Unveiling the Molecular Landscape of Bovine Papillomavirus E6 Gene in Iraqi Cattle: Implications for Genetic Variations, 3D Structure, and Immunogenic Epitopes

Abdul-zahra, Hassan Hadi; Khudhair, Yahia Ismail; Al-hraishawi, Husam R.

doi:10.29079/qjvms.2025.155334.1049

	Unveiling the Molecular Landscape of Bovine Papillomavirus E6 Gene in Iraqi Cattle: Implications for Genetic Variations, 3D Structure, and Immunogenic Epitopes
Al-Qadisiyah Journal of Veterinary Medicine Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 1, January 2025, Pages 79-94 PDF (911.46 K)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.29079/qjvms.2025.155334.1049
Authors
Hassan Hadi Abdul-zahra¹; Yahia Ismail Khudhair^* ²; Husam R. Al-hraishawi³
¹AL-Hela veterinary hospital, Ministry of agriculture, Iraq
²Department of Internal and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq
³Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Misan, Misan, Iraq
Abstract
The E6 gene is encodes a minor oncoprotein that highly expressed in PV-infected host. Antibodies targeting E6 may have the potential to eliminate PV infection. This study focused on molecular and bioinformatics analysis of the E6 gene, encompassing identification of genetic variations, 3D structure prediction, and epitope prediction. 50 tumor samples were collected from cattle with papilloma like lesions from Al-Qadisiyah, province, Iraq. Samples submitted to PCR based on amplifying the complete E6 gene. Various bioinformatics tools were utilized to analyze physicochemical properties, tertiary structures of deduced protein, and predict immunodominant epitopes for B and T cells. 42 out of 50 (84%) cattle were found to be infected with BPV. Sequence analysis of ten samples identified BPV-1 as the predominant type in the region. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close genetic relationship with Deltapapillomavirus 4. Genetic analysis identified seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including four synonymous mutations at nucleotides residues of 48,303, 210, 345, and three non-synonymous mutations (His38/Arg, Lys99/Gln, and Asp126/Asn). The E6 protein was found to contain at least four continuous B-cell epitopes and four T-cell epitopes, all of which exhibited strong immunogenicity and high sequence conservation. The mutations are located within loop regions of the predicted structure. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular characteristics of the E6 gene of BPV circulating in Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq. The predicted B-cell and T-cell epitopes characterized by high immunogenicity and sequence conservation, offer promising targets for the development of diagnostic tests and potential vaccine candidates.
Keywords
Bovine papillomavirus; Epitopes; in silica analysis; Iraq; Mutation

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