In silico comparison of the differential proteome produced by the tuberculosis vaccine candidate BCGΔBCG1419c and its parental BCG strain cultured as biofilms or planktonic cells

Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is employed to prevent tuberculosis (TB) during childhood. We reported the proteome of our vaccine candidate BCGΔBCG1419c and its parental BCG Pasteur ATCC 35734 strains, when cultured either as mature biofilms in Sauton medium or as planktonic cells in 7H9 OADC Tween 80 medium. Here, we perform in silico analyses aiming to determine: (1) proteins differentially produced in biofilm compared with planktonic cultures, either in BCGΔBCG1419c or its parental strain, and (2) proteins differentially produced in BCGΔBCG1419c compared with its parental regardless of growth condition, namely mature biofilms in Sauton medium or as planktonic cells in 7H9 OADC Tween 80 medium. Proteomes produced were affected not only by the mutation of the BCG1419c gene, but also by growth condition (planktonic or biofilm). Then, changes deteced might reflect a combined culture system difference encompassing growth architecture, nutrient formulation, detergent presence, and growth physiology, which impact proteome and possibly immune-relevant responses.