This study demonstrates that purified major extracellular proteins of M. tuberculosis are candidate components of a subunit vaccine against tuberculosis and provides compelling support for the concept that extracellular proteins of intracellular pathogens are key immunoprotective molecules. Next Article Gene replacement by homologous recombination of Mycobacterium bovis BCG Proper study of how a bacterium functions requires that its genes be manipulated. After certain genes are eliminated or mutated you can then see how the disease will respond. This process is extremely difficult to perform with tuberculosis. The following paper shows how researchers at the University of Surrey have replaced genes in Mycobacterium bovis using plasmids.
Plasmids are simply round pieces of genetic material independent of an organism's chromosomes.
This process may lead to improved vaccines in the future. We have used a plasmid-based test system to demonstrate the occurrence of homologous recombination in the tuberculosis vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis BCG. . . Specific inactivation of selected genes will facilitate study of virulence factors and drug resistance as well as allowing rational attenuation of M . tuberculosis for the production of new vaccines. Molecular Microbiology Vol. This was an interesting overview article.