Structure-based functional annotation of hypothetical proteins from Candida dubliniensis: a quest for potential drug targets.
Candida dubliniensis is an emerging pathogenic yeast in humans and infections are usually restricted to mucosal parts of the body. However, its presence in specimens of immunocompromised individuals, especially in HIV-positive patients, is of major medical concern. There is a large fraction of genomes of C. dubliniensis in the database which are uncharacterized for their biochemical, biophysical, and/or cellular functions, and are identified as hypothetical proteins (HPs). Function annotation of Candida genome is, therefore, essentially required to facilitate the understanding of mechanisms of pathogenesis and biochemical pathways important for selecting novel therapeutic target. Here, we carried out an extensive analysis to explain the functional properties of genome, using available protein structure and function analysis tools. We successfully modeled the structures of eight HPs for which a template with moderate sequence similarity was available in the protein data bank. All modeled structures were analyzed and we found that these proteins may act as transporter, kinase, transferase, ketosteroid, isomerase, hydrolase, oxidoreductase, and binding targets for DNA and RNA. Since these unique HPs of Candida showed no homologs in humans, these proteins are expected to be a potential target for future antifungal therapy.
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
Kundan
K
Kumar
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
Amresh
A
Prakash
Female College of Applied Medical Science, Taif University, Al-Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Farah
F
Anjum
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
Asimul
A
Islam
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
Faizan
F
Ahmad
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India. mihassan@jmi.ac.in.
Md Imtaiyaz
MI
Hassan
Candida dubliniensis; Domains and motifs; Functional annotation; Functional genomics; Homology modeling; Hypothetical protein; Sequence analysis