title: A shared N-terminal hydrophobic tail for the formation of nanoparticulates.
abstract: Nanoparticulate design is important for the production of nanotechnological materials and passive immunogens. Using lessons from our hepatitis E vaccine, we herein design protein-based nanoparticles through incorporation of an N-terminal hydrophobic tail (NHT, located on HEV ORF2 aa368-460).
  
  
  
  Flu HA1, HIV gp41/gp120/p24, HBsAg and HPV16 L2 were fused with NHT, expressed in Escherichia coli and subjected to self-assembly in vitro. Nanosized particles were characterized by size-exclusion chromatography and negative electron microscopy. Immunogenicity was assessed in mice.
  
  
  
  All the NHT-fused proteins spontaneously formed nanoparticulates and presented with immunogenicity approximately 2-log over their nonassembling forms.
  
  
  
  Protein self-assembly provides an attractive means to create nanosized particles that bear specific antigens. Our strategy outlines a novel and shared method for the design of immunogenic nanoparticles.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.|National Institute of Diagnostics & Vaccine Development in Infectious Disease, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Kaihang
authors: K
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Qingshan
authors: Q
authors: Lin
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Minghua
authors: M
authors: Zheng
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Qiong
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Tingting
authors: T
authors: Li
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Qiyang
authors: Q
authors: Hong
authors: National Institute of Diagnostics & Vaccine Development in Infectious Disease, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Qingbing
authors: Q
authors: Zheng
authors: National Institute of Diagnostics & Vaccine Development in Infectious Disease, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Hai
authors: H
authors: Yu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.|National Institute of Diagnostics & Vaccine Development in Infectious Disease, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Gu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.|National Institute of Diagnostics & Vaccine Development in Infectious Disease, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Shaowei
authors: S
authors: Li
authors: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology & Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.|National Institute of Diagnostics & Vaccine Development in Infectious Disease, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors: Ningshao
authors: N
authors: Xia
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000517:prevention & control; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008958:Models, Molecular; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014780:Viruses / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C400971:ORF2 protein, Hepatitis E virus; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines
keywords: hydrophobic tail; immunogenicity; particulate formation; protein-based nanoparticle; vaccine design