Probing the effects of streptomycin on Brassica napus germination and assessing its molecular interactions using extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations

Abstract

Antibiotics are chemical compounds that are used to treat and prevent disease in humans and animals. They have been used in animal feed for over 60 years and are widely used in industrial farming. Antibiotics can have negative environmental impacts, including the potential to contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant organisms. They can enter the environment through various pathways, including the manufacturing process, the direct application of antibiotic-laden manure to fields, and through grazing animals. Antibiotics that are given to animals can be excreted from where they can enter soil and groundwater which enable their entry in plants. Streptomycin is an antibiotic that is used against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, but its use has led to the development of antibiotic resistance in some pathogens. It has also been shown to have negative impacts on a range of plant species, including tobacco, tomato, and wheat. Although, the major effect of streptomycin on plant physiology have been studied, the molecular mechanisms at play are barely understood in plant body. In current study, we examined the impact of streptomycin on germination of Brassica napus and then using docking, MM-GBBSA and MD simulations identified key proteins that interact with streptomycin by performing rigorous computational screening of 106 different proteins. Our finding suggest that streptomycin might be interacting with acyl-CoA oxidases, protochlorophyllide reductase B and leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase based on simulation and docking analysis.