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Liu Y, Wang Z, Wang Z, Zhou J, Han J, Lu C, Liu B, Yu R, Sun X, Zhang Z, Wang R, Su X. Rapid and simultaneous multiepitope antigen-based detection of Enterococcus by microscale thermophoresis and immunomagnetic separation. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1341451. [PMID: 38322321 PMCID: PMC10844561 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Generally, enterococci bacteria cause nosocomial infections and are major indicators of bacterial contamination in marine bathing beach. However, a method for the rapid and simultaneous detection of multiple pathogenic enterococci has not been developed on account of the wide variety of pathogenic enterococci and their existence in complex matrices. Methods Immunoinformatics tools were used to design a multi-epitope antigen for the detection of various pathogenic enterococci by using the sequence of dltD gene on enterococci lipoteichoic acid (LTA) surface, which is associated with toxicological effects. The multi-epitopes included enterococci such as Enterococcus faecalis, E. gallinarum, E. raffinosus, E. durans, E. faecium, E. hirae, E. thailandicus, E. casseliflavus, E. avium, E. mundtii, E. lactis, E. solitarius, E. pseudoavium, and E. malodoratum. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) and western blot were carried out to detect the affinity between multi-epitope antigens and antibodies and between multi-epitope antibodies and bacteria. Furthermore, the detection of pathogenic enterococci was carried out by using immunomagnetic beads (IMBs) and immune chromatographic test strip (ICTS). Results The multi-epitope antibody had a satisfactory affinity to the antigen and enterococci. IMBs and ICTS were detected with a minimum of 101 CFU/mL and showed incompatibility for Vibrio parahemolyticus, V. vulnifcus, V. harveyi, V. anguillarum, and Edwardsiella tarda. Implication The present study demonstrated that the multi-epitope antigens exhibited excellent specificity and sensitivity, making them highly suitable for efficient on-site screening of enterococci bacteria in marine bathing beaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ziyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ze Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jiaojiao Han
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Chenyang Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Vigor Health Products Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Rongxian Yu
- Vigor Health Products Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoling Sun
- Vigor Health Products Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Rixin Wang
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiurong Su
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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Mba IE, Sharndama HC, Anyaegbunam ZKG, Anekpo CC, Amadi BC, Morumda D, Doowuese Y, Ihezuo UJ, Chukwukelu JU, Okeke OP. Vaccine development for bacterial pathogens: Advances, challenges and prospects. Trop Med Int Health 2023; 28:275-299. [PMID: 36861882 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
The advent and use of antimicrobials have played a key role in treating potentially life-threatening infectious diseases, improving health, and saving the lives of millions of people worldwide. However, the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens has been a significant health challenge that has compromised the ability to prevent and treat a wide range of infectious diseases that were once treatable. Vaccines offer potential as a promising alternative to fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infectious diseases. Vaccine technologies include reverse vaccinology, structural biology methods, nucleic acid (DNA and mRNA) vaccines, generalised modules for membrane antigens, bioconjugates/glycoconjugates, nanomaterials and several other emerging technological advances that are offering a potential breakthrough in the development of efficient vaccines against pathogens. This review covers the opportunities and advancements in vaccine discovery and development targeting bacterial pathogens. We reflect on the impact of the already-developed vaccines targeting bacterial pathogens and the potential of those currently under different stages of preclinical and clinical trials. More importantly, we critically and comprehensively analyse the challenges while highlighting the key indices for future vaccine prospects. Finally, the issues and concerns of AMR for low-income countries (sub-Saharan Africa) and the challenges with vaccine integration, discovery and development in this region are critically evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ifeanyi Elibe Mba
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Zikora Kizito Glory Anyaegbunam
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
- Institute for Drug-Herbal Medicine-Excipient Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Chijioke Chinedu Anekpo
- Department of Ear Nose and Throat, College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Ben Chibuzo Amadi
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Daji Morumda
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University Wukari, Wukari, Taraba, Nigeria
| | - Yandev Doowuese
- Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Nigeria
| | - Uchechi Justina Ihezuo
- Department of Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
- Institute for Drug-Herbal Medicine-Excipient Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
