Computational Sensitive Quantitative Predictions of MHC Binding Peptides from Dracunculus medinensis

Abstract

“Dracunculus medinensis” the Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) causing agent belong to the member of ‘Dracunculidae’ family. The infectious female nematode which is up to 800 mm (31 in) in length is the causative agent of the Guinea worm disease in the humans. Cyclops are the intermediate host of this infectious parasite. The healthy individual drinks or consume the contaminated water with Cyclops, which carries the infectious larvae of the Guinea Worm Disease. For the selection of the nonamers, the antigenic peptide the fragments of specific protein can be used, which can be further utilizing for the rational vaccine design and to increase the understanding the immune system response against the disease. The encouraging outcomes of the MHCII (Major Histocompatibility Complex II) analysis shows that the antigenic peptide of the Guinea Worm Disease are important determinant for the protection of the host from parasitic infection. In this study, the Position Specific Scoring Matrices (PSSM) and Support Vector Machine (SVM)-algorithms has been use for antigenic design and prediction of the binding affinity of the antigen having the 88 amino acids long residue, which shows 80 nonamers. The binding ability of the antigen to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules prediction will be helpful in the near future for specific targeted drug designing for the Guinea Worm Disease.