The present invention relates to vaccine compositions based on Gram-negative outer membrane vesicles displaying antigens of pathogens expressed as part of a fusion protein comprising N-terminal parts of surface expressed lipoproteins of Gram-negative bacteria, and use of such compositions in vaccination. The invention further relates to the fusion lipoproteins comprising N-terminal parts of surface expressed lipoproteins of Gram-negative bacteria and antigens of pathogens fused thereto, DNA constructs and bacterial host cells for expressing these fusion lipoproteins and to methods for producing outer membrane vesicles displaying the fusion lipoproteins.

The present disclosure provides a bacterial composition, comprising: at least one genetically engineered bacterial strain that fixes atmospheric nitrogen in an agricultural system, wherein the bacterial strain comprises a modification in or one or more genes selected from the group consisting of bcsll, bcslll, yjbE, fhaB, pehA, glgA, otsB, treZ, and cysZ. The present disclosure further provides a bacterial composition and method for increasing the colonization of a plant growth promoting bacterial strain on a plant, wherein the plant growth promoting bacterial strain has been remodeled to increase colonization of said plant, In a further aspect, the present disclosure provides methods of increasing nitrogen or nitrogen fixation available to a plant.

The present disclosure provides a bacterial composition, comprising: at least one genetically engineered bacterial strain that fixes atmospheric nitrogen in an agricultural system, wherein the bacterial strain comprises a modification in or one or more genes selected from the group consisting of bcsll, bcslll, yjbE, fhaB, pehA, glgA, otsB, treZ, and cysZ. The present disclosure further provides a bacterial composition and method for increasing the colonization of a plant growth promoting bacterial strain on a plant, wherein the plant growth promoting bacterial strain has been remodeled to increase colonization of said plant, In a further aspect, the present disclosure provides methods of increasing nitrogen or nitrogen fixation available to a plant.

The present invention relates to improved epicutaneous administration methods for vaccination of a subject. In particular, the present invention discloses the use of an antigen for epicutaneous immunization, wherein the antigen is administered by epicutaneous application with a skin patch device in combination with an epidermal skin treatment.

The present invention discloses a procedure to produce a monomeric and functional form of Bordetella sp, especially B. pertussis, CyaA toxin that can be stably maintained in this functional monodisperse state, even in the absence of any chaotropic agent.

The present invention discloses a procedure to produce a monomeric and functional form of Bordetella sp, especially B. pertussis, CyaA toxin that can be stably maintained in this functional monodisperse state, even in the absence of any chaotropic agent.

The present disclosure is directed to a method for cultivating a Bordetella species, comprising: cultivating a Bordetella species under aerobic conditions in a liquid culture medium; and maintaining a pH of the liquid culture medium by using a strong acid, such as nitric acid, or using a first and second acid, wherein the first acid is an inorganic acid that dissociates essentially completely in water, such as nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, and wherein the second acid is an inorganic acid having an acid dissociation constant (pKa) of greater than 1, such as phosphoric acid. Methods for increasing the yield of Bordetella finbria agglutinogen 2 and fimbrial agglutinogen 3 (FIM2/3) in a supernatant fraction from a Bordetella culture are also provided.

A method of reducing or preventing the development of airway inflammation in a subject includes the step of infecting the respiratory tract of a subject an amount of a composition including a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and live attenuated pertactin-deficient Bordetella bacteria sufficient to colonize the respiratory tract of the subject. The step of infecting the subject with the live attenuated pertactin-deficient Bordetella bacteria results in reduction or prevention of the development of airway inflammation in the subject.

Bordetella pertussis iron receptor proteins or portions thereof (e.g., one or more extracellular domains), alone or spliced into B. pertussis scaffold proteins (e.g., fimbrial or flagellin), are provided and can be used in acellular vaccines to protect against pertussis or other Bordetella diseases in humans and non-human mammals. In addition, Bordetella species grown under iron-starved conditions are provided and can be used in whole cell vaccines to protect against pertussis or other Bordetella diseases in humans and non-human mammals.

Bordetella pertussis iron receptor proteins or portions thereof (e.g., one or more extracellular domains), alone or spliced into B. pertussis scaffold proteins (e.g., fimbrial or flagellin), are provided and can be used in acellular vaccines to protect against pertussis or other Bordetella diseases in humans and non-human mammals. In addition, Bordetella species grown under iron-starved conditions are provided and can be used in whole cell vaccines to protect against pertussis or other Bordetella diseases in humans and non-human mammals.