Designing shRNA molecules targeting polymerase (PB2) gene as a gene therapy tool against Influenza A virus (H5N1)

Introduction: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1, also known as A (H5N1) or simply H5N1, is a subtype of the influenza A virus which can cause illness in humans and many other animal species. A bird-adapted strain of H5N1, called HPAI A(H5N1) for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus of type A of subtype H5N1, is the highly pathogenic causative agent of H5N1 flu, commonly known as avian influenza ( bird flu ). It is enzootic (maintained in the population) in many bird populations, especially in Southeast Asia. One strain of HPAI A (H5N1) is spreading globally after first appearing in Asia. It is epizootic (an epidemic in nonhumans) and panzootic (affecting animals of many species, especially over a wide area), killing tens of millions of birds and spurring the culling of hundreds of millions of others to stem its spread. Many references to bird flu and H5N1 in the popular media refer to this strain. Material and Methods: Oligonucleotides encoded shRNA molecules were designed against RNA polymerase (PB2) gene of Influenza A (H5N1) virus using the www.invivogen.com/sirna-wizard site and the most effective molecules were selected using background information. For this purpose, standard search method selected and siRNA motifs with the desired size and thermodynamic properties were designed. Then, in order to design hairpin, the proposed vector and loop sequences submitted, so the most effective shRNAs with desired restriction enzyme sites were designed.Results: Two potentially effective shRNA molecules were designed. Their sequences and start target positions included PB2shRNA-1and PB2shRNA-2 with respectively start positions of 1108 and 1317 of Influenza A virus RNA polymerase (PB2) gene.Conclusion: The results showed that there are potentially effective shRNA molecules against RNA polymerase gene (PB2) of Influenza A virus (H5N1) that can suppress its proliferation.

کلیدواژه ها:

shRNA ، Influenza A virus ، polymerase gene (PB2) ، gene therapy