Introduction (Background & Objectives) : Tuzin is a conserved trans-membrane protein expressed in both promastigote and amastigote stages of Leishmania donovani. In this survey we investigated the physicochemical and antigenic properties of the Tuzin (CAJ1992629.1) utilizing bioinformatics tools, in order to evaluate its viability as a candidate for vaccine development and serological detection of Leishmania donovani. Material & Methods : The antigenicity, allergenicity, and toxicity of the Tuzin protein were evaluated using the Vaxigen, AllerTop, and ToxinPred servers, respectively, while the ProtParam server facilitated the analysis of its physicochemical properties; additionally, linear B-cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes were predicted through the ABCpred webserver and the IEDB database, thereby enhancing the understanding of the protein's potential for immunological applications. Results : our finding showed that the Tuzin protein has antigenic properties, as evidenced by its Vaxigen score of 0.5500. The protein has been categorized as non-allergenic and non-toxic. Physicochemical analysis of the Tuzin protein has yielded a molecular weight of 62,288.57 Daltons. The protein's aliphatic index, calculated at 89.53, suggests a high degree of thermostability. The theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of the protein was ascertained to be 9.52. The Grand Average of Hydropathicity (GRAVY) index, at -0.167, indicates a polar nature with favorable interactions with water, suggesting high solubility. The molecular formula of the protein is C2736H4387N829O785S26, with a total atom count of 8,763. The solubility of the protein, as indicated by the QuerySol scaled solubility value of 0.258, suggests that the protein is likely to exhibit good solubility. Conclusion : Moreover, the study has identified several linear B-cell and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes within the Tuzin protein, all of which display high antigenicity. This finding underscores the potential of these epitopes for use in vaccine development and for the serological detection of Leishmania donovani.
