Genetic alteration of Mycobacterium smegmatis to improve mycobacterium-mediated transfer of plasmid DNA into mammalian cells and DNA immunization.

ABSTRACT: Mycobacteria target and persist within phagocytic monocytes and are strong adjuvants, making them attractive candidate vectors for DNA vaccines. We characterized the ability of mycobacteria to deliver transgenes to mammalian cells and the effects of various bacterial chromosomal mutations on the efficiency of transfer in vivo and in vitro. First, we observed green fluorescent protein expression via microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis after infection of phagocytic and nonphagocytic cell lines by Mycobacterium smegmatis or M. bovis BCG harboring a plasmid encoding the fluorescence gene under the control of a eukaryotic promoter. Next, we compared the efficiencies of gene transfer using M. smegmatis or BCG containing chromosomal insertions or deletions that cause early

SUBMITTER: Mo Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2044538 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature