In-silico Characterization and Epitope Profiling of Differentially Expressed Plasma Membrane Proteins of ‘X’ and ‘Y’ Chromosome Bearing Bovine Sperm

For the development of an immunological sperm sorting technology detection of a target protein in either X or Y chromosome-bearing sperm is mandatory. Detailed study of such proteins and finding antibodies against those sex-specific and differentially expressed proteins is the most essential step to looking forward to the immunological sexing of sperm.

The specific and differentially expressed plasma membrane proteins of bovine sex-sorted semen were selected after reviewing previous research publications related to the proteomic profile of bovine-sexed semen. The in-silico characteristics such as physicochemical properties, primary, secondary, tertiary structures, membrane topology, sub-cellular localisation, domain analysis, protein interactions and epitope profiling, both linear and discontinuous peptides were done for selected plasma membrane proteins.

The results showed the localisation of proteins, their structure, polarity, stability, domains, function and probable epitopes of various selected X and Y bovine sperm plasma membrane-specific and differentially expressed proteins. For X-specific protein CLRN3, 6 and 4 linear and discontinuous epitopes and for Y chromosome-specific protein, SCAMP1, 6 and 8 linear and discontinuous epitopes were predicted, respectively. The results of in-silico characterization and epitope prediction of various selected X and Y bovine sperm plasma membrane-specific and differentially expressed proteins would be helpful in the selection of some efficient antigenic proteins to be used for further X and Y sperm-specific antibody production or synthesis of antibodies artificially.