A chromosomal integration system for stabilization of heterologous genes in Salmonella based vaccine strains

We have developed a system whereby heterologous DNA encoding an antigen from an enteropathogen may be recombined into the chromosome of an attenuated Salmonella carrier strain. The system involves two steps: (i) integration of a hisOG deletion mutation into the chromosome; (ii) replacement of the hisOG deletion by the complete hisOG region and the segment of heterologous DNA which encodes the antigen of interest. Recombinants may be selected (his+). The system was used to integrate the genes encoding K88 fimbriae from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli into the chromosome of a galE mutant of Salmonella typhimurium (LT2H1). Recombinants were detected at a frequency of between 1.0 x 10(-3) and 1.5 x 10(-3). A variety of tests confirmed that the K88 genes were integrated into the chromosome of LT2H1 and were expressed. The stability of the recombinant was tested both in vivo and in vitro. When administered orally to mice, the recombinant elicited a serum antibody response to K88, and retained the Salmonella vaccine potential of the vector strain.