Plasma Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Pediatric COVID-19 Patients Modulate Monocyte and T Cell Immune Responses Based on Disease Severity.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality globally. The role of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in pediatric COVID-19 patients remains unclear.

Methods: We isolated EVs from healthy controls (n = 13) and pediatric COVID-19 patients (n = 104) with varying severity during acute and convalescent phases using serial ultracentrifugation.

Leishmania kinetoplast DNA contributes to parasite burden in infected macrophages: Critical role of the cGAS-STING-TBK1 signaling pathway in macrophage parasitemia.

Leishmania parasites harbor a unique network of circular DNA known as kinetoplast DNA (kDNA). The role of kDNA in leishmania infections is poorly understood. Herein, we show that kDNA delivery to the cytosol of infected THP-1 macrophages provoked increased parasite loads when compared to untreated cells, hinting at the involvement of cytosolic DNA sensors in facilitating parasite evasion from the immune system.

Development and preclinical evaluation of virus-like particle vaccine against COVID-19 infection.

Background: Vaccines that incorporate multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens can further broaden the breadth of virus-specific cellular and humoral immunity. This study describes the development and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 VLP vaccine that incorporates the four structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: VLPs were generated in transiently transfected HEK293 cells, purified by multimodal chromatography, and characterized by tunable-resistive pulse sensing, AFM, SEM, and TEM.

Cloning and heterologous expression of chlorophyll a synthase in Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a purple non-sulfur bacterium which photoheterotrophically produces hydrogen from organic acids under anaerobic conditions. A gene coding for putative chlorophyll a synthase (chlG) from cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus marinus was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and cloned into an inducible-expression plasmid which was subsequently transferred to R. sphaeroides for heterologous expression.