Journal of Health & Medical Informatics

Information Entropy and Protein Secondary Structure in the ZEBOVMakona Ebola Virus Glycoprotein

Abstract

Joel K Weltman*

Abstract The current epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) is caused by Zaire Ebola virus-Makona variant. Results are presented indicating that 88% of the information entropy (H) in the ZEBOV-Makona glycoprotein (GP1,2) was distributed to amino acids residing in random coil structures. In contrast, only 12% of the total H was due to mutations of amino acids in helical and extended sheet secondary structures. It is proposed that some of the H in random coils may represent mutational escape from host defense while the paucity of H in helical and extended sheet structures may reflect conformational constraints on mutation. By relating GP1,2 secondary structure and H in regions of GP1,2, this research helps to computationally identify potential targets for the design of anti-Ebola vaccines and drugs.