Recent Advances in Genomics-Based Approaches for the Development of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogen Vaccines

Muhammad Ajmal Khan; Aftab Amin; Awais Farid; Amin Ullah; Abdul Waris; Khyber Shinwari; Yaseen Hussain; Khalaf F Alsharif; Khalid J Alzahrani; Haroon Khan

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15010152

Recent Advances in Genomics-Based Approaches for the Development of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogen Vaccines

Pharmaceutics. 2022 Dec 31;15(1):152. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010152.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Life Science, Center for Cancer Research, and State Key Lab of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
² Division of Environment and Sustainability, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
³ Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Abasyn University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁵ Institute of Chemical Engineering, Department Immuno-Chemistry, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinbiurg 620002, Russia.
⁶ Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan.
⁷ Department of Clinical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Infectious diseases continue to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The majority of infectious diseases are caused by intracellular pathogenic bacteria (IPB). Historically, conventional vaccination drives have helped control the pathogenesis of intracellular bacteria and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, saving millions of lives. However, in light of various limitations, many diseases that involve IPB still do not have adequate vaccines. In response to increasing demand for novel vaccine development strategies, a new area of vaccine research emerged following the advent of genomics technology, which changed the paradigm of vaccine development by utilizing the complete genomic data of microorganisms against them. It became possible to identify genes related to disease virulence, genetic patterns linked to disease virulence, as well as the genetic components that supported immunity and favorable vaccine responses. Complete genomic databases, and advancements in transcriptomics, metabolomics, structural genomics, proteomics, immunomics, pan-genomics, synthetic genomics, and population biology have allowed researchers to identify potential vaccine candidates and predict their effects in patients. New vaccines have been created against diseases for which previously there were no vaccines available, and existing vaccines have been improved. This review highlights the key issues and explores the evolution of vaccines. The increasing volume of IPB genomic data, and their application in novel genome-based techniques for vaccine development, were also examined, along with their characteristics, and the opportunities and obstacles involved. Critically, the application of genomics technology has helped researchers rapidly select and evaluate candidate antigens. Novel vaccines capable of addressing the limitations associated with conventional vaccines have been developed and pressing healthcare issues are being addressed.

Keywords: genomes; intracellular bacteria; proteomics; transcriptomics; vaccine development.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.