Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41633307›Full record

ArticleVaccine2026

A point-mutated Ag85B antigen improves recombinant bacterial expression and protects mice from aerosol M. tuberculosis challenge.

Wen-Ling Hsu, Yang Jiao, Matthew Hvasta, Kristina N Tran, Brennen T Troyer, Wei-Chiao Huang, Brian Kuhlman, Andres Obregon-Henao, Jonathan F Lovell

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Vaccine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Antigen 85B ofVaccines · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Wen-Ling HsuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA.
Yang JiaoDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA.
Matthew HvastaDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Kristina N TranDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
Brennen T TroyerDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
Wei-Chiao HuangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA.
Brian KuhlmanDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Andres Obregon-HenaoDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA. Electronic address: Andres.Obregon@colostate.edu.
Jonathan F LovellDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA. Electronic address: jflovell@buffalo.edu.

Funding

GPU workstation for deep learning-based protein design and cryo-EM data processingR35GM131923 · NIGMS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI BRIAN A KUHLMAN · 2019 to 2026
$6.1M
Developing a Multivalent Subunit Particle Vaccine Against TuberculosisR33AI169199 · NIAID · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · PI Jonathan F Lovell, Andres Obregon · 2025 to 2026
$1.9M
Developing a Multivalent Subunit Particle Vaccine Against TuberculosisR61AI169199 · NIAID · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · PI LOVELL, JONATHAN F, OBREGON, ANDRES · 2022 to 2024
$1.4M
NIAID NIH HHS R33 AI169199NIAID NIH HHS R61 AI169199NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM131923
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health problem, providing motivation for improved vaccine approaches, such as subunit vaccines targeting specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) antigens. Ag85B is a protein involved in cell wall biosynthesis, is abundant in M. tuberculosis culture supernatants, and has been incorporated in several TB vaccines candidates. We observed low expression yields of Ag85B when expressed recombinantly in E. coli using a histidine-tag purification approach. To address this, we utilized the ThermoMPNN protein structure algorithm to predict several stabilizing mutations in Ag85B. Of these, a single mutation, D52W, significantly enhanced expression yield in E. coli with good storage stability. Ag85B-52W exhibited rapid binding to liposomes incorporating cobalt-porphyrin via his-tag interaction, resulting in suppression in reactivity with an anti-his-tag antibody (due to anchoring of the his-tag in the bilayer), while the surface-displayed protein remained reactive towards anti-Ag85B antibodies. Immunization with Ag85B-52W in a liposomal vaccine elicited antigen-specific antibody and T cell responses, resulting in reduced lung bacterial burden in mice following aerosol M. tuberculosis challenge. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: A point mutation in the M. tuberculosis Ag85B protein, predicted by ThermoMPNN algorithm, enhanced its antigen expression yield in E. coli with good storage stability. Immunization with the Ag85B mutant with a liposome vaccine system in mice resulted in antigen-specific humoral and cellular response that protected mice against M. tuberculosis infection. This approach could facilitate the use of recombinant Ag85B in TB vaccine development.

Indexed as

AcyltransferasesAntigens, BacterialBacterial ProteinsMycobacterium tuberculosisPoint MutationTuberculosisTuberculosis VaccinesAnimalsAntibodies, BacterialEscherichia coliFemaleLiposomesMiceProtein Subunit VaccinesRecombinant ProteinsAcyltransferasesAntibodies, Bacterialantigen 85B, Mycobacterium tuberculosisAntigens, BacterialBacterial ProteinsLiposomesProtein Subunit VaccinesRecombinant ProteinsTuberculosis VaccinesAg85BLiposomesNanoparticlesTBTB vaccines

Identifiers

PMID41633307
PMCPMC13135713

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.