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Gram negative (and some gram positive) bacteria produce outer membrane vesicles (OMV) in the size range of 20-200nm. Whereas their function and contents has been studied for decades, their potential as a drug carrier has not been investigated before. As it is still many obstacles for an effective production method of different drug carriers within the field of nanomedicine, exploiting gram negative bacteria OMV production could be a possibility for drug delivery in the future.
The first fluorescent protein to be discovered was the green fluorescent protein (GFP) isolated from Aequorea victoria. Many other different fluorescent protein (FP) with different colours (red, cyan, yellow and other version of these) has since been created by mutating GFP. The FPs has been crucial in terms of visualising cells and determining intracellular proteins by fusing the FPs to the proteins of interest. Having a variety of FPs gives scientists the opportunity to study different proteins at the same time.
We want, as a part of our project, to introduce protein G from S.dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis into Escherichia coli OMV's. Protein G is known to bind to human serum albumin (has) which helps S.dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis hiding from the immune system. Protein G therefore could be a potential important piece in a drug carrier by masking it from immunological destruction. Introducing protein G into vesicles also demonstrate that it is indeed possible to manipulate the content and therefore the properties of OMV's.
In the second part of our project, we want to create new combinations of FP's. We intend to make this happen by fusing different FPs together into a new construct, namely GFP, red fluorescent protein (RFG), cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). This will give us new combinations of FPs with new absorption spectrum.
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