What is the basic theory underlying DNA vaccination?
DNA vaccination is based on the discovery that living cells in the body can take up DNA and produce the protein encoded by that DNA. A DNA vaccine programs cells to produce a protein associated with the target pathogen. The immune system then mounts a defense against the protein and is prepared to attack the actual pathogen when it arrives. 3. What is a “plasmid” and where do they come from/how are they made? A plasmid is a closed loop of DNA, typically including a gene encoding the protein of interest and other sequences that control the cells internal manufacturing processes. Because of their structure, plasmids are inherently stable. The plasmids used in DNA vaccines are typically assembled synthetically from the basic building blocks of DNA. They are then inserted into bacteria, which multiply in fermentation tanks making many copies of the plasmid. Straightforward purification processes then separate the desired plasmids from the unwanted bacterial remnants. 4. Let’s say you wante
