In Silico Prediction and Evaluation of E. coli Expressed Recombinant HA Protein of Avian Influenza Virus.

The H9N2 strain of the avian influenza virus has emerged to infect poultry during the last few years. Besides antiviral treatment development of an effective vaccine to combat a high mortality rate is the need of time. As a step towards the development of the vaccine for the H9N2 strain of avian influenza virus HA gene was chosen as the immunogenic antigen because it is highly conserved among H9N2 strain of avian influenza virus. Moreover, immunogenic regions within HA gene may contain potential immunogenic epitopes. The specificity of HA protein produced from E. coli was confirmed through an antibody-antigen reaction on the nitrocellulose membrane. The appearance of 67 KDa protein on the nitrocellulose membrane confirmed its specificity. The intraperitoneal immunization of mice with HA protein along with enhancer (ferund adjuvants) was done and produced antibodies in serum was detected by immunodot blotting assay. The appearance of the dot on spotted position confirmed the specificity of anti-HA antibodies. The titer of antibody produced in immunogenic mice was determined through ELISA. The highest geometric mean titer of HA-specific serum IgG, which was greater as compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]