title: No human protein is exempt from bacterial motifs, not even one.
abstract: The hypothesis that mimicry between a self and a microbial peptide antigen is strictly related to autoimmune pathology remains a debated concept in autoimmunity research. Clear evidence for a causal link between molecular mimicry and autoimmunity is still lacking. In recent studies we have demonstrated that viruses and bacteria share amino acid sequences with the human proteome at such a high extent that the molecular mimicry hypothesis becomes questionable as a causal factor in autoimmunity. Expanding upon our analysis, here we detail the bacterial peptide overlapping to the human proteome at the penta-, hexa-, hepta- and octapeptide levels by exact peptide matching analysis and demonstrate that there does not exist a single human protein that does not harbor a bacterial pentapeptide or hexapeptide motif. This finding suggests that molecular mimicry between a self and a microbial peptide antigen cannot be assumed as a basis for autoimmune pathologies. Moreover, the data are discussed in relation to the microbial immune escape phenomenon and the possible vaccine-related autoimmune effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science; University of Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trost
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lucchese
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stufano
authors.forename: Mik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bickis
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kusalik
authors.forename: Darja
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanduc