Comparative proteomic analysis to annotate the structural association of the hypothetical proteins from the conserved domain of P. aeruginosa as novel vaccine candidates.

Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, identified as an ESKAPE pathogen, contributes to severe clinical diseases worldwide and despite its prevalence an effective vaccine or treatment remains elusive. Numerous computational methods are being employed to target hypothetical proteins (HPs). Presently, no studies have predicted multi-epitope vaccines for these HPs.

Results: Totally, 877 HPs from P. aeruginosa were included in the study and the data showcased here illustrate a methodical approach to prioritize the proteome by employing diverse comparative proteomics. The study employed physicochemical property assessment and conserved domain analysis to identify stable and immunologically pertinent proteins for epitope prediction. The VaxiJen2.0 antigenicity assessment aided in epitope selection, contributing to the foundational steps in vaccine development by predicting T-cell and B-cell epitopes. Potential T and B cell epitopes with high antigenicity, non-toxic categorization, and robust binding affinities were identified in the investigation. The periplasmic HP WP_132813935.1 was predicted as conserved, stable, and soluble. The T-cell peptide RTSMRALAY and the B-cell peptide MPVYLYLM were predicted to be probable non-allergen and demonstrated strong binding with MHC class I allele HLA-C*03:03.

Conclusions: This research provides a comprehensive approach to predict T and B cell epitopes for conditions associated with P. aeruginosa, offering a candidate pool for tailored vaccine development. However, the efficacy of these epitopes in vaccine development necessitates clinical validation and testing for confirmation.