Tuberculosis is a major communicable disease. Its causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, becomes resistant to antibiotics by acquisition of point mutations in the chromosome. Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is an increasing public health threat, and prompt detection of such strains is of critical importance. As rolling circle amplification of padlock probes can be used to robustly distinguish single-nucleotide variants, we combined this technique with a sensitive lateral flow nucleic acid biosensor to develop a rapid molecular diagnostic test for MDR-TB. A proof-of-concept test was established for detection of the most common mutations [rpoB 531 (TCG/TTG) and katG 315 (AGC/ACC)] causing MDR-TB and verification of loss of the respective wild type. The molecular diagnostic test produces visual signals corresponding to the respective genotypes on lateral flow strips in approximately 75 min. By detecting only two mutations, the test can detect about 60% of all MDR-TB cases. The padlock probe-lateral flow (PLP-LF) test is the first of its kind and can ideally be performed at resource-limited clinical laboratories. Rapid information about the drug-susceptibility pattern can assist clinicians to choose suitable treatment regimens and take appropriate infection control actions rather than prescribing empirical treatment, thereby helping to control the spread of MDR-TB in the community.
Many proteins exist in dimeric and other oligomeric forms to gain stability and functional advantages. In this study, the dimerization property of a coagulant protein (MO2.1) from Moringa oleifera seeds was addressed through laboratory experiments, protein-protein docking studies and binding free energy calculations. The structure of MO2.1 was predicted by homology modelling, while binding free energy and residues-distance profile analyses provided insight into the energetics and structural factors for dimer formation. Since the coagulation activities of the monomeric and dimeric forms of MO2.1 were comparable, it was concluded that oligomerization does not affect the biological activity of the protein.
Scaling-up the production of Moringa oleifera coagulant protein to industrial level reveals it multiple advantages over the usage of chemical disinfectants and serves as a natural remedy for water treatment processes.
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