Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40042439›Full record

ArticleMicrobial biotechnology2025

Engineering Genome-Free Bacterial Cells for Effective SARS-COV-2 Neutralisation.

Yutong Yin, Chang Liu, Xianglin Ji, Yun Wang, Juthathip Mongkolsapaya, Gavin R Screaton, Zhanfeng Cui, Wei E Huang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Microbial biotechnology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Reprogrammed SimCells for antimicrobial therapy.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yutong YinDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Chang LiuWellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Xianglin JiOxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR), University of Oxford, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Yun WangOxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR), University of Oxford, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Juthathip MongkolsapayaWellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Gavin R ScreatonWellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Zhanfeng CuiDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Wei E HuangDepartment of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1302-6528

Funding

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/M002403/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unparalleled impacts on global social dynamics, healthcare systems and economies, highlighting the urgent need for effective interventions to address current challenges and future pandemic preparedness. This study introduces a novel virus neutralisation platform based on SimCells (~1 μm) and mini-SimCells (100-200 nm), which are chromosome-free and non-replicating bacteria from an LPS-free Escherichia coli strain (ClearColi). SimCells and mini-SimCells were engineered to display nanobodies on their surface, specifically targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein - a critical immunogenic fragment essential for viral entry into host cells. It was demonstrated that nanobody-expressing SimCells achieved over 90% blocking efficiency against synthesised RBD from both the original Wuhan and the B.1.351 (Beta) variant using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay. More importantly, live virus neutralisation assays demonstrated that NB6 nanobody-presenting mini-SimCells effectively neutralised the live SARS-CoV-2 Victoria variant with an IC50 of 2.95 × 10

Indexed as

Antibodies, NeutralizingCOVID-19Escherichia coliSARS-CoV-2Single-Domain AntibodiesAnimalsAntibodies, ViralChlorocebus aethiopsHumansSpike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusVero CellsAntibodies, NeutralizingAntibodies, ViralSingle-Domain AntibodiesSpike Glycoprotein, Coronavirusspike protein, SARS-CoV-2bacterial therapychromosome‐freelive virus neutralisationmini‐SimCellSimCellsynthetic biologysynthetic cell

Identifiers

PMID40042439
PMCPMC11881285

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.