Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines
Published on: October 11, 2022
Rickettsial Diseases and Vaccines: Is There an Opportunity for Plant-Made Vaccine Technology?
Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante1,2, Hassian León-Montoya1, Abel Ramos-Vega3
1Immunology & Vaccinology Group and Laboratorio Nacional CONAHCYT de Generación de Vacunas Veterinarias y Servicios de Diagnóstico (LNC-GVD), Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, México.
Abstract:
Rickettsiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by obligate intracellular bacteria of the family Rickettsiae, transmitted by arthropods. No commercial vaccine exists, despite the efficacy of experimental prototypes based on whole cells, DNAs, nanosystems, and recombinant antigens. Plants have been used as a platform for producing and delivering recombinant antigens, allowing the commercial vaccines for COVID-19 and Influenza. This technology can be used for recombinant Rickettsia vaccines for the target host, potentially for vector arthropods. These aspects are reviewed in this work, considering a brief immunobiology of Rickettsiae, experimental vaccines against Rickettsiosis, step-by-step genetic engineering in plants for recombinant antigen production and immunological assessment, representative successful examples of plant-made vaccines, and the analysis of the potential of plant-made vaccines to control arthropod-transmitted Rickettsiae. Perspectives in this field are offered, highlighting hurdles and opportunities.
Related Concept Videos
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics
Vaccine Production
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease
Vaccines
Vaccinations
Recombinant DNA

