Development of a Novel Multi-Epitope Vaccine Against Streptococcus anginosus Infection via Reverse Vaccinology Approach.

Abstract

Streptococcus anginosus is an opportunistic pathogen known for its capability to cause a broad range of infections, posing a significant and growing global health concern. Alongside enhancing diagnostic capabilities and bolstering public health initiatives, developing a safe and effective vaccine represents a promising strategy to tackle this health challenge. In this paper, we employed an array of bioinformatics tools to engineer a subunit vaccine that exhibits high immunogenicity against S. anginosus. After constructing the multi-epitope vaccine, we subsequently predicted its secondary and tertiary protein structures. After refining and validating the modelled structure, we utilised advanced computational approaches, including molecular docking and dynamic simulations, to evaluate the binding affinity, compatibility, and stability of the vaccine-adjuvant complexes. Eventually, in silico cloning was conducted to optimise protein expression and production. The multi-epitope subunit vaccine we developed showed properties in antigenicity and immunity theoretically. The computational study revealed that this vaccine demonstrates significant efficacy against S. anginosus.