In silico evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry neck proteins (TgRONs) for potential immunogenic epitopes

Authors

  • Masoud Foroutan Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Abadan University of Med-ical Sciences, Abadan, Iran; P.O. Box: 6313833177; Tel: +98-61-53265361; E-mail: masoud_foroutan_rad@yahoo.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8661-7217
  • Hany M. Elsheikha School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK; Tel: +44 01159516445; E-mail: Hany.Elsheikha@nottingham.ac.uk https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3303-930X
  • Amir Karimipour-Saryazdi Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6028-8638
  • Ali Dalir Ghaffari Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9635-2876
  • Fatemeh Ghaffarifar Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0891-8214
  • Hamidreza Majidiani Healthy Aging Research Centre, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5568-1366

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2025-8304

Keywords:

In silico analysis, immunoinformatics, rhoptry neck protein, Toxoplasma gondii, vaccine

Abstract

This immunoinformatics-based study utilized a suite of online predictive tools to characterize the structural and immunogenic properties of Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry neck proteins (TgRONs). Full-length amino acid sequences of TgRON2, TgRON4, TgRON4L1, TgRON5, TgRON8, TgRON9, TgRON10, and TgRON13 were retrieved from ToxoDB and subjected to comprehensive analysis. Except for TgRON4L1, all proteins were predicted to be possess antigenic potential, with none identified as allergenic. Solubility predictions indicated that TgRON9 and TgRON10 are the most likely to be expressed as soluble antigens. Aliphatic index values, ranging from 51.17 to 84.63, suggest acceptable thermostability, while negative GRAVY scores across all proteins indicate favorable hydrophilicity. Additionally, multiple post-translational modification sites were identified, underscoring the functional complexity of these antigens. Initial 3D structure modeling showed that 60.21-92.41 % of residues fell within favored regions on Ramachandran plots, with refinement increasing this to 92.27-98.58 %, reflecting substantial improvements in structural quality. Several potential T-cell (CTL and HTL) and B-cell epitopes were predicted for all candidate proteins. Immune simulation models further suggested that these antigens could elicit robust humoral and cellular immune responses when delivered in a three-dose regimen at four-week intervals. These findings offer valuable preliminary insights and support the further investigation of TgRONs, particularly TgRON9 and TgRON10, as promising targets for experimental validation in the development of vaccines against T. gondii infection.

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Published

2025-07-10

How to Cite

Foroutan, M., Elsheikha, H. M., Karimipour-Saryazdi, A., Dalir Ghaffari, A., Ghaffarifar, F., & Majidiani, H. (2025). In silico evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry neck proteins (TgRONs) for potential immunogenic epitopes . EXCLI Journal, 24, 749–773. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2025-8304

Issue

Vol. 24 (2025)

Section

Original articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Masoud Foroutan, Hany M. Elsheikha, Amir Karimipour-Saryazdi, Ali Dalir Ghaffari, Fatemeh Ghaffarifar, Hamidreza Majidiani

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