Site-specific characterization of envelope protein N-glycosylation on Sanofi Pasteur's tetravalent CYD dengue vaccine.

Recently, several virus studies have shown that protein glycosylation play a fundamental role in the virus-host cell interaction. Glycosylation characterization of the envelope proteins in both insect and mammalian cell-derived dengue virus (DENV) has established that two potential glycosylation residues, the asparagine 67 and 153 can potentially be glycosylated. Moreover, it appears that the glycosylation of these two residues can influence dramatically the virus production and the infection spreading in either mosquito or mammalian cells.

Characterization of surfactants in an oil-in-water emulsion-based vaccine adjuvant using MS and HPLC-MS: structural analysis and quantification.

Mass spectrometry (MS) and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) techniques were developed to characterize two surfactants, cetheareth-12 and sorbitan oleate, used to manufacture AF03, an emulsified oil-in-water (O/W) adjuvant. MS was first used to characterize the chemical structure and determine the composition of the two surfactants. The two surfactants appeared as complex products, in particular with respect to the nature of the fatty alcohols and the distribution of the number of ethylene oxides in cetheareth-12, and with respect to the different sorbitan-bound fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids) in sorbitan oleate.

The teichoic acid (C-polysaccharide) synthesized by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 5 has a specific structure.

The teichoic acid synthesized by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 5, also known as pneumococcal common antigen (C-polysaccharide), was purified. On the basis of compositional analysis, HPAEC-PAD analysis, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy, made on the native polysaccharide and on the dephosphorylated repeating unit, the following structure is proposed: [structure: see text]. This C-polysaccharide (C-PS), differs from those previously described by the replacement of Glc by Gal in its repeating unit structure.

HIV-1 gp41 and gp160 are hyperthermostable proteins in a mesophilic environment. Characterization of gp41 mutants.

HIV gp41(24-157) unfolds cooperatively over the pH range of 1.0-4.0 with T(m) values of > 100 degrees C.

The use of microcalorimetry to characterize tetanus neurotoxin, pertussis toxin and filamentous haemagglutinin.

Tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT), pertussis toxin (PT) and pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA) are major virulence factors of Clostridium tetani and Bordetella pertussis, which are the causative agents of tetanus and whooping cough respectively. Inactivated forms of these virulence factors are the protein components of vaccines against these diseases. Here we report microcalorimetric studies to characterize these proteins.