Immunoinformatic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein and Identification of COVID-19 Vaccine Targets

Autor(es)

Oliveira, Sergio C. ^{[1, 2]} ; de Magalhaes, Mariana T. Q. ^[1] ; Homan, E. Jane ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Inst Ciencias Biol, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[2] Minist Ciencia & Tecnol MCT, Conselho Nacl Desenvolvimento Cient & Tecnol CNPq, Inst Nacl Ciencia & Tecnol Doencas Trop INCT DT, Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[3] IoGenetics LLC, Madison, WI - USA

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY; v. 11, OCT 28 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

COVID-19 is a worldwide emergency; therefore, there is a critical need for foundational knowledge about B and T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 essential for vaccine development. However, little information is available defining which determinants of SARS-CoV-2 other than the spike glycoprotein are recognized by the host immune system. In this study, we focus on the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein as a suitable candidate target for vaccine formulations. Major B and T cell epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein are predicted and resulting sequences compared with the homolog immunological domains of other coronaviruses that infect human beings. The most dominant of B cell epitope is located between 176-206 amino acids in the SRGGSQASSRSSSRSRNSSRNSTPGSSRGTS sequence. Further, we identify sequences which are predicted to bind multiple common MHC I and MHC II alleles. Most notably there is a region of potential T cell cross-reactivity within the SARS-CoV-2 N protein position 102-110 amino acids that traverses multiple human alpha and betacoronaviruses. Vaccination strategies designed to target these conserved epitope regions could generate immune responses that are cross-reactive across human coronaviruses, with potential to protect or modulate disease. Finally, these predictions can facilitate effective vaccine design against this high priority virus. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/24832-6 - Desenvolvimento de vacinas baseadas em BCG recombinante: Tuberculose, Pertussis, Pneumococo e Schistosoma
• Beneficiário: Luciana Cezar de Cerqueira Leite
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático