In Silico immunogenic prediction of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in Iraqi variants

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide since 2019. Many variants were recorded due to a change in the virus genome. Variants associated with the severity of disease. So, investigating protein structure and immune response is essential. The aim of this work is to decipher the in silico prediction of the immunological function of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in Iraqi variants. Methods: Sixteen SARS-CoV-2 genomes previously completely sequenced in the Central Public Health Laboratory, Baghdad, Iraq, were used. The physicochemical and Immunogenic Properties of the spike protein are compared among Iraqi variants and with the Wuhan variant in silico. Results: Four COVID-19 variants show two main mutations against the Wuhan variant. The Iraqi variants were found to be amphipathic and highly stable. CTLpred and ABCpred analyses were led for the detection of B and T cell epitopes. Conclusion: We conclude that Iraqi SARS-CoV-2 genomes exhibit numerous variants, which may impact the severity of the disease; these variants could serve as targets for Iraqi-specific vaccines or therapies.