An integrated in silico immuno-genetic analytical platform provides insights into COVID-19 serological and vaccine targets

• Main Authors: Daniel Ward, Matthew Higgins, Jody E. Phelan, Martin L. Hibberd, Susana Campino, Taane G. Clark
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2021-01-01
• Series: Genome Medicine
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2; COVID; Human-coronavirus; Immuno-informatics; Mutation; Epitopes
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13073-020-00822-6

Abstract During COVID-19, diagnostic serological tools and vaccines have been developed. To inform control activities in a post-vaccine surveillance setting, we have developed an online “immuno-analytics” resource that combines epitope, sequence, protein and SARS-CoV-2 mutation analysis. SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins are both vaccine and serological diagnostic targets. Using the tool, the nucleocapsid protein appears to be a sub-optimal target for use in serological platforms. Spike D614G (and nsp12 L314P) mutations were most frequent (> 86%), whilst spike A222V/L18F have recently increased. Also, Orf3a proteins may be a suitable target for serology. The tool can accessed from: http://genomics.lshtm.ac.uk/immuno (online); https://github.com/dan-ward-bio/COVID-immunoanalytics (source code).