biostudies-literatureLee JWBill and Melinda Gates Foundatione02289-16https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5311400biostudies-literatureUnknown83(5)Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> or <i>Mycobacterium bovis</i> and still remains one of the world's biggest global health burdens. Recently, engineered polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biobeads that were produced in both <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> and displayed mycobacterial antigens were found to induce significant cell-mediated immune responses in mice. We observed that such PHA beads contained host cell proteins as impurities, which we hypothesized to have the potential to induce immunity. In this study, we aimed to develop PHA beads produced in mycobacteria (mycobacterial PHA biobeads [MBB]) and test their potential as a TB vaccine in a mouse model. As a model organism, nonpathogenic <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i> was enginApplied and environmental microbiologyEngineering Mycobacteria for the Production of Self-Assembling Biopolyesters Displaying Mycobacterial Antigens for Use as a Tuberculosis Vaccine.PMC5311400OPP1070028Parlane NABuddle BMRehm BHAHeiser ALee JWfalseEngineering Mycobacteria for the Production of Self-Assembling Biopolyesters Displaying Mycobacterial Antigens for Use as a Tuberculosis Vaccine.Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> or <i>Mycobacterium bovis</i> and still remains one of the world's biggest global health burdens. Recently, engineered polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biobeads that were produced in both <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> and displayed mycobacterial antigens were found to induce significant cell-mediated immune responses in mice. We observed that such PHA beads contained host cell proteins as impurities, which we hypothesized to have the potential to induce immunity. In this study, we aimed to develop PHA beads produced in mycobacteria (mycobacterial PHA biobeads [MBB]) and test their potential as a TB vaccine in a mouse model. As a model organism, nonpathogenic <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i> was engin2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017 Mar2026-05-29T19:36:37.012Z2019-03-27T02:36:37ZS-EPMC53114002808752810.1128/AEM.02289-16