Yersinia Iron-Regulated Polypeptides for Plague Vaccine Efficacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vaccines for Yersinia species, particularly Y. pestis, are inadequate in protecting against pneumonic plague and have limitations in efficacy and safety, while there is a lack of effective vaccines for enteropathogenic Yersinia species such as Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis.
Innovation Solution
Development of a composition comprising specific polypeptides with defined molecular weights isolated from Yersinia species, which are expressed under iron-limiting conditions, providing protection against Y. enterocolitica and Y. pestis challenges by eliciting an immunological response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current vaccines for Yersinia species are used, then some level of protection is provided, but they are inadequate in protecting against pneumonic plague and have limitations in efficacy and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of vaccine composition by using iron-regulated polypeptides expressed under iron-limiting conditions rather than conventional whole-cell or subunit vaccines. This parameter change enables the vaccine to specifically induce immunity against virulence factors that are only expressed when iron is limited, thereby providing protection against pneumonic plague while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by selecting specific polypeptides with defined molecular weights (83 kDa, 70 kDa, 66 kDa, and combinations) that are locally expressed under iron-limiting conditions. This allows the vaccine to target specific virulence factors rather than providing non-specific immunity, improving efficacy against pneumonic plague while reducing harmful side effects.
2Adaptability or versatility
If there is a lack of effective vaccines for enteropathogenic Yersinia species, then vaccine development is needed, but current options are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by developing a vaccine composition that provides protection against multiple Yersinia species including Y. enterocolitica, Y. pseudotuberculosis, and Y. pestis. The iron-regulated polypeptides serve as universal antigens that elicit cross-species immunity, allowing a single vaccine formulation to cover multiple pathogenic Yersinia species with different disease manifestations.
3Ease of manufacture
If polypeptides are isolated from Yersinia species grown in media without iron chelator, then standard growth conditions are used, but the polypeptides having molecular weights of 83 kDa, 70 kDa, or 66 kDa are not isolatable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by growing the Yersinia species in media containing iron chelators before polypeptide isolation. This preliminary step ensures that the iron-regulated polypeptides (83 kDa, 70 kDa, 66 kDa) are expressed and accumulated in the bacterial cells before extraction, making them isolatable and available for vaccine formulation. Without this preliminary iron-limiting condition, the polypeptides would not be produced in sufficient quantities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides isolated polypeptides isolatable from a Yersinia spp. Also provided by the present invention are compositions that include one or more of the polypeptides, and methods for making and methods for using the polypeptides.