Antiviral peptide synthesis and validation to target fish nervous necrosis virus (NNV) coat protein

The family Nodaviridae’s neural necrosis virus (NNV) causes viral encephalopathy and retinopathy in a wide range of fish species, resulting in widespread death. This research suggests a less expensive and more alternative strategy to developing vaccinations against diseases that are causing fisheries productivity to decline. More than 40 species of Teleosts are affected by Betanodavirus in their fries and larval stages. Coat protein and its interactions with neural receptor domains aid viral RNA entrance into the target neuron cytosol. We have selected epitope CRWSVRLSV from coat proteins. As per bio-computational tools greater than ∼1000 epitopes are selected. Six immunogenic epitopes were then further analyzed by molecular docking as well as simulation study to bring out finalized epitope CRWSVRLSV. We generated an epitope derived from Capsid protein that can be easily targeted by fish immune systems, as evidenced by basic laboratory confirmations. From the results represented in the study, it can be considered that CRWSVRLSV (up to 40 pg/mL) showed the antigen and antibody reaction and found concentration of the antibody was in the range of 200.61538 to 946.775.