TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring the feasibility of utilizing universal primers in detecting mucormycosis pathogens
T2 - An in-silico analysis
AU - Gunathilaka, Shobha
AU - Bandara, Sachithra
AU - Senevirathna, Indika
AU - Keragala, Reshani
AU - Wickramage, Sujanthi
AU - Illapperuma, Charukeshi
AU - Bandara, Nihal
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2024/10/1
Y1 - 2024/10/1
N2 - This study aimed to design and evaluate a universal primer for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)- based detection of mucormycosis-causing fungi by targeting their Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences. In-silico analysis was conducted to assess primer suitability. Using Clustal Omega and Primer-BLAST, ITS sequences of 32 fungi species causing mucormycosis were aligned and subjected to primer design. Generated primers were sorted and in silico PCR simulations were performed to identify primers capable of amplifying all fungal species. Instead of identifying one pair of universal primer, in silico PCR analysis identified a panel of 14 primer pairs designed from full-length ITS sequences, and a panel of 12 primer pairs designed from conserved regions, that could detect 31 species. The study recommends a panel of 12 primers for multiplex-PCR to detect mucormycosis-causing fungi instead of a long list of PCR analyses for each fungus in diagnosing mucormycosis.
AB - This study aimed to design and evaluate a universal primer for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)- based detection of mucormycosis-causing fungi by targeting their Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences. In-silico analysis was conducted to assess primer suitability. Using Clustal Omega and Primer-BLAST, ITS sequences of 32 fungi species causing mucormycosis were aligned and subjected to primer design. Generated primers were sorted and in silico PCR simulations were performed to identify primers capable of amplifying all fungal species. Instead of identifying one pair of universal primer, in silico PCR analysis identified a panel of 14 primer pairs designed from full-length ITS sequences, and a panel of 12 primer pairs designed from conserved regions, that could detect 31 species. The study recommends a panel of 12 primers for multiplex-PCR to detect mucormycosis-causing fungi instead of a long list of PCR analyses for each fungus in diagnosing mucormycosis.
U2 - 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116463
DO - 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116463
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 39059149
SN - 0732-8893
VL - 110
JO - Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
JF - Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
IS - 2
M1 - 116463
ER -