Chapter category: Parasitic Disease
Searching the Tritryp Genomes for Drug Targets
Drug Targets in Kinetoplastid Parasites
Edited by: Hemanta K. MajumderISBN: 978-0-387-77569-2
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Chapter authors:
Peter J. Myler
The recent publication of the complete genome sequences of Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi revealed that each genome contains 8300-12,000 protein-coding genes, of which ~6500 are common to all three genomes, and ushers in a new, post-genomic, era for trypanosomatid drug discovery. This vast amount of new information makes possible more comprehensive and accurate target identification using several new computational approaches, including identification of metabolic “choke-points”, searching the parasite proteomes for orthologues of known drug targets, and identification of parasite proteins likely to interact with known drugs and drug-like small molecules. In this chapter, we describe several databases (such as GeneDB, Brenda, Kegg, Metacyc, the Therapeutic Target Database, and ChemBank) and algorithms (including PathoLogic, Pathway Hunter Tool, and AutoDock) which have been developed to facilitate the bioinformatic analyses underlying these approaches. While target identification is only the first step in the drug development pipeline, these new approaches give rise to renewed optimism for the discovery of new drugs to combat the devastating diseases caused by these parasites.
Peter J. Myler
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Additional chapters from this book:
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Searching the Tritryp Genomes for Drug Targets
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