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OJBTM
 Online Journal of
          Bioinformatics © 
  Volume 15 (1): 1-34, 2014.
A
          novel
          strategy of In silico
          peptide vaccine design for Streptococcus mutans.
Brittany
Bower
            and Anton Dormer MD MS.*
Washington
          Adventist University,
          7600 Flower Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912 (301)
          891-4229, USA
          *Corresponding author 
ABSTRACT
Bower
            B,
            Dormer A., A novel In silico
            peptide vaccine design
            for Streptococcus mutans, Onl
            J Bioinform  15(1):1-34,
            2014. Several
          attempts have been made towards the
          development of a viable vaccine for Streptococcus
            mutans (S. Mutans).
          This Gram positive bacterium is found within
          the oral cavity of humans and is a main inducer of dental
          caries.  The
          objective of this study is to identify
          potential peptide vaccine candidates targeted to treat a
          primary cause of
          dental caries. The hypothesis is that through the use of In silico tools,
          T-cell restricted epitopes
          targeted to S. Mutans
          can be recognized as potentials for therapeutic development. The novel approach
            adapted for this
            study includes the use of predicted algorithms, QSAR, and
            protein fold level
            simulation analysis in order to identify B-cell and T-cell
            peptide vaccine
            candidates from S. Mutans
            glucosyltransferase D (GtfD)
            protein structure: a key enzyme  dental
            caries pathogenesis.  One
            B-cell
            (EDDKAASESSQTDAPKTKQA) (20-mer) and five B-cell epitope
            originated T-cell
            restricted epitopes to MHC Class I HLA-A*0201
            (GQDMKITYV)(9-mer), -A*0204
            (QIDGKYYYI)(9-mer), -B*2705 (KRYFDDGSG)(9-mer), and MHC
            Class II HLA-DRB1*0101
            (NNWYYFGSDGVAVTG)(15-mer), and -DRB1*0401
            (KIETKISQTQQTQWL)(15-mer) were
            identified. The MHC Class I and Class II restricted peptides
            predicted in this
            study would stimulate T-cytotoxic (CD8+) and T-helper (CD4+)
            lymphocytes,
            respectively. This design could be used to stimulate CD8+,
            CD4+, and B-cells,
            all aspects of the adaptive immune system. Therefore, these
            restricted epitopes
            are designed to induce both a humoral and cellular
            immunological responses for
            use in a multi-valent vaccine.
            As with all epitopes
            selected by In silico
            tools In Vitro and In Vivo experimental verification will be the
            next step. 
KEYWORDS:
          S.
          Mutans, dental caries, vaccine,
          enzyme GtfD.