Computational Prediction of Essential Amino Acids in Streptococcus Agalactiae

Streptococcus agalactiae is a leading cause of neonatal infectious morbidity and mortality. The existing methods of treatment and prevention do not ensure a solution of the problem and more effective therapeutic means are urgently sought. The genome sequencing of several strains provided the opportunity to reconstruct and analyse genome-scale metabolic models of the organism. Definition of minimal nutrient requirements and essential reactions is an important step in the analysis of metabolic networks, which may lead to the characterisation of clinically relevant physiological properties, in particular to the prediction of drug targets. The genome sequences of three were obtained from the KEGG database and, in conjunction with the program RPS-BLAST and the PRIAM database used to generate the lists of matching metabolic enzymes.