Design of multiepitope vaccine candidate from a major capsid protein of the African swine fever virus

Abstract

This study unveils immunodominant epitopes from the African Swine Fever Virus Major Capsid protein and created a multiepitope vaccine candidate. Protein sequences of 42 strains of ASFV from 28 countries were selected. Binding to MHC proteins were predicted. T and Linear B Lymphocytes epitopes were adopted and evaluated for antigenicity, immunogenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity. Selected epitopes were modelled and molecularly docked against the appropriate MHC proteins. An adjuvant and multiple linkers were used to create multiepitope vaccine candidate (VC). After evaluating the physicochemical and immunological properties of the vaccine candidate, its structure was refined, validated, and mutated. The Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the VC with the TLR4 receptor was performed and cloned in silico in a plasmid vector. A VC with 130 amino acid residues, 14.60 KDa weight and isoelectric point of 10.63 emerged. The VC is hydrophilic and non-allergenic; has MHC I immunogenicity and antigenicity values of 1.43 and 0.72 respectively, an instability index value of 33.11 and half-life of 1 h, 0.5 h and > 10 h in reticulocytes of mammals, yeast, and E. coli respectively. The VC shows good promise and further tests are required to determine its safety and efficacy.

Keywords

• African swine fever
• Major histocompatibility complex
• Epitopes
• Vaccine candidate
• VP72