Identification of novel virulence factors​

The laboratory has developed bioinformatics tool like “Design-Island” in collaboration with ISI, Kolkata for identification of horizontally acquired genes in prokaryotes. Current research goal is to predict novel virulence factors utilizing the above tool and the programs available online followed by experimentation to understand their role in V. cholerae pathogenesis. Our group discovered a block of genes around an in-vivo expressed icmF gene and proposed their role in secretion or cell surface organization through in-silico analysis. This study had a great impact as it later turned out to be a new type of secretion system in V. cholerae delivering effector molecules directly to the host.

​We are currently working on the functional predictions of the uncharacterized genes present within the predicted genomic island regions using different bioinformatics tools. We are also working on the 3D Structural analysis of hypothetical proteins and development of new strategies for the characterization of proteins.