. Efficient Production of Self-Assembled Bioconjugate Nanovaccines against Klebsiella pneumoniae O2 Serotype in Engineered Escherichia coli. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:728. [PMID: 38668222 PMCID: PMC11054253 DOI: 10.3390/nano14080728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) have been surfacing as a pivotal platform for vaccine development. In our previous work, we developed a cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-based self-assembled nanoparticle (CNP) and produced highly promising bioconjugate nanovaccines by loading bacterial polysaccharide (OPS) in vivo. In particular, the Klebsiella pneumoniae O2 serotype vaccine showcased a potent immune response and protection against infection. However, extremely low yields limited its further application. In this study, we prepared an efficient Klebsiella pneumoniae bioconjugate nanovaccine in Escherichia coli with a very high yield. By modifying the 33rd glycine (G) in the CNP to aspartate (D), we were able to observe a dramatically increased expression of glycoprotein. Subsequently, through a series of mutations, we determined that G33D was essential to increasing production. In addition, this increase only occurred in engineered E. coli but not in the natural host K. pneumoniae strain 355 (Kp355) expressing OPSKpO2. Next, T-cell epitopes were fused at the end of the CNP(G33D), and animal experiments showed that fusion of the M51 peptide induced high antibody titers, consistent with the levels of the original nanovaccine, CNP-OPSKpO2. Hence, we provide an effective approach for the high-yield production of K. pneumoniae bioconjugate nanovaccines and guidance for uncovering glycosylation mechanisms and refining glycosylation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999 Hucheng Huan Road, Lingang New City, Shanghai 201306, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Peng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Juntao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jingqin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Jun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ying Lu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999 Hucheng Huan Road, Lingang New City, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Li Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Hengliang Wang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999 Hucheng Huan Road, Lingang New City, Shanghai 201306, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Chao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, No. 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing 100071, China
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Li C, Li J, Sun P, Li T, Yan X, Ye J, Wu J, Zhu L, Wang H, Pan C. Production of Promising Heat-Labile Enterotoxin (LT) B Subunit-Based Self-Assembled Bioconjugate Nanovaccines against Infectious Diseases. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:347. [PMID: 38675730 PMCID: PMC11054625 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely utilized in vaccine design. Although numerous NPs have been explored, NPs with adjuvant effects on their own have rarely been reported. We produce a promising self-assembled NP by integrating the pentameric Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) (studied as a vaccine adjuvant) with a trimer-forming peptide. This fusion protein can self-assemble into the NP during expression, and polysaccharide antigens (OPS) are then loaded in vivo using glycosylation. We initially produced two Salmonella paratyphi A conjugate nanovaccines using two LTB subfamilies (LTIB and LTIIbB). After confirming their biosafety in mice, the data showed that both nanovaccines (NP(LTIB)-OPSSPA and NP(LTIIbB)-OPSSPA) elicited strong polysaccharide-specific antibody responses, and NP(LTIB)-OPS resulted in better protection. Furthermore, polysaccharides derived from Shigella or Klebsiella pneumoniae were loaded onto NP(LTIB) and NP(LTIIbB). The animal experimental results indicated that LTIB, as a pentamer module, exhibited excellent protection against lethal infections. This effect was also consistent with that of the reported cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) modular NP in all three models. For the first time, we prepared a novel promising self-assembled NP based on LTIB. In summary, these results indicated that the LTB-based nanocarriers have the potential for broad applications, further expanding the library of self-assembled nanocarriers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hengliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 100071, China; (C.L.); (J.L.); (P.S.); (T.L.); (X.Y.); (J.Y.); (L.Z.)
| | - Chao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 100071, China; (C.L.); (J.L.); (P.S.); (T.L.); (X.Y.); (J.Y.); (L.Z.)
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7
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Huang J, Guo Y, Yu S, Wang D, Li S, Wu J, Sun P, Zhu L, Wang H, Pan C. One-step preparation of a self-assembled bioconjugate nanovaccine against Brucella. Virulence 2023; 14:2280377. [PMID: 37981707 PMCID: PMC10732601 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2280377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis, caused by Brucella, is a severe zoonosis, and the current Brucella live attenuated vaccine cannot be used in humans due to major safety risks. Although polysaccharide antigens can be used to prepare the Brucella vaccine, their lower immunogenicity limits them from producing efficient and broad protection. In this study, we produced a high-performance bioconjugate nanovaccine against different species of Brucella by introducing a self-assembly nanoparticle platform and an O-linked glycosylation system into Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:9, which has an O-polysaccharide composed of the same unit as Brucella. After successfully preparing the vaccine and confirming its stability, we subsequently demonstrated the safety of the vaccine in mice by high-dose immunization. Then, by a series of mouse experiments, we found that the nanovaccine greatly promoted antibody responses. In particular, the increase of IgG2a was more obvious than that of IgG1. Most importantly, this nanovaccine could provide cross-protection against B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis strains by lethal dose challenged models, and could improve the clearance of B. melitensis, the most common pathogenic species in human brucellosis, by non-lethal dose infection. Overall, for the first time, we biocoupled polysaccharide antigens with nano carriers to prepare a Brucella vaccine, which showed pronounced and extensive protective effects in mice. Thus, we provided a potential candidate vaccine and a new direction for Brucella vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Shujuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongshu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Shulei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Li Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Hengliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
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8
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Hulbert SW, Desai P, Jewett MC, DeLisa MP, Williams AJ. Glycovaccinology: The design and engineering of carbohydrate-based vaccine components. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108234. [PMID: 37558188 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Vaccines remain one of the most important pillars in preventative medicine, providing protection against a wide array of diseases by inducing humoral and/or cellular immunity. Of the many possible candidate antigens for subunit vaccine development, carbohydrates are particularly appealing because of their ubiquitous presence on the surface of all living cells, viruses, and parasites as well as their known interactions with both innate and adaptive immune cells. Indeed, several licensed vaccines leverage bacterial cell-surface carbohydrates as antigens for inducing antigen-specific plasma cells secreting protective antibodies and the development of memory T and B cells. Carbohydrates have also garnered attention in other aspects of vaccine development, for example, as adjuvants that enhance the immune response by either activating innate immune responses or targeting specific immune cells. Additionally, carbohydrates can function as immunomodulators that dampen undesired humoral immune responses to entire protein antigens or specific, conserved regions on antigenic proteins. In this review, we highlight how the interplay between carbohydrates and the adaptive and innate arms of the immune response is guiding the development of glycans as vaccine components that act as antigens, adjuvants, and immunomodulators. We also discuss how advances in the field of synthetic glycobiology are enabling the design, engineering, and production of this new generation of carbohydrate-containing vaccine formulations with the potential to prevent infectious diseases, malignancies, and complex immune disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia W Hulbert
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Primit Desai
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Matthew P DeLisa
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Asher J Williams
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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Abouelhadid S, Atkins ER, Kay EJ, Passmore IJ, North SJ, Lehri B, Hitchen P, Bakke E, Rahman M, Bossé JT, Li Y, Terra VS, Langford PR, Dell A, Wren BW, Cuccui J. Development of a novel glycoengineering platform for the rapid production of conjugate vaccines. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:159. [PMID: 37596672 PMCID: PMC10436394 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02125-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugate vaccines produced either by chemical or biologically conjugation have been demonstrated to be safe and efficacious in protection against several deadly bacterial diseases. However, conjugate vaccine assembly and production have several shortcomings which hinders their wider availability. Here, we developed a tool, Mobile-element Assisted Glycoconjugation by Insertion on Chromosome, MAGIC, a novel biotechnological platform that overcomes the limitations of the current conjugate vaccine design method(s). As a model, we focused our design on a leading bioconjugation method using N-oligosaccharyltransferase (OTase), PglB. The installation of MAGIC led to at least twofold increase in glycoconjugate yield via MAGIC when compared to conventional N-OTase based bioconjugation method(s). Then, we improved MAGIC to (a) allow rapid installation of glycoengineering component(s), (b) omit the usage of antibiotics, (c) reduce the dependence on protein induction agents. Furthermore, we show the modularity of the MAGIC platform in performing glycoengineering in bacterial species that are less genetically tractable than the commonly used Escherichia coli. The MAGIC system promises a rapid, robust and versatile method to develop vaccines against serious bacterial pathogens. We anticipate the utility of the MAGIC platform could enhance vaccines production due to its compatibility with virtually any bioconjugation method, thus expanding vaccine biopreparedness toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherif Abouelhadid
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Elizabeth R Atkins
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Emily J Kay
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Ian J Passmore
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Simon J North
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Burhan Lehri
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Paul Hitchen
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Eirik Bakke
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Mohammed Rahman
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Janine T Bossé
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, W2 1NY, UK
| | - Yanwen Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, W2 1NY, UK
| | - Vanessa S Terra
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Paul R Langford
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London, London, W2 1NY, UK
| | - Anne Dell
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Jon Cuccui
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
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10
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Xue W, Li T, Gu Y, Li S, Xia N. Molecular engineering tools for the development of vaccines against infectious diseases: current status and future directions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2023. [PMID: 37339445 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2227699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The escalating global changes have fostered conditions for the expansion and transmission of diverse biological factors, leading to the rise of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. Complex viral infections, such as COVID-19, influenza, HIV, and Ebola, continue to surface, necessitating the development of effective vaccine technologies. AREAS COVERED This review article highlights recent advancements in molecular biology, virology, and genomics that have propelled the design and development of innovative molecular tools. These tools have promoted new vaccine research platforms and directly improved vaccine efficacy. The review summarizes the cutting-edge molecular engineering tools used in creating novel vaccines and explores the rapidly expanding molecular tools landscape and potential directions for future vaccine development. EXPERT OPINION The strategic application of advanced molecular engineering tools can address conventional vaccine limitations, enhance the overall efficacy of vaccine products, promote diversification in vaccine platforms, and form the foundation for future vaccine development. Prioritizing safety considerations of these novel molecular tools during vaccine development is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Ying Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Shaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
- The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Xiamen, China
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11
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Liu Y, Pan C, Wang K, Guo Y, Sun Y, Li X, Sun P, Wu J, Wang H, Zhu L. Preparation of a Klebsiella pneumoniae conjugate nanovaccine using glycol-engineered Escherichia coli. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:95. [PMID: 37149632 PMCID: PMC10163571 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02099-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Engineered strains of Escherichia coli have been used to produce bioconjugate vaccines using Protein Glycan Coupling Technology (PGCT). Nanovaccines have also entered the vaccine development arena with advances in nanotechnology and have been significantly developed, but chassis cells for conjugate nanovaccines have not been reported. RESULTS To facilitate nanovaccine preparation, a generic recombinant protein (SpyCather4573) was used as the acceptor protein for O-linked glycosyltransferase PglL, and a glycol-engineered Escherichia coli strain with these two key components (SC4573 and PglL) integrated in its genome was developed in this study. The targeted glycoproteins with antigenic polysaccharides produced by our bacterial chassis can be spontaneously bound to proteinous nanocarriers with surface exposed SpyTag in vitro to form conjugate nanovaccines. To improve the yields of the targeted glycoprotein, a series of gene cluster deletion experiments was carried out, and the results showed that the deletion of the yfdGHI gene cluster increased the expression of glycoproteins. Using the updated system, to the best of our knowledge, we report for the first time the successful preparation of an effective Klebsiella pneumoniae O1 conjugate nanovaccine (KPO1-VLP), with antibody titers between 4 and 5 (Log10) after triple immunization and up to 100% protection against virulent strain challenge. CONCLUSIONS Our results define a convenient and reliable framework for bacterial glycoprotein vaccine preparation that is flexible and versatile, and the genomic stability of the engineered chassis cells promises a wide range of applications for biosynthetic glycobiology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Chao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Kangfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
- College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - YanGe Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Peng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Jun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Hengliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Li Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, 100071, China.
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12
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Moeller T, Shah SB, Lai K, Lopez-Barbosa N, Desai P, Wang W, Zhong Z, Redmond D, Singh A, DeLisa MP. Profiling Germinal Center-like B Cell Responses to Conjugate Vaccines Using Synthetic Immune Organoids. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:787-804. [PMID: 37122450 PMCID: PMC10141597 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c01473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Glycoengineered bacteria have emerged as a cost-effective platform for rapid and controllable biosynthesis of designer conjugate vaccines. However, little is known about the engagement of such conjugates with naïve B cells to induce the formation of germinal centers (GC), a subanatomical microenvironment that converts naïve B cells into antibody-secreting plasma cells. Using a three-dimensional biomaterials-based B-cell follicular organoid system, we demonstrate that conjugates triggered robust expression of hallmark GC markers, B cell receptor clustering, intracellular signaling, and somatic hypermutation. These responses depended on the relative immunogenicity of the conjugate and correlated with the humoral response in vivo. The occurrence of these mechanisms was exploited for the discovery of high-affinity antibodies against components of the conjugate on a time scale that was significantly shorter than for typical animal immunization-based workflows. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of synthetic organoids for rapidly predicting conjugate vaccine efficacy as well as expediting antigen-specific antibody discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler
D. Moeller
- Robert
F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Shivem B. Shah
- Nancy
E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Kristine Lai
- George
W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Natalia Lopez-Barbosa
- Robert
F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Primit Desai
- Biochemistry,
Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Weiyao Wang
- Robert
F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Zhe Zhong
- George
W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - David Redmond
- Institute
for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, United States
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, United States
| | - Ankur Singh
- George
W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Wallace
H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Matthew P. DeLisa
- Robert
F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Nancy
E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Biochemistry,
Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Cornell
Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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13
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Burns K, Dorfmueller HC, Wren BW, Mawas F, Shaw HA. Progress towards a glycoconjugate vaccine against Group A Streptococcus. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:48. [PMID: 36977677 PMCID: PMC10043865 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00639-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Group A Carbohydrate (GAC) is a defining feature of Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) or Streptococcus pyogenes. It is a conserved and simple polysaccharide, comprising a rhamnose backbone and GlcNAc side chains, further decorated with glycerol phosphate on approximately 40% GlcNAc residues. Its conservation, surface exposure and antigenicity have made it an interesting focus on Strep A vaccine design. Glycoconjugates containing this conserved carbohydrate should be a key approach towards the successful mission to build a universal Strep A vaccine candidate. In this review, a brief introduction to GAC, the main carbohydrate component of Strep A bacteria, and a variety of published carrier proteins and conjugation technologies are discussed. Components and technologies should be chosen carefully for building affordable Strep A vaccine candidates, particularly for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Towards this, novel technologies are discussed, such as the prospective use of bioconjugation with PglB for rhamnose polymer conjugation and generalised modules for membrane antigens (GMMA), particularly as low-cost solutions to vaccine production. Rational design of "double-hit" conjugates encompassing species specific glycan and protein components would be beneficial and production of a conserved vaccine to target Strep A colonisation without invoking an autoimmune response would be ideal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keira Burns
- Vaccine Division, Scientific Research & Innovation Group, MHRA, Potters Bar, UK
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Helge C Dorfmueller
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Fatme Mawas
- Vaccine Division, Scientific Research & Innovation Group, MHRA, Potters Bar, UK
| | - Helen A Shaw
- Vaccine Division, Scientific Research & Innovation Group, MHRA, Potters Bar, UK.
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14
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Violo T, Lambert A, Pillot A, Fanuel M, Mac-Béar J, Broussard C, Grandjean C, Camberlein E. Site-Selective Unnatural Amino Acid Incorporation at Single or Multiple Positions to Control Sugar-Protein Connectivity in Glycoconjugate Vaccine Candidates. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202203497. [PMID: 36533568 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202203497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In cellulo site-specific unnatural amino acid incorporation based on amber stop codon reassignment is a powerful tool to modify proteins at defined positions. This technique is herein applied to the selective functionalization of the Pneumococcal surface adhesin A protein at three distinct positions. Nϵ -propargyloxycarbonyl-l-lysine residues were incorporated and their alkyne groups reacted using click-chemistry with a synthetic azido-functionalized tetrasaccharide representative of one repeat unit of the Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 14 capsular polysaccharide. Anti-PsaA antibody response induced in mice by the trivalent glycoconjugate was determined in comparison with corresponding monovalent and randomly functionalized conjugates. Our results suggest that controlled was superior to random conjugation for preserving antigenicity. In definitive, the reported strategy offers a unique opportunity to study the impact of carbohydrate antigen-carrier protein connectivity on immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Typhaine Violo
- Nantes Université, CNRS Unité des Sciences Biologiques et des Biotechnologies (US2B), UMR 6286, 2 chemin de la Houssinière, BP92208, 44000, Nantes, France
| | - Annie Lambert
- Nantes Université, CNRS Unité des Sciences Biologiques et des Biotechnologies (US2B), UMR 6286, 2 chemin de la Houssinière, BP92208, 44000, Nantes, France
| | - Aline Pillot
- Nantes Université, CNRS Unité des Sciences Biologiques et des Biotechnologies (US2B), UMR 6286, 2 chemin de la Houssinière, BP92208, 44000, Nantes, France
| | - Mathieu Fanuel
- INRAE, UR1268 BIA, F-44300, Nantes, France.,INRAE, PROBE Research Infrastructure BIBS facility, F-44300, Nantes, France
| | - Jessica Mac-Béar
- INRAE, UR1268 BIA, F-44300, Nantes, France.,INRAE, PROBE Research Infrastructure BIBS facility, F-44300, Nantes, France
| | - Cédric Broussard
- Protéom'IC facility, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Cochin, F-75014, Paris, France
| | - Cyrille Grandjean
- Nantes Université, CNRS Unité des Sciences Biologiques et des Biotechnologies (US2B), UMR 6286, 2 chemin de la Houssinière, BP92208, 44000, Nantes, France
| | - Emilie Camberlein
- Nantes Université, CNRS Unité des Sciences Biologiques et des Biotechnologies (US2B), UMR 6286, 2 chemin de la Houssinière, BP92208, 44000, Nantes, France
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15
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Sorieul C, Dolce M, Romano MR, Codée J, Adamo R. Glycoconjugate vaccines against antimicrobial resistant pathogens. Expert Rev Vaccines 2023; 22:1055-1078. [PMID: 37902243 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2274955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for the death of millions worldwide and stands as a major threat to our healthcare systems, which are heavily reliant on antibiotics to fight bacterial infections. The development of vaccines against the main pathogens involved is urgently required as prevention remains essential against the rise of AMR. AREAS COVERED A systematic research review was conducted on MEDLINE database focusing on the six AMR pathogens defined as ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli), which are considered critical or high priority pathogens by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis was intersecated with the terms carbohydrate, glycoconjugate, bioconjugate, glyconanoparticle, and multiple presenting antigen system vaccines. EXPERT OPINION Glycoconjugate vaccines have been successful in preventing meningitis and pneumoniae, and there are high expectations that they will play a key role in fighting AMR. We herein discuss the recent technological, preclinical, and clinical advances, as well as the challenges associated with the development of carbohydrate-based vaccines against leading AMR bacteria, with focus on the ESKAPE pathogens. The need of innovative clinical and regulatory approaches to tackle these targets is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Sorieul
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Dolce
- GSK, Via Fiorentina 1, Siena, Italy
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Jeroen Codée
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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16
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Li S, Huang J, Wang K, Liu Y, Guo Y, Li X, Wu J, Sun P, Wang Y, Zhu L, Wang H. A bioconjugate vaccine against Brucella abortus produced by engineered Escherichia coli. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1121074. [PMID: 36911199 PMCID: PMC9995886 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1121074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis, mainly caused by Brucella, is a widespread zoonotic disease worldwide, with no available effective vaccine for human use. Recently, bioconjugate vaccines against Brucella have been prepared in Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 (YeO9), whose O-antigen structure is similar to that of Brucella abortus. However, the pathogenicity of YeO9 still hinders the large-scale production of these bioconjugate vaccines. Here, an attractive system for the preparation of bioconjugate vaccines against Brucella was established in engineered E. coli. Briefly, the OPS gene cluster of YeO9 was modularized into five individual fragments and reassembled using synthetic biological methods through standardized interfaces, then introduced into E. coli. After confirming the synthesis of targeted antigenic polysaccharides, the exogenous protein glycosylation system (PglL system) was used to prepare the bioconjugate vaccines. A series of experiments were conducted to demonstrate that the bioconjugate vaccine could effectively evoke humoral immune responses and induce the production of specific antibodies against B. abortus A19 lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, the bioconjugate vaccines provide protective roles in both lethal and non-lethal challenge of B. abortus A19 strain. Using the engineered E. coli as a safer chassis to prepare bioconjugate vaccines against B. abortus paves the way for future industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China.,The Third Medical Center, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, The Training Site for Postgraduate of Jin Zhou Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China.,Beijing Minhai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Kangfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Yufei Wang
- The Third Medical Center, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital, The Training Site for Postgraduate of Jin Zhou Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Hengliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
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17
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Kay EJ, Mauri M, Willcocks SJ, Scott TA, Cuccui J, Wren BW. Engineering a suite of E. coli strains for enhanced expression of bacterial polysaccharides and glycoconjugate vaccines. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:66. [PMID: 35449016 PMCID: PMC9026721 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01792-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glycoengineering, in the biotechnology workhorse bacterium, Escherichia coli, is a rapidly evolving field, particularly for the production of glycoconjugate vaccine candidates (bioconjugation). Efficient production of glycoconjugates requires the coordinated expression within the bacterial cell of three components: a carrier protein, a glycan antigen and a coupling enzyme, in a timely fashion. Thus, the choice of a suitable E. coli host cell is of paramount importance. Microbial chassis engineering has long been used to improve yields of chemicals and biopolymers, but its application to vaccine production is sparse. RESULTS In this study we have engineered a family of 11 E. coli strains by the removal and/or addition of components rationally selected for enhanced expression of Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides with the scope of increasing yield of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Importantly, all strains express a detoxified version of endotoxin, a concerning contaminant of therapeutics produced in bacterial cells. The genomic background of each strain was altered using CRISPR in an iterative fashion to generate strains without antibiotic markers or scar sequences. CONCLUSIONS Amongst the 11 modified strains generated in this study, E. coli Falcon, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk all showed increased production of S. pneumoniae serotype 4 capsule. Eagle (a strain without enterobacterial common antigen, containing a GalNAc epimerase and PglB expressed from the chromosome) and Sparrowhawk (a strain without enterobacterial common antigen, O-antigen ligase and chain length determinant, containing a GalNAc epimerase and chain length regulators from Streptococcus pneumoniae) respectively produced an AcrA-SP4 conjugate with 4 × and 14 × more glycan than that produced in the base strain, W3110. Beyond their application to the production of pneumococcal vaccine candidates, the bank of 11 new strains will be an invaluable resource for the glycoengineering community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Kay
