A pan-genomic analysis based multi-epitope vaccine development by targeting Stenotrophomonas maltophilia using reverse vaccinology method: An in-silico approach

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria leads to high mortality rates and healthcare costs, a significant concern for public health. A colonizer of the human respiratory system, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is frequently associated with hospital-acquired infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis, cancer, and other chronic illnesses. It is a multidrug-resistant pathogen without an approved vaccine. A multi-epitope vaccine against S. maltophilia has been developed using genomic analysis, reverse vaccination, and immunoinformatic methods. By analyzing 81 complete genomes of S. maltophilia strains, it was estimated that there are 1945 core proteins, with 191 of them expected to be virulent. Out of the virulent proteins, three were selected for epitope prediction. Seven epitopes each from CTL, HTL, and B cell were chosen for vaccine development. The vaccine was refined and validated, showing highly antigenic and desirable physicochemical features. Molecular docking assessments revealed stable binding with TLR-4. Molecular dynamic simulation demonstrated stable dynamics with minor alterations. The immune simulation showed similar immune reactions to real life. These results suggest that the vaccine has promising immune receptor binding capabilities and can induce potent immune responses. Further evidence from studies in mice models is needed to confirm immune protection against S. maltophilia .