Ms.
Nhi NY Nguyen
Center for Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Title of the talk: Bacillus subtilis: A Promising Vaccine Delivery System Using Surface Display Technology for Staphylococcus aureus Antigens
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis, a model Gram-positive bacterium with well-developed genetic tools for recombinant protein expression, has been studied to display heterologous antigens for vaccine development. Staphylococcus aureus is a global health threat that infects both humans and animals. Controlling its transmission necessitates implementing suitable strategies within the One Health framework. In this research, we aim to study the potential of B. subtilis vegetative cells and spores as delivery vehicles for an oral vaccine against S. aureus, which can be further advanced for both human and livestock applications. B. subtilis was engineered to express antigens of S. aureus using surface display technology. We designed the target protein for fusion with either the anchor protein CotB for spore surface display or YhcR for cell wall display. Vectors were cloned in E. coli and transferred into B. subtilis and genes of interest were integrated into the bacterial chromosome via homologous recombination. Western Blot or ELISA confirmed the surface display of the fusion protein. Swiss mice were orally administered three doses of cells/spores to evaluate the in vivo impact of B. subtilis displaying S. aureus antigens. ELISA analysis of serum IgG and fecal IgA levels revealed a significant increase, indicating successful delivery of antigens to the gut and elicitation of specific antibody production. The overall data provided an evaluation of B. subtilis displaying S. aureus antigens on the surface for oral vaccine development.
Biography
Nhi NY Nguyen is a PhD student in Microbiology at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, University of Science. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology (Medical major) in 2018, she began her doctoral program in Microbiology in 2019. From 2020 to 2021, Nhi received training on S. aureus and animal models at the University of California, San Francisco. Since 2018, she has been a researcher at the Center for Bioscience and Biotechnology. Her project focuses on engineering B. subtilis using biotechnology techniques to develop its potential as a vaccine vector.
Publications: Researchgate ORCID