Development and Validation of a Peptide Diagnostic Assay Derived from the SARS-CoV-2 Membrane Glycoprotein (M Protein)

This research describes the development of a peptide-based diagnostic tool targeting the SARS-CoV-2 membrane glycoprotein (M protein). By identifying and selecting curated epitopes from the viral structure, we evaluated the performance of the M1 and M1i peptide sequences for the detection of Anti-M1 antibodies.Key Research Highlights:Target Identification: Focus on the membrane glycoprotein, a critical structural component of SARS-CoV-2.Epitope Selection: Utilization of curated epitopes (M1: CADSNGTITVEELKKLLEQC-am; M1i: MADSNGTITVEELKKLLEQC-am) to capture specific immune responses.Diagnostic Performance: Testing on samples from 544 participants against biobanked controls revealed a posthoc (Youden J) sensitivity of 95.26% and a specificity of 52.27%.Clinical Application: Demonstrates the feasibility of using M-protein peptide analogs in serological screening and diagnostic development.This work contributes to the broadening of COVID-19 serology beyond the spike protein, offering insights into the diagnostic utility of the membrane protein for comprehensive viral surveillance.This was originally presented at the 25th UP Manila S&T Week.