Abstract

Using genetically engineered endogenous lactobacillus strains colonizing the vagina mucosa to express heterogenous proteins has of late joined the novel strategies aimed at developing a microbicides against HIV. Using the lactobacillus metabolic genome pathway, we found that these bacteria do not naturally produce restriction enzymes, but rather, have a number of putative alien genes of the type. In view of the antiviral defence role of restriction modification systems (RMS), we searched for enzymes that cleave HIV-1, 2 and other SIV genomes using theoretical computational methods. With over 200 such enzymes identified, we present herein a plasmid vector mediated strategy for modifying lactobacillus strains to express RMS islands as an approach to developing a live HIV microbicide. This model is transferable to other viral infections that find their way into humans through mucosal orifices.

Key words: HIV, recombinant Live Microbicides, Genetically modified Commensal bacteria (GMCBs), Bacteriovirogenomics, xRELAB.