Identification of conserved peptide blocks in homologous polypeptides

摘要

Methods for identifying at least one conserved peptide block in three or more homologous polypeptides are provided and compositions comprising conserved peptides are provided. More particularly, methods for selecting conserved peptides in variable viral polypeptides for use in immunogenic compositions are provided.

主权项

1. A method for identifying at least one peptide block in a plurality of homologous polypeptides as being conserved and as comprising one or more peptides suitable for use in an immunogenic composition and manufacturing any one or more of the peptides from the identified at least one peptide block, the method comprising:
(a) identifying at least one peptide block within a multiple sequence alignment (MSA) of a plurality of homologous polypeptides, each peptide being the same length as the other peptides within the same peptide block, wherein the peptides within each of the at least one peptide block are 8-11 amino acids in length and, wherein each of the at least one peptide block is a region of homology found within the MSA, and wherein each of the at least one peptide block includes a peptide from each of the polypeptides in the MSA and comprises at least two unique peptides; (b) for each of the at least one peptide block, determining a minimum required number of unique peptides within the peptide block such that the cumulative fraction of polypeptides in the MSA comprising one or more of the unique peptides is at least 95%; (c) identifying at least one peptide block as conserved and as comprising one or more peptides suitable for use in an immunogenic composition if the minimum required number of unique peptides determined in step (b) is between 2 and 7; and (d) manufacturing any one or more of the peptides from the at least one peptide block identified as conserved and as comprising one or more peptides suitable for use in an immunogenic composition in step (c).