STRESS TRAP OF COVID-19 - A WEB-BASED STUDY

The corona virus infection or COVID-19 outbreak is one of the biggest medical challenges to humankind in recent times. The anxiety and concerns in society regarding the pandemic are globally affecting every individual to variable extents. Aims & Objectives: To assess the perceived stress by the general population during lockdown in COVID 19 pandemic. Methodology: Across-sectional, observational study was carried out Pan-India for a period of one month. An online structured questionnaire was developed by using google forms. An online Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire was used. Data was analyzed using Epi info software version 7.0. Results: Total 907 responses were received by the stipulated time. Study participants when assessed for their level of stress using Perceived stress scale, majority of them were having moderate stress (62.4%), while 11.5% were having high stress.Conclusion: With the spread of COVID19; anxiety, worry and stress has increased among the masses, hence there is need for counsellors and psychiatrists to help people deal with the current scenario.

OpuC – an ABC Transporter that is Associated with Staphylococcus Aureus Pathogenesis

RIP is a novel antibiotic against staphylococci. It acts at least in part by competing with RNAIII activating protein (RAP) by downregulating TRAP histidine phosphorylation, and by downregulating the expression of the Acessory Gene Regulator (agr). While much is known about the function of the agr as a quorum sensing system that regulates virulence, not much is known about TRAP. TRAP is a 167-kDa protein that is highly conserved among staphylococci and is involved in DNA protection from stress. TRAP is membrane-associated but does not have a transmembrane domain, and thus it may be bound to the membrane through other proteins. To search for these proteins, protein-protein interaction studies were carried out using a bacterial two-hybrid system, and OpuCA was discovered as a TRAP-binding protein. OpuCA is an ATP binding-cytoplasmic (ABC) domain of an OpuC ABC transporter. S. aureus OpuC– mutant strain was constructed and shown to be less tolerant to salt stress, and was defective in choline uptake. OpuC– cells were less pathogenic and showed reduced TRAP phosphorylation and agr activity, did not respond to RAP, and were defective in biofilm formation in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that OpuC acts as a transporter and also plays a role in S. aureus pathogenesis.