7. Bill Gates is interested in developing vaccines. His foundation supports the Global Alliance for Vaccine Development (GAVI). He would be very interested in funding projects that provide novel delivery mechanisms for vaccines. Frederica has always wanted to find a way to make a vaccine for Streptococcus pneumoniae that targets all of the serotypes! This may be her opportunity! Her goal is one vaccine that would be completely protective against all strains of S. pneumoniae. She has an idea to make an edible vaccine that would contain the antigen derived from S. pneumoniae. Frederica decides to try using yogurt as the delivery mechanism! She wants to clone a gene from S. pneumoniae that encodes an antigen and to express this gene in a microorganism that would grow in yogurt. Eating the yogurt would serve as the vaccine delivery. Consider the various molecules expressed by S.pneumoniae.
a. Choose one molecule that would be an appropriate choice to serve as the immunogen (antigen) for the vaccine preparation. What molecule have you chosen?
b. Explain how your choice would allow an immunized person protection from all strains of S. pneumoniae.