[ad_1]
Indian researchers have identified three drug target sites in the genome of Streptococcus pneumoniae, paving the way for the development of new drugs to treat pneumococcal disease.
Streptococcus pneumoniae quickly acquired resistance to several available drugs. This has prompted scientists to look for potential drug targets in the genome of the pathogen.
Over the years, various studies have shown that a set of genome sequences called potential G-Quadruplex motifs (PGQs) are present in regulatory regions of the genome of different organisms and form unique structures called G-Quadruplex, which influence various biological processes. like DNA replication, recombination and gene expression through the genes where they are located.
In this new study, a group of scientists from the Indian Institute of Indore Technology and the Thai Institute of Health Sciences and Technology (THSTI), Faridabad, identified three potential G-Quadruplex motifs in Streptococcus pneumoniae in three essential genes called hsdS, recD, and pmrA.
S addressing India Science Wire, Dr. Amit Kumar of the Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering discipline at IIT Indore, who led the team, said, "Previous studies have already shown that the three genes, where the potential motifs of G-Quadruplex were found, play a vital role in providing virulence to the bacterium by participating in the host-pathogen interaction, the drug-flux system and the recombination-repair system. Now we went further. The genomic sequences we have identified may be promising target sites for Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. "
When asked about the next step, he said he and his team were working on the development of a small molecule that could be attached to the genomic sequences forming G-Quadruplex structures and thus preventing the expression of genes responsible for the virulence of the pathogen. . "We already have very optimistic results. But there is still work to be done »
Dr. Amit Kumar and his colleagues conducted the study in collaboration with Dr. Tarun K. Sharma of Faridabad Institute of Health Research and Translational Technology (THSTI) and his team. A report on the work was published in the scientific journal Nature's Scientific Reports. In addition to Dr. Amit Kumar and Dr. Tarun Sharma, Dr. Subodh K Mishra, Dr. Armita Tawani, Neha Jain and Uma Shankar participated in the study.
[ad_2]
Source link
