T-cell epitope prediction, the influence of amino acids physicochemical propeterties and frequencies on identifying MHC binding ligands

Abstract

Binding of peptides to MHC class I molecules is essential and the most selective step that determines T cell epitopes. Therefore, prediction of MHC-peptide binding presents the principal basis for anticipating potential T cell epitopes. The immense relevance of epitope identification in vaccine design has prompted the development of many computational methods. All of them have advantages and drawbacks. Although some available methods have reasonable accuracy, there is no guarantee that all models produce good quality predictions [1]. The aim of computational methods is to reduce the laboratory expensive experiments [2], that is way every effort to improve performance of existing methods or make reliable new method is important.