Identification of a conserved neutralizing epitope in the G-protein of Chandipura virus

Abstract

Chandipura virus (CHPV), associated with an encephalitic illness in humans, has caused multiple outbreaks with high mortality in central and western India in recent years. The present study compares surface glycoprotein (G-protein) from prototype and recent outbreak strains using in silico tools and in vitro experiments. In silico epitope predictions (B-cell and T-helper cell) for the sequences, 3D structure prediction and comparison of the G-proteins of the strains: I653514 (Year 1965), CIN0327 (Year 2003) and 148974 (Year 2014) revealed that the CHPV G-protein is stable and antigenic determinants are conserved. A monoclonal antibody developed against strain CIN0327 (named NAbC) was found to neutralize prototype I653514 as well as the currently circulating strain 148974. In silico antigen-antibody interaction studies using molecular docking of predicted structures of NAbC and G-proteins of various CHPV strains led to the identification of a conserved neutralizing epitope in the fusion domain of G-protein, which also contained a putative T-helper peptide. The identification of a conserved neutralizing epitope in domain IV (fusion domain amino acids 53 to 172) of CHPV G-protein is an important finding that may have the scope towards the development of protective targets against CHPV infection.

ArVirInd—a database of arboviral antigenic proteins from the Indian subcontinent

“…Bioinformatics plays important role in immunological studies and viral diagnostics like the design of ELISA based tests, chimeric peptides, antigen-antibody interactions, etc . ( Gangwar et al, 2011 ; Gangwar et al, 2012 ; Shil, Chavan & Cherian, 2011a ; Shil, Chavan & Cherian, 2011b ; Pavitrakar et al, 2018 ; Pavitrakar et al, 2020 ) . Hence, quick and easy data retrieval from databases is essential.…”

ArVirInd - a database of arboviral antigenic proteins from the Indian subcontinent

“…Bioinformatics plays important role in immunological studies and viral diagnostics like design of ELISA based tests, chimeric peptides, antigen-antibody interactions, etc (Gangwar et al, 2012;Gangwar et al, 2011;Shil et al, 2011b;Shil et al, 2011a;Pavitrakar et al, 2018;Pavitrakar et al, 2020). Hence, quick and easy data retrieval from databases is essential.…”

Role of cell surface vimentin in Chandipura virus replication in Neuro-2a cells

“…The amino acid sequence of CHPV G protein shares a 40% identity and 65% similarity with VSV G protein (Masters et al, 1989). The comparison study between different strains of CHPV associated with past outbreaks revealed that CHPV G protein is stable and its antigenic determinants are conserved (Pavitrakar et al, 2018).…”