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Palit P, Chowdhury FT, Baruah N, Sarkar B, Mou SN, Kamal M, Siddiqua TJ, Noor Z, Ahmed T. A Comprehensive Computational Investigation into the Conserved Virulent Proteins of Shigella species Unveils Potential Small-Interfering RNA Candidates as a New Therapeutic Strategy against Shigellosis. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27061936. [PMID: 35335300 PMCID: PMC8950558 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Shigella species account for the second-leading cause of deaths due to diarrheal diseases among children of less than 5 years of age. The emergence of multi-drug-resistant Shigella isolates and the lack of availability of Shigella vaccines have led to the pertinence in the efforts made for the development of new therapeutic strategies against shigellosis. Consequently, designing small-interfering RNA (siRNA) candidates against such infectious agents represents a novel approach to propose new therapeutic candidates to curb the rampant rise of anti-microbial resistance in such pathogens. In this study, we analyzed 264 conserved sequences from 15 different conserved virulence genes of Shigella sp., through extensive rational validation using a plethora of first-generation and second-generation computational algorithms for siRNA designing. Fifty-eight siRNA candidates were obtained by using the first-generation algorithms, out of which only 38 siRNA candidates complied with the second-generation rules of siRNA designing. Further computational validation showed that 16 siRNA candidates were found to have a substantial functional efficiency, out of which 11 siRNA candidates were found to be non-immunogenic. Finally, three siRNA candidates exhibited a sterically feasible three-dimensional structure as exhibited by parameters of nucleic acid geometry such as: the probability of wrong sugar puckers, bad backbone confirmations, bad bonds, and bad angles being within the accepted threshold for stable tertiary structure. Although the findings of our study require further wet-lab validation and optimization for therapeutic use in the treatment of shigellosis, the computationally validated siRNA candidates are expected to suppress the expression of the virulence genes, namely: IpgD (siRNA 9) and OspB (siRNA 15 and siRNA 17) and thus act as a prospective tool in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. However, the findings of our study require further wet-lab validation and optimization for regular therapeutic use for treatment of shigellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parag Palit
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (P.P.); (M.K.); (T.J.S.); (T.A.)
| | - Farhana Tasnim Chowdhury
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; (F.T.C.); (B.S.); (S.N.M.)
| | - Namrata Baruah
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh, India;
| | - Bonoshree Sarkar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; (F.T.C.); (B.S.); (S.N.M.)
| | - Sadia Noor Mou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; (F.T.C.); (B.S.); (S.N.M.)
| | - Mehnaz Kamal
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (P.P.); (M.K.); (T.J.S.); (T.A.)
| | - Towfida Jahan Siddiqua
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (P.P.); (M.K.); (T.J.S.); (T.A.)
| | - Zannatun Noor
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (P.P.); (M.K.); (T.J.S.); (T.A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Tahmeed Ahmed
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (P.P.); (M.K.); (T.J.S.); (T.A.)
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