Expression and Characterization of Virus-like Particles Displaying Extra Cellular Loops Of Outer Membrane Proteins Of Treponema Pallidum As A Potential Syphilis Vaccine Platform
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Mentor/Supervising Professor Name
Nelsen, David
Description
The spirochete Treponema pallidum is a global, sexually transmitted human pathogen, which causes the multistage infectious disease syphilis. During the past several decades, various attempts have been made to develop a vaccine that protects against syphilitic infection. T. pallidum’s OMP repertoire includes a family of four outer membrane factors (OMFs) for efflux protein, each characterized by trimeric structure and bipartite membrane topology. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are composed of bacteriophage structural proteins that have successfully been used to display various foreign epitopes for immunization. In this project, we produced VLP extra-cellular loops (ECLs) from two T. pallidum OMFs: Tp0968 and Tp0969 to characterize antigens targeting T. pallidum. A positive result would bring us one-step closer to developing of an effective vaccine for syphilis, a global public health problem.
Expression and Characterization of Virus-like Particles Displaying Extra Cellular Loops Of Outer Membrane Proteins Of Treponema Pallidum As A Potential Syphilis Vaccine Platform
On Campus
The spirochete Treponema pallidum is a global, sexually transmitted human pathogen, which causes the multistage infectious disease syphilis. During the past several decades, various attempts have been made to develop a vaccine that protects against syphilitic infection. T. pallidum’s OMP repertoire includes a family of four outer membrane factors (OMFs) for efflux protein, each characterized by trimeric structure and bipartite membrane topology. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are composed of bacteriophage structural proteins that have successfully been used to display various foreign epitopes for immunization. In this project, we produced VLP extra-cellular loops (ECLs) from two T. pallidum OMFs: Tp0968 and Tp0969 to characterize antigens targeting T. pallidum. A positive result would bring us one-step closer to developing of an effective vaccine for syphilis, a global public health problem.