Design of a multi-epitope-based vaccine candidate against Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis using a reverse vaccinology approach

• Published in: BMC veterinary research Vol. 20; no. 1; p. 144
• Main Authors: Silva, Marta Filipa, Pereira, Gonçalo, Mateus, Luísa, da Costa, Luís Lopes, Silva, Elisabete
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 19-04-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Amino acids; Animals; Antigenic determinants; Antigens; Artificial insemination; Bovine genital campylobacteriosis; Campylobacter; Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis; Campylobacter infections; Campylobacter Infections - prevention & control; Campylobacter Infections - veterinary; Campylobacteriosis; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - prevention & control; Cholera toxin; Cloning; Computational Biology; Diseases; E coli; Epitopes; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - chemistry; Fetuses; Flagella; Genitalia; Immune response; Localization; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Membrane proteins; Pathogens; Peptides; Pharmaceutical research; Prevention; Protein structure; Proteins; Proteomes; Reverse vaccinology; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Vaccine; Vaccine development; Vaccines; Vaccinology; Virulence; Portugal; Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis; Vaccine; Reverse vaccinology; Bovine genital campylobacteriosis
• ISSN: 1746-6148; 1746-6148
• DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-04006-x

Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis (BGC), a worldwide distributed venereal disease caused by Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv), has a relevant negative economic impact in cattle herds. The control of BGC is hampered by the inexistence of globally available effective vaccines. The present in silico study aimed to develop a multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Cfv through reverse vaccinology.
The analysis of Cfv strain NCTC 10354 proteome allowed the identification of 9 proteins suitable for vaccine development. From these, an outer membrane protein, OmpA, and a flagellar protein, FliK, were selected for prediction of B-cell and T-cell epitopes. The top-ranked epitopes conservancy was assessed in 31 Cfv strains. The selected epitopes were integrated to form a multi-epitope fragment of 241 amino acids, which included 2 epitopes from OmpA and 13 epitopes from FliK linked by GPGPG linkers and connected to the cholera toxin subunit B by an EAAAK linker. The vaccine candidate was predicted to be antigenic, non-toxic, non-allergenic, and soluble upon overexpression. The protein structure was predicted and optimized, and the sequence was successfully cloned in silico into a plasmid vector. Additionally, immunological simulations demonstrated the vaccine candidate's ability to stimulate an immune response.
This study developed a novel vaccine candidate suitable for further in vitro and in vivo experimental validation, which may become a useful tool for the control of BGC.