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Genome-Based Multi-Antigenic Epitopes Vaccine Construct Designing against Staphylococcus hominis Using Reverse Vaccinology and Biophysical Approaches. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10101729. [PMID: 36298594 PMCID: PMC9611379 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101729] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus hominis is a Gram-positive bacterium from the staphylococcus genus; it is also a member of coagulase-negative staphylococci because of its opportunistic nature and ability to cause life-threatening bloodstream infections in immunocompromised patients. Gram-positive and opportunistic bacteria have become a major concern for the medical community. It has also drawn the attention of scientists due to the evaluation of immune evasion tactics and the development of multidrug-resistant strains. This prompted the need to explore novel therapeutic approaches as an alternative to antibiotics. The current study aimed to develop a broad-spectrum, multi-epitope vaccine to control bacterial infections and reduce the burden on healthcare systems. A computational framework was designed to filter the immunogenic potent vaccine candidate. This framework consists of pan-genomics, subtractive proteomics, and immunoinformatics approaches to prioritize vaccine candidates. A total of 12,285 core proteins were obtained using a pan-genome analysis of all strains. The screening of the core proteins resulted in the selection of only two proteins for the next epitope prediction phase. Eleven B-cell derived T-cell epitopes were selected that met the criteria of different immunoinformatics approaches such as allergenicity, antigenicity, immunogenicity, and toxicity. A vaccine construct was formulated using EAAAK and GPGPG linkers and a cholera toxin B subunit. This formulated vaccine construct was further used for downward analysis. The vaccine was loop refined and improved for structure stability through disulfide engineering. For an efficient expression, the codons were optimized as per the usage pattern of the E coli (K12) expression system. The top three refined docked complexes of the vaccine that docked with the MHC-I, MHC-II, and TLR-4 receptors were selected, which proved the best binding potential of the vaccine with immune receptors; this was followed by molecular dynamic simulations. The results indicate the best intermolecular bonding between immune receptors and vaccine epitopes and that they are exposed to the host’s immune system. Finally, the binding energies were calculated to confirm the binding stability of the docked complexes. This work aimed to provide a manageable list of immunogenic and antigenic epitopes that could be used as potent vaccine candidates for experimental in vivo and in vitro studies.
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Bolourchi N, Fereshteh S, Noori Goodarzi N, Badmasti F. Subtractive genomic analysis for computational identification of putative immunogenic targets against clinical Enterobacter cloacae complex. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275749. [PMID: 36228013 PMCID: PMC9560131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Enterobacter is a major nosocomial genus of Enterobacteriaceae responsible for a variety of nosocomial infections, particularly in prolonged hospitalized patients in the intensive care units. Since current antibiotics have failed treating colistin- and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, efforts are underway to find suitable alternative strategies. Therefore, this study conducted a reverse vaccinology (RV) to identify novel and putative immunogenic targets using core proteome of 20 different sequence types (STs) of clinical Enterobacter spp. Moreover, we introduced a structural-based approach for exploration of potential vaccine candidates against the Enterobacteriaceae family using their conserved domain analysis. Results A number of 2616 core coding sequences (CDSs) were retrieved from 20 clinical strains of Enterobacter spp. with a similarity of ≥ 50%. Nine proteins with a score of ≥ 20 considered as the shortlisted proteins based on the quartile scoring method, including three TonB-dependent receptors, WP_008500981.1, WP_058690971.1 and WP_058679571.1; one YjbH domain-containing protein, WP_110108068.1; three flagellar proteins, WP_088207510.1, WP_033145204.1 and WP_058679632.1; one spore-coat U domain-containing protein, WP_039266612.1; and one DD-metalloendopeptidase family protein, WP_025912449.1. In this study, proteins WP_058690971.1 and WP_110108068.1 were detected as the top candidates with regard to immune stimulation and interactions with TLRs. However, their efficacy is remaining to be evaluated experimentally. Conclusions Our investigation introduced common ferrichrome porins with high sequence similarity as potential vaccine candidates against the Enterobacteriaceae family. These proteins belong to the iron acquisition system and possess all criteria of suitable vaccine targets. Therefore, they need to be specifically paid attention for vaccine development against clinically important members of Enterobacteriaceae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negin Bolourchi
- Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Narjes Noori Goodarzi
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Badmasti
- Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
- Microbiology Research Center (MRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
- * E-mail:
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