Genetic and Structural Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein for Universal Epitope Selection.

ABSTRACT: Evaluation of immunogenic epitopes for universal vaccine development in the face of ongoing SARS-CoV-2 evolution remains a challenge. Herein, we investigate the genetic and structural conservation of an immunogenically relevant epitope (C662-C671) of spike (S) protein across SARS-CoV-2 variants to determine its potential utility as a broad-spectrum vaccine candidate against coronavirus diseases. Comparative sequence analysis, structural assessment, and molecular dynamics simulations of C662-C671 epitope were performed. Mathematical tools were employed to determine its mutational cost. We found that the amino acid sequence of C662-C671 epitope is entirely conserved across the observed major variants of SARS-CoV-2 in addition to SARS-CoV. Its conformation and accessibility are predicted to b

SUBMITTER: Markosian C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9129195 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature