Genetically Engineered Algae Offers New Hope for Malarial and Other Vaccinations

June 3, 2013- At the University of California San Diego, research into the genetic engineering of algae has produced new hope for an edible malaria vaccine, while opening up a world of new possibilities for other algae applications. Malaria afflicts 225 million people worldwide, predominantly in Third World countries.

Led by professor of biology Stephen Mayfield, researchers fused a protein that elicits an antibody response in mice against the organism that causes malaria with a bacterium responsible for cholera. They then genetically engineered algae to produce a similar two-protein combination, which they freeze-dried and fed to the mice. The mice in turn developed antibodies for both the malaria parasite and the cholera bacteria, leading to a hope for an effective edible vaccine in the future at a fraction of the cost of current vaccines.

“Many bacterial and viral infections are caused by eating tainted food or water,” said Mayfield. “So what this study shows is that you can get a really good immune response from a recombinant protein in algae that you feed to a mammal. In this case, it happens to be a mouse, but presumably it would also work in a human. That’s really encouraging for the potential for algae-based vaccines in the future.”

With further research, salmonella, E. coli and cholera itself are potential targets for algae-based vaccines.

The team made their most recent study on Applied and Environmental Microbiology freely available. 

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