Predicting the Immunogenic Potential of Herpes Virus Type 2 Glycoprotein B Antigenic Domains

Based on a combination of modeling and structural analysis methods with immunoinformatic algorithms for digital prediction, structural elements, i.e., subdomains, also called antigenic domains, enriched in B- and T-cell antigenic determinants (epitopes), of the surface ectodomain of glycoprotein B (EctoGB) of human herpes simplex virus type 2 are found and their immunogenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity are predicted. It is established that the proximal β-ribbon domain of EctoGB (subP) adjacent to the viral envelope has the maximum immunogenic potential, which corresponds to the results of an experimental analysis carried out on the EctoGB model of human herpes virus type 5. Further studies of subP will contribute to the development of a new antiherpetic vaccine, and the proposed methodology can be used to search for antigenic domains of viruses of various families.