AUTHOR=Wiggins Joshua , Nguyen Ngan , Wei Wenzhong , Wang Leah Liu , Hollingsead Olson Haley , Xiang Shi-Hua 

TITLE=Lactic acid bacterial surface display of scytovirin inhibitors for anti-ebolavirus infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1269869

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1269869

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Scytovirin (SVN) is a lectin from cyanobacteria which has a strong inhibitory activity against Ebola virus infection. We engineered scytovirin as the inhibitor for surface display of lactic acid bacteria to block Ebola virus infection. Two different bacterial strains (<italic>Lactobacillus casei</italic> and <italic>Lactococcus lactis</italic>) were successfully engineered for scytovirin expression on the bacterial surface. These bacteria were found to be effective at neutralizing pseudotyped Ebolavirus in a cell-based assay. This approach can be utilized for prophylactic prevention, as well as for treatment. Since lactic acid bacteria can colonize the human body, a long-term efficacy could be achieved. Furthermore, this approach is also simple and cost-effective and can be easily applied in the regions of Ebola outbreaks in the developing countries.</p>