Tufts University

University of South Florida

Tufts College

Other

New England Medical Center Hospitals. Inc.

Abraham L Sonenshein

Xingmin Sun

Saul Tzipori

John E Herrmann

Gerald T Keusch

David W Acheson

Caroline E Donnelly

Joseph Sorg

Boris R Belitsky

Described are non-toxigenicstrains and spores. Also described are vaccines comprising thespores. Further described are methods of preventing or treating ainfection in a subject in need thereof.

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Non-toxigenicspores for use in oral vaccination

Methods for immunizing a subject to an antigen of an infectious agent, a tumor, or an allergen are provided, using vegetative cytoplasmic expression of the antigen or spore surface display of the antigen, and contacting the subject with a composition including a spore or a vegetative cell or both with or without an adjuvant. Also included are thermally-stable vaccine compositions using the method described above and kits including the compositions.

Methods, compositions and kits for vegetative cell-based vaccines and spore-based vaccines

Certain bile acids, including novel bile acids, and derivatives thereof can be used to inhibit the germination ofspores and/or the growth ofcells. The methods and compositions of the invention are useful for preventing and treating-associated diseases, including but not limited tocolitis.

Methods and compositions for inhibiting clostridium difficile spore germination and outgrowth

Bacterial virulence is repressed by compositions and methods for activating permanently a repressor of virulence factors. Compositions provided contain at least one non-metabolizable analog of guanine, guanosine, isoleucine and valine.

Compositions, methods and kits for repressing virulence in gram positive bacteria

A method of stimulating a vertebrate animal to produce an immune response to at least one antigen is described. The method includes genetically engineering a bacterial cell with DNA encoding at least one antigen and inducing the bacterial cell to sporulate, then orally administering the bacterial spores to an animal. The bacterial spores germinate in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal and express the antigen so that it comes into contact with the animal's immune system and elicits an immune response.

Bacterial spores as a heat stable vaccine delivery system

Promoter probe vectors for determining the presence of efficient promoter regions on DNA segments, which segments permit microbiological expression of genetic information. The promoter probe vector comprises replicons active in E. coli and B. subtilis, a structural gene for B-galactosidase and at least one endonuclease restriction site suitable for insertion of promoter-containing DNA fragments.

Growing community of inventors

Brookline, MA, United States of America

Abraham L Sonenshein