ATG updates progress on PepID technology at MycoSynVac annual meeting

Merzhausen, Germany: – Advanced genetomic contract research organization ATG:biosynthetics (ATG) will share progress milestones on its innovative PepID peptide immune target identification technology with MycoSynVac project partners at their upcoming annual meeting in the Netherlands.

The MycoSynVac project aims to use cutting-edge synthetic biology methodologies to engineer Mycoplasma pneumoniae as a universal chassis for vaccination.

Advanced algorithms

ATG:biosynthetics CEO, Dr. Hubert S. Bernauer, will tell the meeting that his team has made significant progress on developing PepID’s comparative genomics computational algorithms.

These can be used to generate unique deterministic DNA-encoded peptide libraries from different genomes that can then be used for high density peptide microarray serum analytics or expressed for antibody recognition, either by colony immunoblotting or using cell surface display. The new methodology aims to maximize the efficacy of multi-epitope vaccines.

“The MycoSynVac annual meeting provides a precious opportunity to meet our project partners face to face and share insights on how our PepID technology can provide an important route to open up new insights in developing Mycoplasma pneumoniae as the basis for broad-spectrum animal vaccines,” said Dr. Bernauer.

About ATG: biosynthetics

Advanced Technical Genetomics (ATG) is a German-based company that specializes in synthetic biology, combinatorial gene design and multi-gene expression. Located in Merzhausen near Freiburg, ATG offers a complete range of multi-gene and multi-peptide expression products and services for synthetic and molecular biology as well as allied research and development areas.

ATG: biosynthetics possesses particular strengths in designing tailor-made solutions (e.g., gene cluster and complete pathway designs) that harness its technologies and services in related product areas that include gene synthesis, bioinformatics, molecular in silico biodesign, epitope mapping and pathway engineering. These provide clients with individual products and services or integrated solutions that offer a complete product & service package for peptide/gene expression and synthetic biology applications.

ATG seeks partnerships and outsourcing projects that aim at developing and marketing high-potential applications, e.g. creating high efficiency DNA- and protein-based vaccines.

About MycoSynVac project
The MycoSynVac Consortium unites scientists from different disciplines representing nine commercial and academic life sciences centers from around Europe to develop innovative vaccine formulation and delivery.

In particular, the project is focused on engineering Mycoplasma pneumoniae as a broad-spectrum animal vaccine. Mycoplasma is a tiny genus of bacteria that are considered pathogens in humans and animals. Their extremely small genome (as few as 580.000 base pairs compared with some three billion for human genome) combined with lack of cell wall around their cell membrane make them a particularly interesting study target.

The 2017 MycoSynVac annual meeting will take place on November 13-14 at the campus of project partner MSD Animal Health (formerly Intervet) at Boxmeer, south of Nijmegen, Netherlands, followed the next day (November 15) by a scientific symposium at nearby Radboud University.

The event is organized by Barcelona-based MycoSynVac, with more information at: http://www.mycosynvac.eu/events/vaccine-symposium-vaccines-different-levels-complexity-subunit-whole-cell-formulations.