We have constructed a second generation malaria transmission-blocking vaccine candidate based on Pfs25, the predominate surface protein of Plasmodium falciparum zygotes, to overcome potential production problems with the original construct. Four modifications were made: (1) addition of the last cysteine residue of the fourth epidermal growth factor like-domain of Pfs25; (2) mutagenesis of asparagine-linked glycosylation sites with glutamine rather than alanine; (3) addition of a six histidine tag at the carboxy-terminus for highly efficient purification of recombinant protein on nickel-NTA agarose; and (4) fermentation that combines continuous glucose fed-batch methodology with pH-controlled glucose addition and a terminal ethanol feed. The resulting product, TBV25H (Transmission-Blocking Vaccine based on Pfs25 with a Histidine tag), appears to be a more potent antigen and immunogen than the original construct, and the fermentation and post-fermentation processing methodology easily lend themselves to technology transfer to the ultimate users, newly industrialized countries.
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Kaslow, D., Shiloach, J. Production, Purification and Immunogenicity of a Malaria Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidate: TBV25H Expressed in Yeast and Purified Using Nickel-NTA Agarose. Nat Biotechnol 12, 494–499 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0594-494
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0594-494
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