Cross-reactive immunogenicity of group A streptococcal vaccines designed using a recurrent neural network to identify conserved M protein linear epitopes.

ABSTRACT: The M protein of group A streptococci (Strep A) is a major virulence determinant and protective antigen. The N-terminal sequence of the protein defines the more than 200 M types of Strep A and also contains epitopes that elicit opsonic antibodies, some of which cross-react with heterologous M types. Current efforts to develop broadly protective M protein-based vaccines are directed at identifying potential cross-protective epitopes located in the N-terminal regions of cluster-related M proteins for use as vaccine antigens. In this study, we have used a comprehensive approach using the recurrent neural network ABCpred and IEDB epitope conservancy analysis tools to predict 16 residue linear B-cell epitopes from 117 clinically relevant M types of Strep A (~88% of global Strep A infections). T

SUBMITTER: Spencer JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8045747 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature