Research Keyword: Drug targets

Emerging paradigms for target discovery of traditional medicines: A genome-wide pan-GPCR perspective

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Traditional medicines from plants, animals, and fungi contain chemical compounds that can interact with specific proteins in our cells called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These receptors control many important body functions and are targeted by about one-third of all FDA-approved medications. This review explains how scientists are discovering new therapeutic compounds from traditional medicines by systematically screening them against the complete library of human GPCRs, using advanced techniques to identify which compounds bind to which receptors. Famous examples include morphine from poppies for pain relief and compounds from ginseng that help regulate blood sugar.

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Discovery of novel targets for important human and plant fungal pathogens via an automated computational pipeline HitList

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Researchers created a computer program called HitList that searches fungal DNA to find new targets for antifungal medications. The program identified 16 promising protein targets that could be attacked by new antifungal drugs, including 8 completely new targets never before considered. This discovery could help develop new antifungal treatments to fight drug-resistant fungal infections in both humans and crops.

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Recent innovations and challenges in the treatment of fungal infections

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Fungal infections are becoming more common and dangerous, especially for people with weakened immune systems, and many fungi are developing resistance to current medications. Doctors and researchers are developing new treatment strategies, including combining multiple drugs together and using advanced technologies to deliver medicines more effectively to infected areas. Natural compounds from plants and new biotechnology tools like genetic engineering and nanoparticles show promising results for fighting drug-resistant fungal infections.

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Plants, fungi, and antifungals: A little less talk, a little more action

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Plants and fungi communicate through small chemical molecules, and scientists are discovering that understanding this dialogue could lead to new antifungal medicines. Researchers found that a plant hormone called strigolactone affects a specific fungal protein involved in nutrient uptake, suggesting this could be a target for new drugs. By using baker’s yeast as a laboratory model, scientists can study how fungal cells respond to plant chemicals and identify new ways to fight dangerous fungal infections that are becoming resistant to current treatments.

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Kinome analysis of Madurella mycetomatis identified kinases in the cell wall integrity pathway as novel potential therapeutic drug targets in eumycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis

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Eumycetoma is a serious fungal infection that causes large tumors under the skin and is very difficult to treat. Scientists used computer analysis to find special proteins called kinases in the fungus that might be good targets for new drugs. They discovered that proteins involved in the fungus’s cell wall are promising targets, which could lead to better treatments for this neglected disease.

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Kinome analysis of Madurella mycetomatis identified kinases in the cell wall integrity pathway as novel potential therapeutic drug targets in eumycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis

mycolabadmin

Eumycetoma is a serious fungal infection that causes large skin lesions and is very difficult to treat, even with long-term medication and surgery. Researchers used computer analysis to identify proteins called kinases that are essential for the fungus to survive. They found that targeting kinases involved in building the fungal cell wall could potentially lead to new treatments. By testing existing drugs, they discovered eight compounds that could inhibit fungal growth, offering hope for better treatment options.

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Unveiling new features of the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans through the reconstruction and exploitation of a dedicated genome-scale metabolic model

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Scientists have created a detailed computer model of how the dangerous fungus Cryptococcus neoformans works at the metabolic level. By studying 890 genes and thousands of chemical reactions in this pathogen, they identified new weak points that could be targeted with future antifungal drugs. The model reveals why this fungus is particularly good at causing brain infections and shows several unique metabolic features not found in other pathogenic yeasts, offering hope for more effective treatments.

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