Engineering of staphylococcal surfaces for biotechnological applications

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Immunology

Background:

• Recombinant DNA technology allows the introduction of novel surface proteins onto bacterial cell surfaces.
• Food-grade bacteria like Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus offer a safe platform for biotechnological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore applications of surface protein display systems in Staphylococcus carnosus and xylosus.
• To evaluate the potential of engineered staphylococci as live bacterial vaccine delivery vehicles.
• To investigate the development of whole-cell diagnostic devices and bioadsorbents.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing surface display systems in Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus.
• Co-displaying adhesive proteins and peptides for targeted delivery.
• Engineering metal-binding peptides and protein domains for bioadsorption.
• Employing fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for affinity selection.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful surface display of proteins and peptides on staphylococci.
• Showcased 'second generation' vaccine delivery systems evoking protective immunity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in mice.
• Initiated development of whole-cell diagnostic devices using antibody fragments and affibodies.
• Exploited engineered staphylococci as bioadsorbents for environmental and biosensor applications.

Conclusions:

• Staphylococcal surface display systems are versatile tools for diverse biotechnological applications.
• Engineered staphylococci can serve as effective live vaccine delivery vehicles.
• Surface display technology facilitates the creation of novel diagnostic devices and bioadsorbent materials.