title: Bioengineered probiotics as a new hope for health and diseases: an overview of potential and prospects.
abstract: Despite the use of microorganisms as therapeutics for over a century, the scientific and clinical admiration of their potential is a recent phenomenon. Genome sequencing and genetic engineering has enabled researchers to develop novel strategies, such as bioengineered probiotics or pharmabiotics, which may become a therapeutic strategy. Bioengineered probiotics with multiple immunogenic or antagonistic properties could be a viable option to improve human health. The bacteria are tailored to deliver drugs, therapeutic proteins or gene therapy vectors with precision and a higher degree of site specificity than conventional drug administration regimes. This article provides an overview of methodological concepts, thereby encouraging research and interest in this topic, with the ultimate goal of using designer probiotics as therapeutics in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology & Immunology, National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology & Immunology, National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Ashok Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: Centre of Biotechnology, Nehru Science Complex, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, India.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Regional Station, Palampur, India.
authors.forename: Birbal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Regional Station, Palampur, India.
authors.forename: Gorakh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mal
authors.affiliation: Probiotics Research Laboratory, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo.
authors.forename: Ravinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagpal
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology & Immunology, National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Rajkumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hemalatha
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*
keywords: bioengineering; biotherapeutics; gut microbiota; probiotics; recombinant