I-Corps: Commercialization of Ribosomal RNA Sequence Evolutionary Conservation as a Guide for Target Sites of New Antibiotics

Brown University, Providence RI

Investigators

Abstract

Researchers previously developed a structurally aligned ribosomal RNA (rRNA) database referred to as the Full-Length Organismal rRNA Alignment (FLORA) database. Building on that database the research team plans to further investigate a computational approach for analysis of the FLORA database to contain full length rRNA sequences from each domain of life. This analysis identifies conserved nucleotide elements (CNEs) in rRNA from each domain of life. Also, this analysis identifies the CNEs that are universally conserved in all domains and those that are domain specific (highly conserved in one domain but degenerate in the other two domains of life). Analysis of the database may assist with identifying new sites in rRNA as targets for the development of new antibiotics for use in humans, animals and plants. The computational approach presented here to identify rRNA targets for new antibiotics is a creative new way to approach antibiotic design and has the potential to be transformative to the field of drug development.