Last Updated: 21/11/2023
Structural studies of enzymes involved in vitamin B1 and B6 synthesis in Plasmodium
Objectives
*Original title in Portuguese: Estudos estruturais das enzimas envolvidas na síntese de vitaminas B1 e B6 em Plasmodium
This project proposes structural studies on the de novo biosynthesis pathway enzymes of vitamins B1 and B6, thiamine and pyridoxal, respectively. The proposal involves the cloning, expression and purification of enzymes involved in the biosynthetic routes of vitamins B1 and B6 in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.
Malaria is a serious neglected disease and is still a worrying challenge as infected individuals are increasingly finding it difficult to get effectively cured. Among other factors, the resistance acquired by various microorganisms, including Malaria-causing Plasmodium species, has led to treatment difficulties and, in many cases, reduced the effectiveness of existing drugs. In this scenario, it is necessary to evaluate new potential molecular targets for the design of new drugs, as well as to propose new bioactive molecules for the treatment of this disease that affects more than 200 million individuals worldwide. An interesting strategy for the evaluation of new molecular targets is the inhibition of de novo biosynthesis of vitamins in the parasite. Since some of these pathways are present in Plasmodium and absent in humans, they constitute interesting targets with specific and selective action potential. Once determined, they can be used to screen potential inhibitory ligands on the vitamin biosynthesis pathway, compromising the viability of the parasite.
Nov 2019 — Jul 2021
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