Pan-Genome-Assisted Computational Design of a Multi-Epitopes-Based Vaccine Candidate against Helicobacter cinaedi

Saba Ismail, Noorah Alsowayeh (), Hyder Wajid Abbasi, Aqel Albutti, Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar, Sajjad Ahmad, Rabail Zehra Raza, Khulah Sadia and Sumra Wajid Abbasi ()
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Saba Ismail: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
Noorah Alsowayeh: Department of Biology, College of Education (Majmaah), Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
Hyder Wajid Abbasi: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Aqel Albutti: Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Tahir ul Qamar: Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Sajjad Ahmad: Department of Health and Biological Sciences, Abasyn University, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Rabail Zehra Raza: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
Khulah Sadia: Department of Biosciences, COMSAT University, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Sumra Wajid Abbasi: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: Helicobacter cinaedi is a Gram-negative bacterium from the family Helicobacteraceae and genus Helicobacter . The pathogen is a causative agent of gastroenteritis, cellulitis, and bacteremia. The increasing antibiotic resistance pattern of the pathogen prompts the efforts to develop a vaccine to prevent dissemination of the bacteria and stop the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR) determinants. Herein, a pan-genome analysis of the pathogen strains was performed to shed light on its core genome and its exploration for potential vaccine targets. In total, four vaccine candidates (TonB dependent receptor, flagellar hook protein FlgE, Hcp family type VI secretion system effector, flagellar motor protein MotB) were identified as promising vaccine candidates and subsequently subjected to an epitopes’ mapping phase. These vaccine candidates are part of the pathogen core genome: they are essential, localized at the pathogen surface, and are antigenic. Immunoinformatics was further applied on the selected vaccine proteins to predict potential antigenic, non-allergic, non-toxic, virulent, and DRB*0101 epitopes. The selected epitopes were then fused using linkers to structure a multi-epitopes’ vaccine construct. Molecular docking simulations were conducted to determine a designed vaccine binding stability with TLR5 innate immune receptor. Further, binding free energy by MMGB/PBSA and WaterSwap was employed to examine atomic level interaction energies. The designed vaccine also stimulated strong humoral and cellular immune responses as well as interferon and cytokines’ production. In a nutshell, the designed vaccine is promising in terms of immune responses’ stimulation and could be an ideal candidate for experimental analysis due to favorable physicochemical properties.

Keywords: Helicobacter cinaedi; pan-genome; vaccine candidates; epitopes; multi-epitopes’ vaccine; docking; molecular dynamics simulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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