title: Protecting against plague: towards a next-generation vaccine.
abstract: The causative organism of plague is the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Advances in understanding the complex pathogenesis of plague infection have led to the identification of the F1- and V-antigens as key components of a next-generation vaccine for plague, which have the potential to be effective against all forms of the disease. Here we review the roles of F1- and V-antigens in the context of the range of virulence mechanisms deployed by Y. pestis, in order to develop a greater understanding of the protective immune responses required to protect against plague.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Department, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Salisbury, Wilts, UK. dewilliamson@dstl.gov.uk
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: P C F
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Oyston
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D010930:Plague / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010931:Plague Vaccine / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination; D014774:Virulence; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C043908:LcrV protein, Yersinia; D010931:Plague Vaccine; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; C086725:caf1 protein, Yersinia pestis