In-silico analysis of riboswitch of Nocardia farcinica for design of its inhibitors and pharmacophores

Abstract

Nocardia farcinica causes human infections either by pulmonary inhalation or inoculation via wounds and causes nocardiosis, brain abscesses and secondary infection in immune-compromised patients. N. farcinica infection is mostly reported in Asia, Europe and North America with a mortality rate of 10-31%. Antibiotic treatment available for N. farcinica infection have the problem of side-effects and drug resistance development by bacteria against antibiotics such as ampicillin, third- generation cephalosporins, etc. Therefore, this paper explored riboswitch as an alternative drug-target to address these issues and its optimal inhibitors are designed. Riboswitches are regulatory elements found in the 5′UTRs of many mRNAs. The designed lead molecule will prove helpful in the development of newer drug molecules for the infection treatment caused by N. farcinica. The proposed inhibitors are supposed to be free from the problem of side-effects and drug-resistance associated with antibiotics, as there are remote chances of mutations in riboswitches.