In silico design of a matrix (M) protein-based vaccine candidate against Newcastle disease virus

Poultry industry worldwide: Newcastle Disease (ND) is highly contagious poultry viral disease posed a major threat to the poultry industry due to millions of deaths worldwide. Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) cause recurrent epidemics due to its rapid genomic evolution. In this study, we developed an in silico vaccine against all NDV strains using matrix protein. A reverse vaccinology approach was employed to develop the vaccine. B- and T- cell epitopes that were antigenic, virulent, non-allergenic and MHC alleles binders were selected and linked via linkers. To enhance the immunogenicity EAAAK adjuvant has been linked with N-terminal of the vaccine. The 3D structure of the vaccine was constructed, refined, and validated. The vaccine showed high potential for immunogenicity, non-allergenicity, and antigenicity. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding to chicken Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), and subsequently, the in-silico immunological simulations depicted a robust and sustained immune response to the vaccine. Computational analyses suggested that the vaccine is physically stable and highly immunogenic, making it a promising candidate against NDV. This study highlights the efficacy of the vaccine design, offering a promising solution for NDV outbreaks in Pakistan and similar regions at the time of emerging infectious diseases.