ANALYSIS OF MOLECULAR DOCKING EFFICIENCY OF CLEISTANTHIN-A, AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR NICOTINE ADDICTION

Objective: The present research was aimed to understand the molecular docking efficiency of a plant-derived compound cleistanthin-A and a common ingredient in tobacco consumption nicotine with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR).Methods: The 3-D structure of nAChR was retrieved from the protein data bank (ID 5AFH). Ligand was obtained from the PUBCHEM. The in silico protocol comprised of three steps: high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS), standard preci­sion (SP) and extra precision (XP). The screened molecules were ranked accordingly using glide score. Schrödinger tool was used to perform the docking analysis.Results: The binding efficiency of the nicotine and cleistanthin-A was found to be docked at the cys-cys loop of the receptor. Based upon the glide score and glide energy it can be reported that, nicotine binding can be inhibited by the binding of cleistanthin-A to the nAChR.Conclusion: The docking efficiency of cleistanthin-A was good compared to nicotine towards nAChR. Hence, cleistanthin–A was derived as a better choice as an alternative for nicotine in smoke therapy

Hybrid biosynthetic gene therapy vector development and dual engineering capacity

Genetic vaccines offer a treatment opportunity based upon successful gene delivery to specific immune cell modulators. Driving the process is the vector chosen for gene cargo packaging and subsequent delivery to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) capable of triggering an immune cascade. As such, the delivery process must successfully navigate a series of requirements and obstacles associated with the chosen vector and target cell. In this work, we present the development and assessment of a hybrid gene delivery vector containing biological and biomaterial components. Each component was chosen to design and engineer gene delivery separately in a complimentary and fundamentally distinct fashion. A bacterial (Escherichia coli) inner core and a biomaterial [poly(beta-amino ester)]-coated outer surface allowed the simultaneous application of molecular biology and polymer chemistry to address barriers associated with APC gene delivery, which include cellular uptake and internalization, phagosomal escape, and intracellular cargo concentration. The approach combined and synergized normally disparate vector properties and tools, resulting in increased in vitro gene delivery beyond individual vector components or commercially available transfection agents. Furthermore, the hybrid device demonstrated a strong, efficient, and safe in vivo humoral immune response compared with traditional forms of antigen delivery. In summary, the flexibility, diversity, and potential of the hybrid design were developed and featured in this work as a platform for multivariate engineering at the vector and cellular scales for new applications in gene delivery immunotherapy

Long-term ecological and evolutionary dynamics in the gut microbiomes of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonized subjects

10.1038/s41564-022-01221-wNature Microbiology7101516-152