Surface Engineering of the RNA Coliphage Q? to Display Plasmodium Falciparum Derived Asexual Blood Stage Antigens UB05 and Merozoite Surface Protein 3

Background: Naturally acquired immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) and UB05 are implicated in semi immunity in populations living in malaria endemic areas. Thus designing chimeric malaria vaccine candidates involving MSP-3 and UB05 displayed upon the surface of a phage in its native form could potentiate their immunogenicity and antigenicity. In this study, we have engineered both MSP3 and UB05 upon the Q and assessed their antigenicity with plasma from children living in a high malaria transmission region of Cameroon.