Antigenicity Analysis of Different Regions of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Protein

• DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2004.031096
• Publication Date: 2004-04-06T00:14:24Z
• Authors: Zeliang Chen; Decui Pei; Lingxiao Jiang; Yajun Song; Jin Wang; Hongxia Wang; Dongsheng Zhou; Junhui Zhai; Zongmin Du; Bei Li; Maofeng Qiu; Yanping Han; Zhaobiao Guo; Ruifu Yang
• Keywords: Antigenicity; Coronavirus; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak

Abstract Background: The widespread threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to human health has made urgent the development fast and accurate analytical methods for its early diagnosis a safe efficient antiviral vaccine preventive use. For this purpose, we investigated antigenicity different regions SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid (N) protein. Methods: cDNA full-length N protein various from SARS-CoV was cloned expressed in Escherichia coli. After purification, all fragments were printed on glass slides fabricate microarray then probed with sera patients determine reactivity these fragments. Results: two other reacted 52 tested. Four important possible epitopes identified named as EP1 (amino acids 51–71), EP2 (134–208), EP3 (249–273), EP4 (349–422), respectively. possessed linear epitopes, whereas able form conformational that could react most (>80%) tested sera. also formed antibodies against existed Conclusion: is highly immunogenic SARS-CoV. Conformational are protein, COOH terminus higher than NH2 terminus. potential diagnostic antigen candidate