The present invention relates to an attenuated mutant strain of Salmonella comprising a recombinant DNA molecule encoding Mesothelin. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of said attenuated mutant strain of Salmonella in cancer immunotherapy.

The subject application provides a genetically modified recombinant facultative intracellular invasive bacterial pathogen (RFIIBP) or a recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccine (RASV) strains encoding Zika virus (ZIKV) antigens. These strains exhibit high immunogenicity, complete safety, and attenuation, and are unable to persist or be shed in an infective or viable form. These RFIIBPs and RASVs also exhibit regulated delayed attenuation in vivo, regulated delayed in vivo synthesis of protective ZIKV antigens. Methods of inducing mucosal, systemic and cellular immunities in hosts are also provided and antibodies produced using the disclosed RFIIBPs and RASVs can comprise neutralizing antibodies against ZIKV that do not crossreact with Dengue virus (DENV).

Provided are modified bacteria and methods of using the modified bacteria for prophylaxis or treatment of bacterial infections. The modified bacteria contain one or more genomic modifications such that the genomes of the bacteria are altered to encode and produce a holin protein and to encode and produce a lysozyme. The modified bacteria are illustrated using a type of Salmonella enterica (SE) in the form of autolytic SE serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium).

The present invention provides for a modified autotransporter and the use of genetically engineered microorganisms comprising said modified autotransporters in the treatment of infectious and neoplastic disease. The present invention therefore also relates to vaccine and immunotherapeutic compositions comprising said genetically engineered microorganism.

Disclosed herein are methods of inhibiting the growth, reducing the population, or killing of at least one species of Gram-negative bacteria comprising contacting the bacteria with a composition comprising an effective amount of a Chp peptide, lysin, or lysin-AMP construct or active fragments or variants thereof for a period of time sufficient to inhibit said growth, reduce said population, or kill said at least one species of Gram-negative bacteria. Also disclosed herein are methods of inhibiting a Gram-negative bacteria present in sputum; methods of preventing, disrupting or eradicating a Gram-negative bacterial biofilm; and methods of treating a bacterial infection caused by a Gram-negative bacteria.

Described is a method for the generation of a live vaccine containing stable bacteria carrying at least three attenuating mutations and a vaccine containing bacteria obtained by said method.

The present invention relates to an attenuated Salmonella gallinarum strain and use thereof. Particularly, the present invention relates to: a novel attenuated Salmonella strain in which all of a gene encoding guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) synthetase, a gene that induces the function of a type III secretion system (T3SS)(ssrAB), and a Gifsy 2prophage gene are deleted; and a composition for treating or diagnosing tumors by using same.

The present invention relates to an attenuated mutant strain of Salmonella comprising a recombinant DNA molecule encoding a VEGF receptor protein. In particular, the present invention relate to the use of said attenuated mutant strain of Salmonella in cancer immunotherapy.

This invention teaches systems and methods for identifying, targeting and destroying cancer cells. As cells progress from a normal to a cancerous state their accelerated metabolic rates and adapted pathways generate a higher heat signature that serves as a targeting beacon for a specialized cell killing vector. Suitable vectors include modified or adapted viruses, modified or adapted intracellular bacteria and/or engineered liposomes. Especially preferred is the bacterial vector because of its ease of production. The bacterial vector is selectively targeted to recognize cells whose temperature is slightly elevated and ambient pH suppressed due to cancer related alterations to metabolism. An additional targeting feature, such as recognition of the MCT4 transmembrane protein exaggeratively expressed on the cancer cell outer membrane, may provide additional targeting specificity. Embodiments featuring facultative extracellular and intracellular growth capable bacteria have the preferred feature that culture conditions for producing the vector can be optimized solely for the one organism and need not be compromised to support or optimize host cell maintenance.

Disclosed are attenuated Salmonella gallinarum expressing FliC (flagellin) or FliC-hIL2 (human IL2 fused to FliC) and use thereof, wherein the Salmonella strain exhibits excellent immune activation ability and anticancer efficacy and thus can be used as a cancer therapeutic agent, together with or independently from existing anticancer agents.