TEST: a Web-based T-cell epitope search tool

Presents the World Wide Web-based tool TEST (T-cell Epitope Search Tool) for searching T-cell epitopes based on experimental data from positional scanning synthesized combinatorial libraries (PS-SCL). Implemented with a strong statistical analysis package, a relational database and Java applets, the TEST tool first generates a scoring matrix and then uses the matrix to scan and score all possible peptides in the user-specified protein database. Laboratory information management, such as data storage, data retrieval and data comparison, is also provided. The TEST tool has been applied to a variety of T-cell clones having known or unknown specificities with reliable predictions. The system should prove useful for the identification of target antigens in infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders and tumors, and also for the development of vaccines