Bacterial ghosts as an oral vaccine: a single dose of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacterial ghosts protects mice against lethal challenge.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a bacterial pathogen that is associated with several life-threatening diseases for humans. The combination of protein E-mediated cell lysis to produce EHEC ghosts and staphylococcal nuclease A to degrade DNA was used for the development of an oral EHEC vaccine. The lack of genetic material in the oral EHEC bacterial-ghost vaccine abolished any hazard of horizontal gene transfer of resistance genes or pathogenic islands to resident gut flora.

Immobilization of plasmid DNA in bacterial ghosts.

The development of novel delivery vehicles is crucial for the improvement of DNA vaccine efficiency. In this report, we describe a new platform technology, which is based on the immobilization of plasmid DNA in the cytoplasmic membrane of a bacterial carrier. This technology retains plasmid DNA (Self-Immobilizing Plasmid, pSIP) in the host envelope complex due to a specific protein/DNA interaction during and after protein E-mediated lysis.

Modulation of gene expression by promoter mutants of the lambdacI857/pRM/pR system.

Gene expression driven by the p(R) promoter of the lambdacI857/p(RM)/p(R) system results from inactivation of the temperature-sensitive CI857 repressor. The CI857 repressor, whose gene is transcribed by the divergently orientated p(RM) promoter, is destabilised at temperatures above 30 degrees C. In this study, the lambdacI857/p(RM)/p(R) system was modified by the introduction of a single (A-32G) and a double mutation (A-32G and T-41C).

[Results of overlapping sphincter repair in response to obstetric injury].

Background: Obstetric trauma is one of the most common causes of faecal incontinence, and the standard therapy for clear sphincter defects is overlapping sphincter repair. We aimed to assess the short-term success rates of sphincter repair using modified V-Y plastic without covering colostomy and with primary closure of the perineum.

Methods: Between November 1997 and March 2002, 21 patients were operated on for faecal incontinence due to obstetric trauma.

Escherichia coli ghost production by expression of lysis gene E and Staphylococcal nuclease.

The production of bacterial ghosts from Escherichia coli is accomplished by the controlled expression of phage phiX174 lysis gene E and, in contrast to other gram-negative bacterial species, is accompanied by the rare detection of nonlysed, reproductive cells within the ghost preparation. To overcome this problem, the expression of a secondary killing gene was suggested to give rise to the complete genetic inactivation of the bacterial samples. The expression of staphylococcal nuclease A in E.