@article{Chordia Golchha_Nighojkar_Nighojkar_2022, title={Redefining genomic view of Clostridioides difficile through pangenome analysis and identification of drug targets from its core genome}, volume={16}, url={https://journals.aboutscience.eu/index.php/dti/article/view/2469}, DOI={10.33393/dti.2022.2469}, abstractNote={<p class="abstract"><strong>Introduction:</strong> <em>Clostridioides difficile</em> infection (CDI) is a leading cause of gastrointestinal infections and in the present day is a major concern for global health care system. The unavailability of specific antibiotics for CDI treatment and its emerging cases worldwide further broaden the challenge to control CDI.</p> <p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The availability of a large number of genome sequences for <em>C. difficile</em> and many bioinformatics tools for genome analysis provides the opportunity for <em>in silico</em> pangenomic analysis. In the present study, 97 strains of <em>C. difficile</em> were used for pangenomic studies and characterized for their phylogenomic and functional analysis.</p> <p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Pangenome analysis reveals open pangenome of <em>C. difficile</em> and high genetic diversity. Sequence and interactome analysis of 1,481 core genes was done and eight potent drug targets are identified. Three drug targets, namely, aminodeoxychorismate synthase (PabB), D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase (DD-CPase) and undecaprenyl diphospho-muramoyl pentapeptide beta-<em>N</em>-acetylglucosaminyl transferase (MurG transferase), have been reported as drug targets for other human pathogens, and five targets, namely, bifunctional diguanylate cyclase/phosphodiesterase (cyclic-diGMP), sporulation transcription factor (Spo0A), histidinol-phosphate transaminase (HisC), 3-deoxy-7-phosphoheptulonate synthase (DAHP synthase) and c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase (PdcA), are novel.</p> <p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The suggested potent targets could act as broad-spectrum drug targets for <em>C. difficile</em>. However, further validation needs to be done before using them for lead compound discovery.</p> <p> </p>}, number={1}, journal={Drug Target Insights}, author={Chordia Golchha, Nikita and Nighojkar, Anand and Nighojkar, Sadhana}, year={2022}, month={Nov.}, pages={17–24} }