Molecular Engineering of Ghfp, the Gonococcal Orthologue of Neisseria meningitidis Factor H Binding Protein.

Knowledge of the sequences and structures of proteins produced by microbial pathogens is continuously increasing. Besides offering the possibility of unraveling the mechanisms of pathogenesis at the molecular level, structural information provides new tools for vaccine development, such as the opportunity to improve viral and bacterial vaccine candidates by rational design. Structure-based rational design of antigens can optimize the epitope repertoire in terms of accessibility, stability, and variability.