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Marta Mauri
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sam J Willcocks
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Timothy A Scott
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jon Cuccui
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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18
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Nicolardi S, Danuser R, Dotz V, Domínguez-Vega E, Al Kaabi A, Beurret M, Anish C, Wuhrer M. Glycan and Protein Analysis of Glycoengineered Bacterial E. coli Vaccines by MALDI-in-Source Decay FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2022; 94:4979-4987. [PMID: 35293727 PMCID: PMC8969423 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Bacterial glycoconjugate
vaccines have a major role in preventing
microbial infections. Immunogenic bacterial glycans, such as O-antigen
polysaccharides, can be recombinantly expressed and combined with
specific carrier proteins to produce effective vaccines. O-Antigen
polysaccharides are typically polydisperse, and carrier proteins can
have multiple glycosylation sites. Consequently, recombinant glycoconjugate
vaccines have a high structural heterogeneity, making their characterization
challenging. Since development and quality control processes rely
on such characterization, novel strategies are needed for faster and
informative analysis. Here, we present a novel approach employing
minimal sample preparation and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry
analysis for protein terminal sequencing and characterization of the
oligosaccharide repeat units of bacterial glycoconjugate vaccines.
Three glycoconjugate vaccine candidates, obtained from the bioconjugation
of the O-antigen polysaccharides from E. coli serotypes
O2, O6A, and O25B with the genetically detoxified exotoxin A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were analyzed by MALDI-in-source
decay (ISD) FT-ICR MS. Protein and glycan ISD fragment ions were selectively
detected using 1,5-diaminonaphtalene and a 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid/2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzoic
acid mixture (super-DHB) as a MALDI matrix, respectively. The analysis
of protein fragments required the absence of salts in the samples,
while the presence of salt was key for the detection of sodiated glycan
fragments. MS/MS analysis of O-antigen ISD fragments allowed for the
detection of specific repeat unit signatures. The developed strategy
requires minute sample amounts, avoids the use of chemical derivatizations,
and comes with minimal hands-on time allowing for fast corroboration
of key structural features of bacterial glycoconjugate vaccines during
early- and late-stage development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Nicolardi
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Renzo Danuser
- Janssen Vaccines AG (Branch of Cilag GmbH International), Rehhagstrasse 79, CH-3018 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Viktoria Dotz
- Bacterial Vaccine Discovery & Early Development, Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., Archimedesweg 4-6, 2333 CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Domínguez-Vega
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ali Al Kaabi
- Janssen Vaccines AG (Branch of Cilag GmbH International), Rehhagstrasse 79, CH-3018 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michel Beurret
- Bacterial Vaccine Discovery & Early Development, Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., Archimedesweg 4-6, 2333 CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chakkumkal Anish
- Bacterial Vaccine Discovery & Early Development, Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V., Archimedesweg 4-6, 2333 CN Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Manfred Wuhrer
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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19
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Terra VS, Mauri M, Sannasiddappa TH, Smith AA, Stevens MP, Grant AJ, Wren BW, Cuccui J. PglB function and glycosylation efficiency is temperature dependent when the pgl locus is integrated in the Escherichia coli chromosome. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:6. [PMID: 34986868 PMCID: PMC8728485 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01728-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Campylobacter is an animal and zoonotic pathogen of global importance, and a pressing need exists for effective vaccines, including those that make use of conserved polysaccharide antigens. To this end, we adapted Protein Glycan Coupling Technology (PGCT) to develop a versatile Escherichia coli strain capable of generating multiple glycoconjugate vaccine candidates against Campylobacter jejuni. Results We generated a glycoengineering E. coli strain containing the conserved C. jejuni heptasaccharide coding region integrated in its chromosome as a model glycan. This methodology confers three advantages: (i) reduction of plasmids and antibiotic markers used for PGCT, (ii) swift generation of many glycan-protein combinations and consequent rapid identification of the most antigenic proteins or peptides, and (iii) increased genetic stability of the polysaccharide coding-region. In this study, by using the model glycan expressing strain, we were able to test proteins from C. jejuni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (both Gram-negative), and Clostridium perfringens (Gram-positive) as acceptors. Using this pgl integrant E. coli strain, four glycoconjugates were readily generated. Two glycoconjugates, where both protein and glycan are from C. jejuni (double-hit vaccines), and two glycoconjugates, where the glycan antigen is conjugated to a detoxified toxin from a different pathogen (single-hit vaccines). Because the downstream application of Live Attenuated Vaccine Strains (LAVS) against C. jejuni is to be used in poultry, which have a higher body temperature of 42 °C, we investigated the effect of temperature on protein expression and glycosylation in the E. coli pgl integrant strain. Conclusions We determined that glycosylation is temperature dependent and that for the combination of heptasaccharide and carriers used in this study, the level of PglB available for glycosylation is a step limiting factor in the glycosylation reaction. We also demonstrated that temperature affects the ability of PglB to glycosylate its substrates in an in vitro glycosylation assay independent of its transcriptional level. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-021-01728-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa S Terra
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E7HT, UK
| | - Marta Mauri
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E7HT, UK
| | - Thippeswamy H Sannasiddappa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Alexander A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Mark P Stevens
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Andrew J Grant
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E7HT, UK.
| | - Jon Cuccui
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E7HT, UK.
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20
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Zhu H, Rollier CS, Pollard AJ. Recent advances in lipopolysaccharide-based glycoconjugate vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1515-1538. [PMID: 34550840 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1984889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The public health burden caused by pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria is increasingly prominent due to antimicrobial resistance. The surface carbohydrates are potential antigens for vaccines against Gram-negative bacteria. The enhanced immunogenicity of the O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) moiety of LPS when coupled to a carrier protein may protect against bacterial pathogens. However, because of the toxic lipid A moiety and relatively high costs of O-SP isolation, LPS has not been a popular vaccine antigen until recently. AREAS COVERED In this review, we discuss the rationales for developing LPS-based glycoconjugate vaccines, principles of glycoconjugate-induced immunity, and highlight the recent developments and challenges faced by LPS-based glycoconjugate vaccines. EXPERT OPINION Advances in LPS harvesting, LPS chemical synthesis, and newer carrier proteins in the past decade have propelled LPS-based glycoconjugate vaccines toward further development, through to clinical evaluation. The development of LPS-based glycoconjugates offers a new horizon for vaccine prevention of Gram-negative bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henderson Zhu
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and the National Institute for Health Research (Nihr) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Christine S Rollier
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and the National Institute for Health Research (Nihr) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrew J Pollard
- Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford and the National Institute for Health Research (Nihr) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
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21
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Mauri M, Sannasiddappa TH, Vohra P, Corona-Torres R, Smith AA, Chintoan-Uta C, Bremner A, Terra VS, Abouelhadid S, Stevens MP, Grant AJ, Cuccui J, Wren BW. Multivalent poultry vaccine development using Protein Glycan Coupling Technology. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:193. [PMID: 34600535 PMCID: PMC8487346 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01682-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poultry is the world's most popular animal-based food and global production has tripled in the past 20 years alone. Low-cost vaccines that can be combined to protect poultry against multiple infections are a current global imperative. Glycoconjugate vaccines, which consist of an immunogenic protein covalently coupled to glycan antigens of the targeted pathogen, have a proven track record in human vaccinology, but have yet to be used for livestock due to prohibitively high manufacturing costs. To overcome this, we use Protein Glycan Coupling Technology (PGCT), which enables the production of glycoconjugates in bacterial cells at considerably reduced costs, to generate a candidate glycan-based live vaccine intended to simultaneously protect against Campylobacter jejuni, avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) and Clostridium perfringens. Campylobacter is the most common cause of food poisoning, whereas colibacillosis and necrotic enteritis are widespread and devastating infectious diseases in poultry. RESULTS We demonstrate the functional transfer of C. jejuni protein glycosylation (pgl) locus into the genome of APEC χ7122 serotype O78:H9. The integration caused mild attenuation of the χ7122 strain following oral inoculation of chickens without impairing its ability to colonise the respiratory tract. We exploit the χ7122 pgl integrant as bacterial vectors delivering a glycoprotein decorated with the C. jejuni heptasaccharide glycan antigen. To this end we engineered χ7122 pgl to express glycosylated NetB toxoid from C. perfringens and tested its ability to reduce caecal colonisation of chickens by C. jejuni and protect against intra-air sac challenge with the homologous APEC strain. CONCLUSIONS We generated a candidate glycan-based multivalent live vaccine with the potential to induce protection against key avian and zoonotic pathogens (C. jejuni, APEC, C. perfringens). The live vaccine failed to significantly reduce Campylobacter colonisation under the conditions tested but was protective against homologous APEC challenge. Nevertheless, we present a strategy towards the production of low-cost "live-attenuated multivalent vaccine factories" with the ability to express glycoconjugates in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Mauri
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thippeswamy H Sannasiddappa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Prerna Vohra
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Ricardo Corona-Torres
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Alexander A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Cosmin Chintoan-Uta
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Abi Bremner
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Vanessa S Terra
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Sherif Abouelhadid
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Mark P Stevens
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Andrew J Grant
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, Cambridgeshire, UK.
