In silico prediction of putative antimicrobial targets in Xanthomonas citri pv. punicae using genome subtraction approach.

Xanthomonas citri pv. punicae (Xcp) is the causative agent of bacterial blight disease in pomegranate and severely affects its production. The current control strategies for this disease provide inadequate protection. Identifying novel bactericide target proteins in pathogenic bacteria and formulating selective chemicals against those proteins is an effective approach to containing the disease. In this study, we used the genome subtraction approach and identified 595 Xcp proteins that are non-homologous to the pomegranate proteome, of which 69 are found to be essential proteins. These 69 proteins are considered possible drug target proteins in Xcp. Further, these proteins were subjected to subcellular localization, KEGG pathway, and virulent prediction analysis. Our systematic bioinformatics analysis deciphered 33 virulent proteins, of which two are iron complex outer membrane receptors, and the third is a T4SS PilQ protein localized in the outer membrane. These outer membrane-localized proteins are potential candidate targets for antibacterial agents, and the two iron complex outer membrane receptor proteins show homology with the Drug bank listed drug target sequences. From this study, we inferred that PilQ could be considered a novel antimicrobial target of Xcp, and therefore we deciphered the PilQ protein-protein interacting partners and phylogenetic relatedness. We have also predicted the physiochemical properties, secondary, and tertiary structure of PilQ protein which will be helpful in the design of antimicrobials. The identification of Xcp specific targets is the first step towards the development of a chemical control agent that is more selective with minimum environmental impact.

Computational identification of putative copper-binding proteins in pomegranate bacterial blight pathogen Xanthomonas citri pv. punicae.

Xanthomonas citri pv. punicae (Xcp) causes bacterial blight in pomegranate, and an effective management strategy to control this devastating disease is yet to be formulated. Copper is a vital micronutrient that plays a significant role in bacterial physiology and virulence mechanism. It acts as a cofactor and conjugates with proteins, catalyse various biological processes, and contributes to the structural integrity of proteins. In this study, we have screened copper-binding proteins of Xcp and their plausible role in the pathogenesis of pomegranate bacterial blight disease by adopting advanced in silico tools. We have identified 46 putative copper-binding proteins (PCBPs) from Xcp, approximately 0.85% of the Xcp proteome, of which 34 and 25 PCBPs are essential and pathogen-host interaction (PHI) responsible proteins, respectively. Of the 25 PHI-responsible proteins, 9 are classified into classical secretory proteins and 8 are classified into non-classical secretory proteins. These PHI-responsible PCBPs are involved in diverse processes, including metabolism, response to oxidative stress, transport, protein folding, signalling, and virulence mechanism. Our study identified 16 drug target proteins among the PHI-responsible PCBPs, which can be used as an ideal target for various antimicrobial agents to control pomegranate blight disease. Our observations pave the way to the understanding of copper homeostasis in Xcp and its possible involvement in the disease-causing process.

Solitary oncocytoma of the submandibular salivary gland in an adolescent female: A case report.

We report a rare presentation of Oncocytoma of the submandibular salivary gland in an young adolescent female who presented with progressive swelling in the left submandibular region since childhood with pain for the past one month. Fine needle aspiration revealed Oncocytoma for which a conventional submandibular excision was done. There are few articles about the rare presentation of submandibular Oncocytoma and literature favors older population for this rarity. This case was unique because of its presentation in a young individual and there were no supporting published articles available till date.