{ "abstract": "Marburg virus disease (MVD), a deadly zoonotic illness in humans, is caused by the Marburg virus (MARV), a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Orthomarburgvirus genus of the Filoviridae family. There are currently no approved vaccines or efficient antiviral therapies for MARV, despite high morbidity and fatality rates of the virus, particularly in Africa. Recognizing its epidemic potential and its inclusion on the WHO list of blueprint priority pathogens, an immunoinformatics approach was used to design novel multi-epitope saRNA vaccine candidates (MB-saVaxI and MB-saVaxII) targeting the viral GP, NP, VP40, and VP35 via CD8 + , CD4 + , and B cell epitopes. These epitopes were derived from target protein sequences and incorporated into MB-saVaxI and MB-saVaxII after validation for antigenicity, non-allergenicity, non-toxicity, and conservation. Additionally, the selected epitopes were conjugated to suitable adjuvants via various linkers, thereby enabling the design of a potentially stable vaccine. Additionally, the designed MB-saVaxI and MB-saVaxII were incorporated into the standard saRNA model, in which ORF-2 encodes the target vaccine peptide. Moreover, biophysical analyses unveiled that the developed vaccines are basic (pI < 7), soluble (GRAVY < 0), and stable (aliphatic index < 80). Subsequently, docking of MB-saVaxI to TLR2 (−938.3) and TLR4 (−902.4), and MB-saVaxII to TLR3 (−1485.4) and TLR7 (−1543.6) demonstrated significant affinity, with detailed hydrogen-bond interactions validated by MM-GBSA and molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, MB-saVaxI and MB-saVaxII were effectively cloned in-silico into Escherichia coli, and immune simulations indicated that the vaccines triggered robust innate and adaptive immunity, with a sustained memory response and TH cell activation, as evidenced by IFN-γ and IL-2 production. Additionally, the mRNA structure of MB-saVaxI and MB-saVaxII remained stable throughout the expression pathway in the host. However, extensive in-vitro and in-vivo studies are needed to establish the safety and efficacy of this vaccine candidate conclusively.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.", "Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.", "Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, School of Health and Life Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.", "Department of Zoology, Government City College, Chattogram, Bangladesh.", "Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.", "Department of Microbiology, Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB), Dhaka, Bangladesh." ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 6, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Md Aftabur Rahman" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Lamyea Kabir" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Nadia Ahmed", "orcid": "0009-0006-8819-1260" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Atish Barua" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Mohammad Hasan", "orcid": "0009-0005-3563-6150" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Ahmad Abdullah Mahdeen", "orcid": "0009-0001-6706-8988" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9vrze2rc5mnqm.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361136", "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13693908", "id": "9vrze2rc5mnqm", "issns": [ "1932-6203" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361136", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "1312|vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Immune system proteins/Antigens" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Immune system proteins/Immune receptors/Toll-like receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Protein structure/Protein structure prediction" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Blood cells/White blood cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Immune cells/Antibody-producing cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Immune cells/White blood cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Signal transduction/Immune receptors/Toll-like receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/Antibody-producing cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune response" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune system proteins/Antigens" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune system proteins/Immune receptors/Toll-like receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Vaccination and immunization/Vaccine development" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Virology/Viral vaccines" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Molecular biology/Macromolecular structure analysis/Protein structure/Protein structure prediction" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Immune physiology/Antigens" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/Antibody-producing cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/B cells" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune response" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune system proteins/Antigens" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune system proteins/Immune receptors/Toll-like receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Vaccination and immunization/Vaccine development" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Infectious diseases/Infectious disease control/Vaccines" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Infectious diseases/Infectious disease control/Vaccines/Viral vaccines" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Public and occupational health/Preventive medicine/Vaccination and immunization/Vaccine development" ] ], "openalex": "W7223390961", "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13693908?pdf=render", "pmcid": "PMC13693908", "pmid": "42912726", "published": "2026-10-23", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9vrze2rc5mnqm.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0361136", "source": "plos", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0361136" }, { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:03Z", "native_id": "MED:42912726", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42912726" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:immunology", "subfield": "immunology" } ], "title": "Immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology design of self-amplifying RNA vaccine against marburg virus with structural dynamics and immune simulation analysis", "title_text": "Immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology design of self-amplifying RNA vaccine against marburg virus with structural dynamics and immune simulation analysis", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:03Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9vrze2rc5mnqm", "venue": "PLOS One", "versions": [] }