| | - Jon Cuccui
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
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22
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Samaras JJ, Mauri M, Kay EJ, Wren BW, Micheletti M. Development of an automated platform for the optimal production of glycoconjugate vaccines expressed in Escherichia coli. Microb Cell Fact 2021; 20:104. [PMID: 34030723 PMCID: PMC8142613 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-021-01588-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein Glycan Coupling Technology (PGCT) uses purposely modified bacterial cells to produce recombinant glycoconjugate vaccines. This vaccine platform holds great potential in this context, namely due to its modular nature, the simplified production process in comparison to traditional chemical conjugation methods, and its amenability to scaled-up operations. As a result, a considerable reduction in production time and cost is expected, making PGCT-made vaccines a suitable vaccine technology for low-middle income countries, where vaccine coverage remains predominantly low and inconsistent. This work aims to develop an integrated whole-process automated platform for the screening of PGCT-made glycoconjugate vaccine candidates. The successful translation of a bench scale process for glycoconjugate production to a microscale automated setting was achieved. This was integrated with a numerical computational software that allowed hands-free operation and a platform adaptable to biological variation over the course of a production process. Platform robustness was proven with both technical and biological replicates and subsequently the platform was used to screen for the most favourable conditions for production of a pneumococcal serotype 4 vaccine candidate. This work establishes an effective automated platform that enabled the identification of the most suitable E. coli strain and genetic constructs to be used in ongoing early phase research and be further brought into preclinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin J. Samaras
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Marta Mauri
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Emily J. Kay
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Brendan W. Wren
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Martina Micheletti
- Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Bernard Katz Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
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23
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Knoot CJ, Robinson LS, Harding CM. A minimal sequon sufficient for O-linked glycosylation by the versatile oligosaccharyltransferase PglS. Glycobiology 2021; 31:1192-1203. [PMID: 33997889 PMCID: PMC8457361 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioconjugate vaccines, consisting of polysaccharides attached to carrier proteins, are enzymatically generated using prokaryotic glycosylation systems in a process termed bioconjugation. Key to bioconjugation are a group of enzymes known as oligosaccharyltransferases (OTases) that transfer polysaccharides to engineered carrier proteins containing conserved amino acid sequences known as sequons. The most recently discovered OTase, PglS, has been shown to have the broadest substrate scope, transferring many different types of bacterial glycans including those with glucose at the reducing end. However, PglS is currently the least understood in terms of the sequon it recognizes. PglS is a pilin-specific O-linking OTase that naturally glycosylates a single protein, ComP. In addition to ComP, we previously demonstrated that an engineered carrier protein containing a large fragment of ComP is also glycosylated by PglS. Here we sought to identify the minimal ComP sequon sufficient for PglS glycosylation. We tested >100 different ComP fragments individually fused to Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (EPA), leading to the identification of an 11-amino acid sequence sufficient for robust glycosylation by PglS. We also demonstrate that the placement of the ComP sequon on the carrier protein is critical for stability and subsequent glycosylation. Moreover, we identify novel sites on the surface of EPA that are amenable to ComP sequon insertion and find that Cross-Reactive Material 197 fused to a ComP fragment is also glycosylated. These results represent a significant expansion of the glycoengineering toolbox as well as our understanding of bacterial O-linking sequons.
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