POTENTIAL DRUG TARGET IDENTIFICATION IN BRUCELLA ABORTUS BY SUBTRACTIVE GENOMICS APPROACH

Manjushree Awari and Vivek Keshri*

The discovery of essential proteins in the pathogenic bacterium Brucella abortus, distinct from those in its host, Bos taurus (cattle), presents a promising avenue for combating bacterial infections. Using a combination of subtractive genomics and the NCBI's BLAST program, researchers have unveiled new antibiotic candidates through an examination of Brucella abortus, the causative agent of brucellosis. This study has spotlighted 64 significant protein sequences out of the total 2976 in Brucella abortus that have minimal resemblance to cattle proteins. A thorough investigation has unveiled the involvement of these 64 critical proteins in various metabolic processes, offering novel targets for antibacterial therapy against bovine brucellosis. Within this group of 64 proteins, two highly virulent ones have been identified as potential targets for future drug development efforts, paving the way for innovative treatments.