Prediction of Pan‐Specific B‐Cell Epitopes From Nucleocapsid Protein of Hantaviruses Causing Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome

ABSTRACT Hantaviruses are emerging viral pathogens that causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the Americas, a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease in humans with a case fatality rate of ≥50%. IgM and IgG‐based serological detection methods are the most common approaches used for laboratory diagnosis of hantaviruses. Such emerging viral pathogens emphasizes the need for improved rapid diagnostic devices and vaccines incorporating pan‐specific epitopes of genotypes. We predicted linear B‐cell epitopes for hantaviruses that are specific to genotypes causing HCPS in humans using in silico prediction servers. We modeled the Andes and Sin Nombre hantavirus nucleocapsid protein to locate the identified epitopes. Based on the mean percent prediction probability score, epitope IMASKSVGS/TAEEKLKKKSAF was identified as the best candidate B‐cell epitope specific for hantaviruses causing HCPS. Promiscuous epitopes were identified in the C‐terminal of the protein. Our study for the first time has reported pan‐specific B‐cell epitopes for developing immunoassays in the detection of antibodies to hantaviruses causing HCPS. Identification of epitopes with pan‐specific recognition of all genotypes causing HCPS could be valuable for the development of immunodiagnositic tools toward pan‐detection of hantavirus antibodies in ELISA. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2320–2324, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hantaviruses causes severe, respiratory disease in humans with high case fatality rate. Our study for the first time has reported pan‐specific B‐cell epitopes for developing immunoassays in the detection of antibodies to hantaviruses causing HCPS. Identification of epitopes with pan‐specific recognition of all genotypes causing HCPS could be valuable for the development of immunodiagnositic tools towards pan‐detection of hantavirus antibodies in ELISA.