Disease relevance of BXB0015

• We report a rapid and simple method that combines in vivo biotinylation of engineered host-specific bacteriophage and conjugation of the phage to streptavidin-coated quantum dots [1].
• Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of Bacillus anthracis poly-gamma-D-glutamic acid capsule covalently coupled to a protein carrier using a novel triazine-based conjugation strategy [2].
• The pag gene coding for protective antigen (PA), one of the three toxin components of Bacillus anthracis, has been cloned into the mobilizable shuttle vector pAT187 and transferred by conjugation from Escherichia coli to B. anthracis [3].
• Tn916 was transferred from Streptococcus faecalis DS16C1 to B. anthracis VNR-1 by conjugation in a standard filter mating procedure [4].
• RESULTS: The 71,777 bp nucleotide sequence of pAW63 reveals a modular structure, including a 42 kb tra region encoding homologs of the Type IV secretion systems components VirB11, VirB4 and VirD4, as well as homologs of Gram-positive conjugation genes from Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Listeria, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species [5].

High impact information on BXB0015

• When donor and recipient cells were treated with nafcillin before conjugation, the frequency was increased nearly 10-fold [4].
• After conjugation to fluorescein isothiocyanate, the MAbs stained intensely all B. anthracis strains tested, whereas with two exceptions, none of the strains of 20 other Bacillus spp. was stained [6].
• Transcipients containing any of the above plasmids had donor capability, while B. thuringiensis strains cured of each of them were not fertile, indicating that the plasmids confer conjugation functions [7].
• Fatty acid conjugation improved endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) neutralization by 3- to 6-fold [8].

Biological context of BXB0015

• Transcipients which inherited pXO11 were Cry-. This mating system provides an efficient method for interspecies transfer of a large range of Bacillus plasmids by a conjugation-like process [9].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of BXB0015

• Conjugation of capsule to bovine serum albumin resulted in enhanced IgG anti-capsule antibodies measured by ELISA, but completely abrogated the protection [10].

References