One-Pot Expression and Assembly of Resurfaced Zika Virus E Domain III Nanoparticle Immunogens in Mammalian Cells.

The presentation of antigens on self-assembling nanoparticles is a promising approach for augmenting the B-cell response of vaccines. In many cases, the nanoparticle and antigen are recombinantly expressed and purified separately prior to conjugation, requiring multiple steps that may be inefficient for large-scale production. Here, we describe a genetically encodable method and "one-pot" production of nanoparticle immunogens from mammalian cells.

Avidity and variable domain spacing strongly influence the therapeutic potency of bispecific antibodies against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is an enveloped, negative-sense RNA virus that is spread by ticks across Europe, Africa, and Asia and causes a lethal disease in humans (~30%-40% case fatality). There are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics. Antibody-based therapeutics targeting the CCHFV surface glycoproteins Gn and Gc, which are responsible for viral attachment and fusion during entry, are a promising therapeutic approach.

Structure Activity Relationship Study of the XIP Quorum Sensing Pheromone in Reveal Inhibitors of the Competence Regulon.

The dental cariogenic pathogen coordinates competence for genetic transformation via two peptide pheromones, competence stimulating peptide (CSP) and -inducing peptide (XIP). CSP is sensed by the comCDE system and induces competence indirectly, whereas XIP is sensed by the comRS system and induces competence directly. In chemically defined media (CDM), after uptake by oligopeptide permease, XIP interacts with the cytosolic receptor ComR to form the XIP::ComR complex that activates the expression of , an alternative sigma factor that initiates the transcription of late-competence genes.

Identification of highly potent competence stimulating peptide-based quorum sensing activators in Streptococcus mutans through the utilization of N-methyl and reverse alanine scanning.

Quorum sensing (QS) controls the pathogenic behavior of Streptococcus mutans, a primary cause of dental caries. S. mutans uses the competence stimulating peptide (CSP) to control mutacin production, a bacteriocin utilized by S.

Structure-Activity Relationships of the Competence Stimulating Peptide in Streptococcus mutans Reveal Motifs Critical for Membrane Protease SepM Recognition and ComD Receptor Activation.

Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans) is a Gram-positive human pathogen that is one of the major contributors to dental caries, a condition with an economic cost of over $100 billion per year in the United States. S.