Prediction of B Cell Epitopes and Overexpression of Truncated VP19c of Duck Enteritis Virus in Escherichia Coli

Prediction of B cell epitopes of duck enteritis virus (DEV) VP19c protein encoded by UL38 gene and expression in prokaryotic system were described in the present study. The major antigenic portion of VP19c protein of DEV was predicted and corresponding gene was amplified from the extracted DNA and cloned. The recombinant expression construction(pPAL7-truncated UL38) was identified by the polymerase chain reaction, restriction enzyme and sequencing analysis. The profinity eXact affinity-tagged fusion truncated VP19c protein with a molecular mass of 35 kDa was expressed by IPTG induction and was purified to near homogeneity by extracting inclusion bodies(IBs) as judged by sodium dodesyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. The purified truncated VP19c protein was recognized by antibody to DEV in western blot analysis.