Mycobacterium smegmatis, a Promising Vaccine Vector for Preventing TB and Other Diseases: Vaccinomics Insights and Applications

Abstract

Mycobacterium smegmatis (M.sm) is frequently used as an alternative model organism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) studies. While containing high sequence homology with M.tb, it is considered non-pathogenic in humans. As such it has been used to study M.tb and other infections in vivo and more recently been explored for potential therapeutic applications. A body of previous research has highlighted the potential of using genetically modified M.sm displaying rapid growth and unique immunostimulatory characteristics as an effective vaccine vector. Novel systems biology techniques can further serve to optimize these delivery constructs. In this article, we review recent advancements in vaccinomics tools that support the efficacy of a M.sm-based vaccine vector. Moreover, the integration of systems biology and molecular omics techniques in these pioneering studies heralds a potential accelerated pipeline for the development of next-generation recombinant vaccines against rapidly developing diseases.

Monoclonal War: The Antibody Arsenal and Targets for Expanded Application

“…Improvements in mAB specificity, based on new developmental techniques, are leading to expanded potential in high-throughput screening (HTS) and targeted approaches. A rapidly developing understanding of system biology has also contributed to a design approach utilizing computational and data analytic methods for focused screening; a departure from classic library screening [22,23].…”