Vaccines have had broad medical impact, but existing vaccine technologies and production methods are limited in their ability to respond rapidly to evolving and emerging pathogens, or sudden outbreaks. Here, we develop a rapid-response, fully synthetic, single-dose, adjuvant-free dendrimer nanoparticle vaccine platform wherein antigens are encoded by encapsulated mRNA replicons. To our knowledge, this system is the first capable of generating protective immunity against a broad spectrum of lethal pathogen challenges, including H1N1 influenza, Toxoplasma gondii, and Ebola virus. The vaccine can be formed with multiple antigen-expressing replicons, and is capable of eliciting both CD8+ T-cell and antibody responses. The ability to generate viable, contaminant-free vaccines within days, to single or multiple antigens, may have broad utility for a range of diseases.

New opportunities in mammalian functional genomics are emerging through the combination of high throughput technology and methods that allow manipulation of gene expression in living cells. Here we describe the application of an RNAi-based forward genomics approach toward understanding the biology and mechanism of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. TRAIL is a TNF superfamily member that induces selective cytotoxicity of tumor cells when bound to its cognate receptors. In addition to detecting well-characterized genes in the apoptosis pathway, we uncover several modulators including DOBI, a gene required for progression of the apoptotic signal through the intrinsic mitochondrial cell death pathway, and MIRSA, a gene that acts to limit TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Moreover, our data suggest a role for MYC and the WNT pathway in maintaining susceptibility to TRAIL. Collectively, these observations offer several insights on how TRAIL mediates the selective killing of tumor cells and demonstrate the utility of large-scale RNAi screens in mammalian cells.

A high-resolution map of human phosphorylation networks was constructed by integrating experimentally determined kinase-substrate relationships with other resources, such as in vivo phosphorylation sites.

C8 is one of five complement proteins that assemble on bacterial membranes to form the lethal pore-like "membrane attack complex" (MAC) of complement. The MAC consists of one C5b, C6, C7, and C8 and 12-18 molecules of C9. C8 is composed of three genetically distinct subunits, C8␣, C8␤, and C8␥. The C6, C7, C8␣, C8␤, and C9 proteins are homologous and together comprise the MAC family of proteins. All contain N-and C-terminal modules and a central 40-kDa membrane attack complex perforin (MACPF) domain that has a key role in forming the MAC pore. Here, we report the 2.5 Å resolution crystal structure of human C8 purified from blood. This is the first structure of a MAC family member and of a human MACPF-containing protein. The structure shows the modules in C8␣ and C8␤ are located on the periphery of C8 and not likely to interact with the target membrane. The C8␥ subunit, a member of the lipocalin family of proteins that bind and transport small lipophilic molecules, shows no occupancy of its putative ligand-binding site. C8␣ and C8␤ are related by a rotation of ϳ22°with only a small translational component along the rotation axis. Evolutionary arguments suggest the geometry of binding between these two subunits is similar to the arrangement of C9 molecules within the MAC pore. This leads to a model of the MAC that explains how C8-C9 and C9-C9 interactions could facilitate refolding and insertion of putative MACPF transmembrane ␤-hairpins to form a circular pore. Assembly of the "membrane attack complex" (MAC)3 of complement on the surface of Gram-negative bacteria and other pathogenic organisms involves the sequential interaction of complement proteins C5b, C6, C7, C8, and C9 (1-3). Association of the first four components produces a membranebound tetrameric C5b-8 complex, which then initiates the recruitment and sequential binding of 12-18 C9 molecules to form a cylindrical transmembrane pore (supplemental Fig. S1). Pore formation leads to loss of membrane integrity and lysis of the cell under attack.The sequence of interactions leading to MAC formation is well defined; however, the mechanism by which the MAC disrupts membrane organization is poorly understood. C6, C7, the C8␣ and C8␤ subunits, and C9 are homologous and together comprise the "MAC family" of proteins (4, 5). Until now, structures have not been determined for any of these proteins. All contain N-and C-terminal modules and a central 40-kDa "membrane attack complex/perforin" (MACPF) domain. The MACPF domain was named as such because of sequence similarity between the MAC family proteins and perforin. The modules range in number from three to eight; all are small domains of 40 -60 amino acids that contain multiple disulfide bonds (supplemental Fig. S2). One type of module, thrombospondin type 1 (TSP1), contains several mannosylated tryptophans (6).Several hundred MACPF-containing proteins have been identified; however, functions are known for only a few. MACPF proteins exhibit limited sequence similarity, but all contain the MACPF signature motif ((Y/...

Protein-based vaccines offer a safer alternative to live-attenuated or inactivated vaccines but have limited immunogenicity. The identification of adjuvants that augment immunogenicity, specifically in a manner that is durable and antigen-specific, is therefore critical for advanced development. In this study, we use the filovirus virus-like particle (VLP) as a model protein-based vaccine in order to evaluate the impact of four candidate vaccine adjuvants on enhancing long term protection from Ebola virus challenge. Adjuvants tested include poly-ICLC (Hiltonol), MPLA, CpG 2395, and alhydrogel. We compared and contrasted antibody responses, neutralizing antibody responses, effector T cell responses, and T follicular helper (Tfh) cell frequencies with each adjuvant's impact on durable protection. We demonstrate that in this system, the most effective adjuvant elicits a Th1-skewed antibody response and strong CD4 T cell responses, including an increase in Tfh frequency. Using immune-deficient animals and adoptive transfer of serum and cells from vaccinated animals into naïve animals, we further demonstrate that serum and CD4 T cells play a critical role in conferring protection within effective vaccination regimens. These studies inform on the requirements of long term immune protection, which can potentially be used to guide screening of clinical-grade adjuvants for vaccine clinical development.

No abstract

We isolated the fluoroacetate dehalogenase gene (H1), from Moraxella species strain B, and placed it under the transcriptional control of a 154 bp fragment of the erm gene promoter. The promoter/gene construct was attached to the Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens shuttle vector pBHerm, and the resulting dehalogenase expression plasmid (pBHf) was transferred to B. fibrisolvens OB156 by electroporation. The erm gene promoter directed expression of dehalogenase activity in both E. coli and B. fibrisolvens OB156. Cell-free lysates of the genetically modified OB156 defluorinated 10.6 nmol fluoroacetate/min/mg protein. Growing cultures of OB156 were able to detoxify fluoroacetate in the culture medium, at the rate of 9.9 nmol/min/mg. Plasmid pBHf was retained by 100% of OB156 cells after 500 generations of non-selective culture. The restriction pattern of pBHf remained unchanged after extensive non-selective growth and host bacteria continued to produce active dehalogenase. The construction of rumen bacteria that are able to detoxify an important natural poison supports the feasibility of using genetically modified rumen bacteria to aid animal production.

West Africa Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak coupled with the most recent 28 outbreaks in Central Africa underscore the need to develop effective treatment 29 strategies against EBOV. While several therapeutic options have shown great potential, 30 developing a wider breadth of countermeasures would increase our efforts to combat 31 the highly lethal EBOV. Here we show that human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide 32 (AMP) LL-37 and engineered LL-37 AMPs inhibit the infection of recombinant virus 33 pseudotyped with EBOV glycoprotein (GP) and the wild-type EBOV. These AMPs target 34 EBOV infection at the endosomal cell-entry step by impairing cathepsin B-mediated 35 processing of EBOV GP. Furthermore, two engineered AMPs containing D-amino acids 36 are particularly potent in blocking EBOV infection in comparison with other AMPs, most 37 likely due to their resistance to intracellular enzymatic degradation. Our results identify 38