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450 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
into cellular component, molecular function and biological processes. In the cellular component category, a majority of them were assigned to the membrane part, mostly localized on the mitochondrial, synaptic and axonal membranes. The molecular functions included microtubule, calcium ion and calmodulin binding; calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity; neurotransmitter and ion transport. The biological processes included cellular processes, biological regulation, metabolic process and cellular component organization (neurofilaments, cytoskeleton, neurotransmitters and synapse). As a whole, the proteins were distributed according to their several functions. Calcium ion signalling, ion transport, synaptic transmission and neuromuscular processes were the major associated functions.
While searching for a particular pathway, another advanced bioinformatics tool– a combination of biology
and information – helped a
lot. In the list of pathways,
calcium ion signalling ranked
first, suggesting that this
pathway affected the most.
Calcium transport, synaptic
transmission and other
signalling pathways also
played a role. When we focused
on calcium ion signalling, the
major functions attributed by
the involved proteins were
calcium ion and calmodulin
binding. A few were part of a
calcium ion channel complex,
and some were involved in maintaining calcium ion homeostasis. According to the proteomics data, surprisingly, all these involved proteins were found to be downregulated. Therefore, this signalling pathway was predicted to be downregulated.
The next goal was to check the role
of these proteins in diseases. In the top disease category, 50% proteins belonged to neurological diseases and 39% to psychological disorders that are the typical symptoms of rabies virus infection. Broadening the category of neurological diseases, once again, calcium ion signalling proteins came into picture, but this time with neurofilament proteins. The proteomics results showed that calcium ion signalling proteins were down regulated and neurofilament proteins were up regulated. Therefore, is there any connection?
The literature shows that calcium ion signalling proteins are affected during the diseased condition, whereas neurofilament proteins undergo significant elevation. Calcium ion signalling proteins are involved in ion channel functions, signalling pathways and long-term synaptic transmission. Neurofilament proteins form cross-bridges, stabilize filament network and undergo
longitudinal extension. Upon rabies virus infection, when proteins are downregulated, the involved functions are hampered. At the same time, elevated levels of neurofilament proteins strengthen the platform by successfully fulfilling their functions. Thus, we suspect that together calcium ion signalling and neurofilament proteins provide an accessible platform for the virus to move on.
When there is an attack, there is defence, too. The host body is always ready to give
a tight fight against a foreign particle. Here, dead box helicase protein is an antiviral protein expressed by the host to fight against the virus by affecting its entry and production. But tragedy comes when this protein undergoes downregulation. It is unable to affect further viral propagation, and as a result, the virus
   This virus remains within the host body for 20–90 days without showing any symptoms; once symptoms appear, death occurs within 2–7 days. Its long-term hidden existence and a sudden increase in dreadful incurable symptoms leave many questions unanswered.
  








































































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