The technology combines immunoproteomics and reverse vaccinology to search for A. baumannii vaccine antigens. Five vaccine candidates, which conferred mice resistance to A. baumannii infection by immunizing the individual antigen, were identified. Among them, GP-1 is a novel lysozyme inhibitor ubiquitously expressed on the surface of A. baumannii. This antigen possesses the adjuvant activity and capability to induce long-lasting protective antibodies.

Here we present five novel vaccine candidates against A. baumannii. They are critical virulence factors participating in iron acquisition, bacterial dissemination and resistance to innate immunity. Particularly, GP-1, a novel lysozyme inhibitor ubiquitously in A. baumannii, possesses adjuvant activity and capability to induce long-lasting protective immunity, thus an ideal vaccine for the elderly.

The five vaccine candidates described in this technology can be used as the basis to develop single or/and multisubunit vaccines against A. baumannii to prevent the infection caused by this bacterium and control the spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria. In addition, they can be used as a basis for the development of therapeutic antibodies which will be the only life-saving drugs against superbugs.