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Bcipep: a database of B-cell epitopes.
Sudipto Saha1, Manoj Bhasin, Gajendra P S Raghava
1Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh, India. saha@imtech.res.in <saha@imtech.res.in>
BMC Genomics
|June 1, 2005
Summary
The Bcipep database consolidates experimentally validated linear B-cell epitopes from diverse pathogens. This resource aids researchers in peptide-based vaccine design and epitope prediction studies.
Area of Science:
- Immunoinformatics
- Computational Biology
- Molecular Immunology
Background:
- B-cell epitopes are crucial for adaptive immunity and vaccine development.
- Existing epitope data is fragmented across various literature and databases.
- A centralized, curated repository is needed for efficient research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present Bcipep, a comprehensive database of linear B-cell epitopes.
- To curate experimentally determined epitope data from diverse sources.
- To provide tools for data analysis and facilitate access to related biological information.
Main Methods:
- Data collection from scientific literature and public databases.
- Curation and annotation of epitope information, including immunogenicity.
- Development of integrated analysis tools such as keyword search, peptide mapping, and BLAST search.
Main Results:
- The Bcipep database version 1.0 contains 3031 entries.
- Entries include immunodominant (763), immunogenic (1797), and null-immunogenic (471) epitopes.
- The database covers epitopes from viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, with links to external databases.
Conclusions:
- Bcipep offers a valuable, centralized resource for B-cell epitope research.
- It supports advancements in peptide-based vaccine design, diagnostics, and allergy research.
- The database is a promising platform for developing and validating B-cell epitope prediction methods.