In Silico Analysis of a Multi-subunit Immunogen, Targeting Virulence Factors of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains are foodborne pathogens with importance in public health. The lack of effective clinical treatment, sequelae after infection and mortality rate in humans confirms the essential need for prophylactic and vaccines approaches. EspA, Tir, HcpA and Stx2 are major virulence factors for adherence and toxicity of EHEC, so an appropriate tetravalent immunogen consist of toxin subunit and crucial colonization factors was selected and constructed. Bioinformatic analyses of recombinant construction such as sequences choosing and optimizing, mRNA folding, physicochemical property in 2D and 3D structures, besides other immunoinformatics data like B-cell and T-cell epitopes and allergenicity of chimera were some reported according to the reliable servers. In silico assessment of the chimeric proteins demonstrated the desired model has a proper mRNA features, besides acceptable stability and solubility. This model is close to native proteins topologically, and all domains were found to have a high antigenic competency and surface accessibility. These results can be beneficial for the development of a chimeric immunogen against adherence and toxicity of EHEC in an animal model application.