Iqra Ali

Dr. Iqra Ali

Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Islāmābād, Pakistan
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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21 January 2021 in Life
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MRMuhammad Asif Rasheed
Muhammad Asif Rasheed
MIMuhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
SSSalina Saddick
Salina Saddick
Iqra AliIqra Ali
Iqra Ali
FKFalak Sher Khan
Falak Sher Khan
MAMuhammad Awais
Muhammad Awais
(1) Background: Enterococcus faecium DO is an environmental microbe, which is a mesophilic, facultative, Gram-positive, and multiple habitat microorganism. Enterococcus faecium DO is responsible for many diseases in human. The fight against infectious diseases is confronted by the development of multiple drug resistance in E. faecium. The focus of this research work is to identify a novel compound against this pathogen by using bioinformatics tools and technology. (2) Methods: We screened the proteome (accession No. PRJNA55353) information from the genome database of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and suggested a potential drug target. I-TASSER was used to predict the three-dimensional structure of the protein, and the structure was optimized and minimized by different tools. PubChem and ChEBI were used to retrieve the inhibitors. Pharmacophore modeling and virtual screening were performed to identify novel compounds. Binding interactions of compounds with target protein were checked using LigPlot. pkCSM, SwissADME, and ProTox-II were used for adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties. (3) Results: Novel selected compounds have improved absorption and have better ADMET properties. Based on our results, the chemically identified inhibitor ZINC48942 targeted the receptor that can inhibit the activity of infection in E. faecium. This research work will be beneficial for the scientific community and could aid in the design of a new drug against E. faecium infections. (4) Conclusions: It was observed that novel compounds are potential inhibitors with more efficacy and fewer side effects. This research work will help researchers in testing and identification of these chemicals useful against E. faecium.

6 March 2023 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Iqra AliIqra Ali
Iqra Ali
MRMuhammad Asif Rasheed
Muhammad Asif Rasheed
SIMONA CAVALUSIMONA CAVALU
SIMONA CAVALU
KRKashif Rahim
Kashif Rahim
SISana Ijaz
Sana Ijaz
MPMihaela Simona Popoviciu
Mihaela Simona Popoviciu
The pandemic outbreak of human coronavirus is a global health concern that affects people of all ages and genders, but there is currently still no effective, approved and potential drug against human coronavirus, as many other coronavirus vaccines have serious side effects while the development of small antiviral inhibitors has gained tremendous attention. For this research, HE was used as a therapeutic target, as the spike protein displays a high binding affinity for both host ACE2 and viral HE glycoprotein. Molecular docking, pharmacophore modelling and virtual screening of 38,000 natural compounds were employed to find out the best natural inhibitor against human coronaviruses with more efficiency and fewer side effects and further evaluated via MD simulation, PCA, DCCR and MMGBSA. The lead compound ‘Calceolarioside B’ was identified on the basis of pharmacophoric features which depict favorable binding (ΔGbind −37.6799 kcal/mol) with the HE(5N11) receptor that describes positive correlation movements in active site residues with better stability, a robust H-bond network, compactness and reliable ADMET properties. The Fraxinus sieboldiana Blume plant containing the Calceolarioside B compound could be used as a potential inhibitor that shows a higher efficacy and potency with fewer side effects. This research work will aid investigators in the testing and identification of chemicals that are effective and useful against human coronavirus.

18 May 2023 in PLOS ONE
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Journal Article
Open access
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MKMahmoud Kandeel
Mahmoud Kandeel
MIMuhammad Nasir Iqbal
Muhammad Nasir Iqbal
Iqra AliIqra Ali
Iqra Ali
SMSaima Malik
Saima Malik
AMAbbeha Malik
Abbeha Malik
SSSheikh Arslan Sehgal
Sheikh Arslan Sehgal
Kidney disorders are among the most common diseases and there is a scarcity of effective treatments for chronic kidney disease. There has been a progressive improvement in specific flavonoids for protective effects against kidney diseases. Flavonoids inhibit the regulatory enzymes to control inflammation-related diseases. In the present study, a hybrid approach of molecular docking analyses and molecular dynamic simulation was followed by principal component analyses and a dynamics cross-correlation matrix. In the present study, the top-ranked five flavonoids were reported, and the maximum binding affinity was observed against AIM2. Molecular docking analyses revealed that Glu_186, Phe_187, Lys_245, Glu_248, Ile_263, and Asn_265 are potent residues against AIM2 for ligand–receptor interactions. Extensivein silicoanalyses suggested that procyanidin is a potential molecule against AIM2. Moreover, the site-directed mutagenesis for the reported interacting residues of AIM2 could be important for furtherin vitroanalyses. The observed novel results based on extensive computational analyses may be significant for potential drug design against renal disorders by targeting AIM2.



28 April 2023 in Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
SKSunil Kumar
Sunil Kumar
SSSounok Sengupta
Sounok Sengupta
Iqra AliIqra Ali
Iqra Ali
MGManoj K. Gupta
Manoj K. Gupta
HLH. Lalhlenmawia
H. Lalhlenmawia
Deepak KumarDeepak Kumar
Deepak Kumar
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) enhances lung cancer development, due to their inability to permeate the cell membrane, secreted growth factors work through specialized signal transduction pathways. The purpose of this study is to find out a novel anticancer agent that inhibits EGFR and reduces the chances of lung cancer. A series of triazole-substituted quinazoline hybrid compounds were designed by Chemdraw software and docked against five different crystallographic EGFR tyrosine kinase domain (TKD). For docking and visualization PyRx, Autodock vina, and Discovery studio visualizer were used. Molecule-14, Molecule-16, Molecule-19, Molecule-20, and Molecule-38 showed significant affinity but Molecule-19 showed excellent binding affinity (−12.4 kcal/mol) with crystallographic EGFR tyrosine kinase. The superimposition of the co-crystalized ligand with the hit compound shows similar conformation at the active site of EGFR (PDB ID: 4HJO) indicating excellent coupling and pharmaceutically active. The hit compound showed a good bioavailability score (0.55) with no sign of carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, or reproductive toxicity properties. MD simulation and MMGBSA represent good stability and binding free energy demonstrating that the hit (Molecule-19) may be used as a lead compound. Molecule-19 also showed good ADME properties, bioavailability scores, and synthetic accessibility with fewer signs of toxicity. It was observed that Molecule-19 may be a novel and potential inhibitor against EGFR with fewer side effects than the reference molecule. Additionally, the molecular dynamics simulation revealed the stable nature of protein-ligand interaction and provided information about the amino acid residues involved in binding. Overall, this study led to the identification of potential EGFR inhibitors with favorable pharmacokinetic properties. We believe that the outcome of this study can help to develop more potent drug-like molecules to tackle human lung cancer. Graphical Abstract Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma