Virtual Screening and Meta-Analysis Approach Identifies Factors for Inversion Stimulation (Fis) and Other Genes Responsible for Biofilm Production in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>: A Corneal Pathogen

Abstract

Bacterial keratitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is indeed a serious concern due to its potential to cause blindness and its resistance to antibiotics, partly attributed to biofilm formation and cytotoxicity to the cornea. The present study uses a meta-analysis of a transcriptomics dataset to identify important genes and pathways in biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa induced keratitis. By combining data from several studies, meta-analysis can enhance statistical power and robustness, enabling the identification of 83 differentially expressed candidate genes, including fis that could serve as therapeutic targets. The approach of combining meta-analysis with virtual screening and in vitro methods provides a comprehensive strategy for identifying potential target genes and pathways crucial for bacterial biofilm formation and development anti-biofilm medications against P. aeruginosa infections. The study identified 83 candidate genes that exhibited differential expression in the biofilm state, with fis proposed as an ideal target for therapy for P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. These techniques, meta-analysis, virtual screening, and invitro methods were used in combination to diagnostically identify these genes, which play a significant role in biofilms. This finding has highlighted a hallmark target list for P. aeruginosa anti-biofilm potential treatments.

Keywords

• bacterial keratitis
• biofilm
• fis
• genes
• meta-transcriptome analysis
• <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>