Abstract
In this review, we advance a new concept in developing vaccines and/or drugs to target specific proteins expressed during the early stage of Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) infection and address existing challenges to this concept. Three proteins (immune inhibitor A, GPR-like spore protease, and alanine racemase) initially identified by proteomics in our laboratory were found to have differential expressions during anthrax spore germination and early outgrowth. Other studies of different bacillus strains indicate that these three proteins are involved in either germination or cytotoxicity of spores, suggesting that they may serve as potential targets for the design of anti-anthrax vaccines and drugs.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
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Review
MeSH terms
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Alanine Racemase / metabolism*
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Bacillus anthracis / genetics
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Bacillus anthracis / metabolism*
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Bacillus anthracis / physiology*
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Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
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Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
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Gene Expression*
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Mass Spectrometry
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Metalloendopeptidases / metabolism*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Peptide Fragments / genetics
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Proteomics*
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Spores, Bacterial / genetics
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Spores, Bacterial / metabolism
Substances
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Bacterial Proteins
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Peptide Fragments
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spore-specific proteins, Bacillus
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Metalloendopeptidases
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immune inhibitor A
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Alanine Racemase