Proteomics for the development of vaccines and therapeutics

Proteomics permits the large-scale and high-throughput analysis of proteins and has become a powerful tool with which to study the pathogenic mechanisms of bacteria. It not only provides a metabolic snapshot at a particular moment in the life of a pathogen, but can also determine where a protein resides, its function, whether it is secreted, and its interactions with other proteins, including those of the host. Comparative proteomics can yield important information on the differences between attenuated and pathogenic organisms and whether a protein is conserved among various strains. Our laboratory has utilized traditional and novel techniques to investigate the global and subproteomes of Bacillus anthracis as they relate to vaccine and therapeutic development. Recently, our efforts have focused on the use of mass spectrometry for B-cell epitope discovery and identification of components of a pathogen that interact with host proteins. Development of vaccines and therapeutics based on proteomic data in combination with novel adjuvants and delivery systems will be presented.