1. Introduction to COVID-19
Novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a member of the enveloped RNA virus family, novel coronavirus, which was discovered at the end of 2019. This family of viruses includes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus and severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus, both of which can cause severe infection of human respiratory system. The virus caused COVID-19, a disease that has never been found in humans before. At present, the epidemic situation of novel coronavirus has been listed as a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO). There is no prophylactic vaccine for novel coronavirus at present.
SARS- CoV-2 belongs to the same genus of coronavirus as SARS- CoV, which caused the outbreak of severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003. By considering the genetic similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, the team used immune data determined by the experiment to identify a set of SARS-CoV-derived B and T cell epitopes that match SARS-CoV-2 exactly. Epitopes are biomarkers recognized by the immune system and can trigger action against the virus. Since no mutations have been found in the identified epitopes in the existing SARS-CoV-2 gene sequence, immune targeting of these epitopes may provide protection against new pneumonia COVID-19.
2. Brief Introduction to the Research
The team, led by data scientists Professor Matthew McKay and Dr. Ahmed Abdul Quadeer, hopes their work will help guide experimental research on an effective vaccine against SARS- CoV-2.
Professor McKay stressed: “although there are similarities between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, there are genetic variations between them, and it is not clear whether the epitopes that cause immune response to SARS-CoV may be effective against SARS-CoV. We found that only about 20% of the SARS-CoV epitopes are exactly the same as SARS-CoV-2, and we think these epitopes are promising candidates.”
“We also conducted a population coverage analysis of identified T cell epitopes and identified a set of epitopes that are expected to provide extensive coverage globally and in China,” Dr. Quadeer said. The estimated population coverage represents the percentage of individuals in the selected population that may trigger an immune response to at least one identified epitope.
Professor McKay is a professor in the Department of Electronic and computer Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering; Dr. Quadeer is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Electronic and computer Engineering. Their findings were published this month in the science journal Viruses.
Professor McKay added: “our goal is to help orient the initial phase of vaccine development by providing advice on specific epitopes that may be included in vaccine design. More broadly, our work is part of a global effort to use COVID-19 data available and quickly shared by the scientific community to understand the new virus and to propose effective interventions.”