Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: Rationally designed minimized TbpB confers broad protection against meningococcal infection
doi: 10.1101/2025.10.30.685603
Figure Lengend Snippet: A: Phylogenetic tree depicting Neisserial TbpB diversity. The location of M982 TbpB is highlighted, along with 16 additional TbpBs spanning various clusters used for cross-reactivity analysis. B: Heat map depicting IgG cross-reactivity against a broad panel of TbpB protein variants by ELISA. Optical density (OD) readings denoted by the colour gradient. Background noise from no-protein control subtracted. Each row is a different TbpB protein capture, with the phylogenetic cluster indicated to the left. Each column is a different mouse sample, with the immunizing antigens indicated above. Numbered labels starting with A are pre-challenge serum from the immunized C67BL/6 sepsis cohort; B are terminal serum from the immunized hCEACAM1 FvB colonization cohort. C: Grouped bar graph summarizing cross-reactive antibody data from B. Bars represent mean, error bars represent standard error, each circle represents serum from a single mouse (N=8 for immune sera, N=3 for Alum). hTf-HRP signal quantifying properly folded TbpB capture is depicted in the inset, mean ± standard deviation. D: Serum reactivity against representative Nme and Ngo strains grown under iron limitation using inactivated whole bacterial ELISA. TbpB cluster indicated below the x-axis. Background noise from no serum control subtracted. Bars represent mean, error bars represent standard error, each circle represents serum from a single mouse, N=5-8/group. Inset depicts hTf-binding as an indicator of TbpAB receptor expression on bacteria used for coating ELISA plates, mean ± standard deviation. For C and D, two-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s post-hoc test comparing each group to Alum control performed using GraphPad Prism 10.2.0. Only p-values <0.05 shown. *, p<0.05; **, p<0.01; ***, p<0.001, ****, p<0.0001.
Article Snippet: Assay was set up in 40 μL total volume using ∼500 bacteria suspended in PBS++, 10% baby rabbit complement (Cedarlane, CL3441-S100) and 2-fold serial dilutions of heat inactivated terminal mouse serum.
Techniques: Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Control, Standard Deviation, Binding Assay, Expressing, Bacteria