Dr. John Rogers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed bioresorbable silicon electronics that can be used for real-time sensing of neural...
Dr. John Rogers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed bioresorbable silicon electronics that can be used for real-time sensing of neural electrical activity. This invention could prevent follow-up neural surgeries, and has potentials for long-term monitoring of patients.
Dr. Andrew Smith from the University of Illinois has developed new quantum dots with a multidentate polymer coating that minimizes size while maintaining stability and...
Dr. Andrew Smith from the University of Illinois has developed new quantum dots with a multidentate polymer coating that minimizes size while maintaining stability and improving efficiency of conjugation. Quantum dots are promising agents for cellular and molecular imaging, but their bulky organic coatings have limited their use in cells. Dr. Smith's quantum dots are small, stable, and can be conjugated to targeting molecules and purified easily.
Dr. Hergenrother from the University of IL has developed a novel antibiotic that is effective against certain antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. His powerful...
Dr. Hergenrother from the University of IL has developed a novel antibiotic that is effective against certain antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. His powerful predictive algorithm determines accumulation of molecules in Gram-negative bacteria and enables conversion of known Gram-positive only antibiotics into novel compounds with Gram-negative potency.
Dr. JJ Cheng from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a helix/random confirmation switchable antimicrobial polypeptides (HRS-AMPs) that are pH...
Dr. JJ Cheng from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a helix/random confirmation switchable antimicrobial polypeptides (HRS-AMPs) that are pH sensitive and can kill Helicobacter pylori. H pylori, a causative agent of gastric ulcers, lives in the acidic environment of the stomach, and these pH activated antimicrobial peptides could be used to kill H pylori. The polypeptides are inactive until reaching the stomach, thus preserving the microbiota of the rest of the GI tract. In vivo data demonstrates good biodistribution, bioavailability, efficacy, and low toxicity compared to standard treatment for H. pylori infection. Moreover, HRS-AMPs are active against MDR and clinical isolate strains.
Bacteria-based therapeutics are engineered live microbial cells that produce a drug or perform a metabolic function while inhabiting a specific physiological niche on or...
Bacteria-based therapeutics are engineered live microbial cells that produce a drug or perform a metabolic function while inhabiting a specific physiological niche on or within the host. This targeted therapeutic approach can help minimize negative side effects associated with many drugs (e.g., off-target toxicity from intravenous chemotherapy distributed throughout the entire body). Antibody therapies are also traditionally administered intravenously, but do not accumulate to high levels in the gut and thus have limited impact on gut disease. On the other hand, bacterial therapeutics allow production of antibodies directly within the gut. Current bacterial therapies utilize transient colonizers of the human body (e.g., Escherichia coli, Lactococcus lactis, Salmonella typhimurium), limiting applications in long-term disease treatment and monitoring. Bacteroides species, are long-term stable colonizers of the human gut and are thus a promising for developing long-term bacterial therapeutics and diagnostics. Bacteroides also benefit from already being highly abundant and prevalent in the human gut microbiota. However, more work is required in identifying and optimizing protein secretion machinery for Bacteroides species.
This technology is a molecular toolkit for engineering of the stable gut colonizing bacteria Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. The system allows expression and secretion of protein cargos from multiple Bacteroides species. In contrast to transient colonizers such as E. coli, Bacteroides can be better leveraged for long-term therapeutic and diagnostic applications, providing a platform for targeted approaches to the treatment of ailments such as cancer and gut-related diseases.
Benefits
Effective secretion achieved in multiple Bacterioides speices. Preserved function for the secreted cargo.
Application
Bacterial-based therapeutics, Gut microbiome
Publication
Yeh, YH., Kelly, V.W., Rahman Pour, R. et al. A molecular toolkit for heterologous protein secretion across Bacteroides species. Nat Commun 15, 9741 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53845-7
