Prediction and expression analysis of deleterious nonsynonymous SNPs of Arabidopsis ACD11 gene by combining computational algorithms and molecular docking approach

Accelerated cell death 11 (ACD11) is an autoimmune gene that suppresses pathogen infection in plants by preventing plant cells from becoming infected by any pathogen. This gene is widely known for growth inhibition, premature leaf chlorosis, and defense-related programmed cell death (PCD) in seedlings before flowering in Arabidopsis plant. Specific amino acid changes in the ACD11 protein’s highly conserved domains are linked to autoimmune symptoms including constitutive defensive responses and necrosis without pathogen awareness. The molecular aspect of the aberrant activity of the ACD11 protein is difficult to ascertain. The purpose of our study was to find the most deleterious mutation position in the ACD11 protein and correlate them with their abnormal expression pattern. Using several computational methods, we discovered PCD vulnerable single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ACD11. We analysed the RNA-Seq data, identified the detrimental nonsynonymous SNPs (nsSNP), built genetically mutated protein structures and used molecular docking to assess the impact of mutation. Our results demonstrated that the A15T and A39D mutations in the GLTP domain were likely to be extremely detrimental mutations that inhibit the expression of the ACD11 protein domain by destabilizing its composition, as well as disrupt its catalytic effectiveness. When compared to the A15T mutant, the A39D mutant was more likely to destabilize the protein structure. In conclusion, these mutants can aid in the better understanding of the vast pool of PCD susceptibilities connected to ACD11 gene GLTP domain activation.     

HIV-2 Integrase Variation in Integrase Inhibitor-Na?ve Adults in Senegal,West Africa

Background

Antiretroviral therapy for HIV-2 infection is hampered by intrinsic resistance to many of the drugs used to treat HIV-1. Limited studies suggest that the integrase inhibitors (INIs) raltegravir and elvitegravir have potent activity against HIV-2 in culture and in infected patients. There is a paucity of data on genotypic variation in HIV-2 integrase that might confer intrinsic or transmitted INI resistance.

Methods

We PCR amplified and analyzed 122 HIV-2 integrase consensus sequences from 39 HIV-2–infected, INI-naive adults in Senegal, West Africa. We assessed genetic variation and canonical mutations known to confer INI-resistance in HIV-1.

Results

No amino acid-altering mutations were detected at sites known to be pivotal for INI resistance in HIV-1 (integrase positions 143, 148 and 155). Polymorphisms at several other HIV-1 INI resistance-associated sites were detected at positions 72, 95, 125, 154, 165, 201, 203, and 263 of the HIV-2 integrase protein.

Conclusion

Emerging genotypic and phenotypic data suggest that HIV-2 is susceptible to the new class of HIV integrase inhibitors. We hypothesize that intrinsic HIV-2 integrase variation at “secondary” HIV-1 INI-resistance sites may affect the genetic barrier to HIV-2 INI resistance. Further studies will be needed to assess INI efficacy as part of combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-2–infected patients.     

Rapid Molecular Detection of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis by PCR-Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Immunoassay

Several existing molecular tests for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are limited by complexity and cost, hindering their widespread application. The objective of this proof of concept study was to develop a simple Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow (NALF) immunoassay as a potential diagnostic alternative, to complement conventional PCR, for the rapid molecular detection of MDR-TB. The NALF device was designed using antibodies for the indirect detection of labeled PCR amplification products. Multiplex PCR was optimized to permit the simultaneous detection of the drug resistant determining mutations in the 81-bp hot spot region of the rpoB gene (rifampicin resistance), while semi-nested PCR was optimized for the S315T mutation detection in the katG gene (isoniazid resistance). The amplification process additionally targeted a conserved region of the genes as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) DNA control. The optimized conditions were validated with the H37Rv wild-type (WT) Mtb isolate and Mtb isolates with known mutations (MT) within the rpoB and katG genes. Results indicate the correct identification of WT (drug susceptible) and MT (drug resistant) Mtb isolates, with the least limit of detection (LOD) being 10⁴ genomic copies per PCR reaction. NALF is a simple, rapid and low-cost device suitable for low resource settings where conventional PCR is already employed on a regular basis. Moreover, the use of antibody-based NALF to target primer-labels, without the requirement for DNA hybridization, renders the device generic, which could easily be adapted for the molecular diagnosis of other infectious and non-infectious diseases requiring nucleic acid detection.