Vaccine design reaches the atomic level

Sci Transl Med. 2011 Jul 13;3(91):91ps29. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002807.

Abstract

The genetic diversity of pathogens presents a challenge to the development of broadly effective vaccines. In this issue, Scarselli et al. combine atomic-level structural information with genomics and classical vaccinology to design a single immunogen that elicits protective immunity against more than 300 natural variants of the bacterial pathogen meningococcus B. This accomplishment provides a glimpse of the power of structure-based vaccine design to create immunogens capable of eliciting protective responses against genetically diverse pathogens.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Immunity / immunology*
  • Neisseria meningitidis / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial