Mapping T and B lymphocyte epitopes of bovine herpesvirus-1 glycoprotein B

Glycoprotein B (gB) is a major envelope protein of bovine herpesvirus-1 (BH V-1), As a subunit vaccine, the extracellular domain of recombinant gB indu ces neutralizing antibody and T cell responses that engender protection aga inst virus challenge. Here, lymphocytes from animals of different parentage were analysed for T cell proliferation to the gB extracellular domain for immune recognition. Four truncated overlapping gB gene segments encoding 74 2 amino acids were expressed from a baculovirus vector to identify antigeni c regions. One immunodominant region (amino acids 254-532) was recognized b y T cells from immune individuals of different parentage. Serial synthetic peptides spanning this region localized the T cell (amino acids 319-340 and 415-436) and B cell (amino acids 331-352, 475-496 and 487-508) epitopes. E lucidation of gB epitopes indicates the diverse and distinctive recognition by T cells and antibodies of this envelope glycoprotein by cattle, the nat ural host of BHV-1.