Our and others’ previous researches have shown that G2 PEDV strains
showed insertions and deletions in the S gene, especially in the NTD of
the S gene, when compared with G1 PEDV strains. To analyze whether these
insertions and deletions result in changes in antigenicity of S protein,
comparative antigenicity and hydrophilicity analyses of NTD of G1 and G2
PEDV S protein were carried out. Comparison of antigenic index profiles
of the NTD between G1 and G2 PEDV S protein strain indicated
that
two regions containing amino acid deletions/insertions/mutations
exhibited
higher degree of antigenic change. One region spans from aa 55 to 70/74,
another spans from aa 114/118 to 163/166. Two new potential N-linked
glycosylation sites (NST and NAT) were present in the S protein of G2
PEDV strains (Figure 1).