Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccines (rBCG) were first developed in the 1990s as a means of expressing antigens from multiple pathogens. This review examines the key structural factors of recombinant M. bovis that influence the expression of the heterologous antigens and the generation of genetic and functional stability in rBCG, which are crucial for inducing strong and lasting immune responses. The fundamental aim of this paper is to provide an overview of factors that affect the expression of recombinant proteins in BCG and the generation of the immune response against the target antigens, including mycobacterial promoters, location of foreign antigens, and stability of the vectors. The reporter systems that have been employed for evaluation of these molecular features in BCG are also reviewed here.
Keywords: Antigen expression; Molecular features; Recombinant BCG; Reporter systems; Stability; Vaccine.