Recombinant vaccines are a type of vaccine manufactured using bacterial or yeast cells. These cells act like tiny factories to produce the vaccine. This process involves taking a small piece of DNA from a virus or bacterium—the disease-causing agent we want protection from—and inserting it into the manufacturing cells.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of the process:
- Identifying the Target: Scientists first identify a specific protein or antigen on the surface of the virus or bacterium that can trigger an immune response in the body.
- Isolating the Genetic Material: The gene that codes for this protein is isolated and extracted.
- Insertion into Manufacturing Cells: This gene is then inserted into the DNA of a bacterial or yeast cell. This process of inserting foreign DNA is called "recombination," hence the name "recombinant vaccine."
- Production of the Antigen: The modified bacteria or yeast cell now begins to produce the desired viral or bacterial protein.
- Extraction and Purification: The produced proteins are then extracted and purified.
- Formulation into Vaccine: Finally, these purified antigens are formulated into a vaccine.
These vaccines offer several advantages:
- Safety: Recombinant vaccines typically use only a component of the disease-causing agent, not the whole, live organism, making them generally safer.
- Production Scalability: The use of bacterial and yeast cells for manufacturing allows for large-scale production of vaccines.
Therefore, recombinant vaccines use genetic engineering to get a simple organism to produce something needed for a vaccine.
