Hong Kong researchers identify coronavirus vaccine targets

Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have discovered vaccine targets with the potential to facilitate the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus. Genetic sequences of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, are closely related to SARS, a type of coronavirus responsible for an outbreak in 2003. HKUST team identified certain B cell and T cell epitopes derived from SARS. These epitopes are protein fragments capable of inducing an immune response against SARS, expected to trigger a similar response against SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, according to the team, the findings could aid the development of effective Covid-19 vaccines. HKUST professor Matthew MCKAY said: “While an effective SARS vaccine was never formally released, a lot of experiments had been done to identify SARS epitopes that can induce an immune response in humans. “Among the SARS epitopes that can trigger an immune action, we found a small fraction which exists in both SARS and COVID-19, with...