PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Blocking the active site of thiolase

2013-11-07
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Dr. Manfred Weiss
manfred.weiss@helmholtz-berlin.de
49-308-062-13149
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
Blocking the active site of thiolase

This news release is available in German.

Scientists at the University of Oulu, Finland, and at the Helmholtz Center Berlin (HZB) have shown the way to new directions in drug development against African sleeping sickness and other tropical parasitic infections. This was based on the structural analysis of the enzyme thiolase, which plays a central role in lipid metabolism in the parasite that causes sleeping sickness. The researchers examined the biomolecule's structure at the MX beamline of electron storage ring, BESSY II, at the HZB. (Biochemical J. 2013, DOI: 10.1042/BJ20130669)

Sleeping sicknesses – african trypanosomiasis, kala-azar, indian leishmaniasis – are infections caused by tropical parasites. Millions get sick from them each year and thousands end up dying. Anti-parasitic drugs are expensive and often have a host of unwanted side effects. In decades, there have been no new effective therapies. Reason enough for the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider research, which can lead to the development of new anti-parasitic drugs, a top priority.

Now, Prof. Rik Wierenga and his team at Oulu University have paved the way for this type of research by shedding light on the structure of the enzyme thiolase. Thiolase figures prominently in parasitic lipid metabolism. According to Wierenga, "key is knowing the geometry of the enzyme's active site. This is the place where lipids that play a central role in parasitic metabolism attach and where chemical reactions that convert lipids into other substances take place." Which is why it's important to investigate the active site's structure and function: "It enables us to develop lipid-like substances that firmly attach to the active site and block it." The molecules that are involved represent the ideal starting points for new drug development.

Studies at BESSY of the enzyme thiolase have yielded a highly detailed image of thiolase's active site. "We now have a much clearer idea of thiolase's role in all this," says Wierenga. "It would appear that the enzyme catalyzes the first step in the sterol biosynthesis pathway, which is important in a number of parasites."

"The measurements of crystalline thiolase proteins we obtained at our MX beamline has helped to unravel the active site's geometry," says HZB's own Dr. Manfred Weiss. One particular region of the protein called the HDCF loop turns out to be key. The structure, which lies deep within thiolase's interior, was previously unknown. "Understanding the HDCF loop is the ideal starting point for the development of new anti-parasitic drugs," adds Wierenga.



INFORMATION:

Original publication:

Harijan, R.K., Kiema, T.R., Karjalainen, M.P., Janardan, N., Murthy, M.R., Weiss. M.S., Michels, P.A., Wierenga, R.K. (2013) Crystal structures of SCP2-thiolases of Trypanosomatidae, human pathogens causing widespread tropical diseases: the importance for catalysis of the cysteine of the unique HDCF loop. Biochem J., 455, 119-130.

Additional information:

Prof. Dr. Rik Wierenga
Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Fon: +35 829448119 rik.wierenga@oulu.fi



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Online course improves physicians skill level for detecting skin cancer

2013-11-07
Online course improves physicians skill level for detecting skin cancer DETROIT – Primary care physicians who took an online training course about skin cancer detection significantly improved their skill to properly diagnose and manage benign and malignant ...

Vitamin C could ease muscle fatigue in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

2013-11-07
Vitamin C could ease muscle fatigue in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients Bethesda, Md. (Nov. 7, 2013)—Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—a health problem in which the lungs lose their inherent springiness, making it progressively harder to breathe—can ...

1 worm, 2 mouths

2013-11-07
1 worm, 2 mouths A devious evolutionary path between genetics and environment Depending on the environment in which the worm grows, the larva of the roundworm Pristionchus pacificus develops into either a wide-mouthed predator or a narrow-mouthed bacteria ...

Crown of Venezuelan paramos: A new species from the daisy family, Coespeletia palustris

2013-11-07
Crown of Venezuelan paramos: A new species from the daisy family, Coespeletia palustris A joint research led by the Smithsonian Institution (US), Saint Louis University (US) and Universidad de Los Andes (Venezuela) resulted in the discovery of an exciting new species from ...

For obese teen girls, aerobic exercise may trump resistance training in health benefits

2013-11-07
For obese teen girls, aerobic exercise may trump resistance training in health benefits Bethesda, Md. (Nov. 7, 2013)—Obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the United States in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control ...

When is a comet not a comet?

2013-11-07
When is a comet not a comet? Hubble astronomers observe bizarre 6-tailed asteroid Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have observed a unique and baffling object in the asteroid belt that looks like a rotating lawn sprinkler or badminton ...

If a tree falls in Brazil…? Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western US

2013-11-07
If a tree falls in Brazil…? Amazon deforestation could mean droughts for western US In research meant to highlight how the destruction of the Amazon rainforest could affect climate elsewhere, Princeton University-led researchers report that the total deforestation ...

Oxygen levels in tumors affect response to treatment

2013-11-07
Oxygen levels in tumors affect response to treatment The genetic make-up of a patient's tumor could be used to personalize their treatment, and help to decide whether they would benefit from receiving additional drugs as part of their radiotherapy ...

Alcohol-related aggression: Social and neurobiological factors

2013-11-07
Alcohol-related aggression: Social and neurobiological factors One-third of all acts of violence are perpetrated under the influence of alcohol. They give rise not only to personal suffering, but also to socio-economic costs. What are the causes of alcohol-related ...

Potential for added medical benefits uncovered for widely used breast cancer drug

2013-11-07
Potential for added medical benefits uncovered for widely used breast cancer drug Lab tests show it protects cells from UV radiation, inflammation and oxidative damage Exemestane, a synthetic steroid drug widely prescribed to fight breast cancers that thrive on estrogens, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Room-temperature terahertz device opens door to 6G networks

A hard look at geoengineering reveals global risks

When smoke signals danger: How Australian lizards evolved to escape fire

Beyond the surface: Atopic eczema linked to significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts, major study finds

After weight loss regular exercise rather than GLP-1 weight-loss drug reduces leading cause of heart attack and strokes

EASD launches its first ever clinical practice guideline – the world’s first to focus on diabetes distress

Semaglutide provides powerful protection against diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults, Greek study suggests

Orforglipron taken orally once daily leads to significant body weight loss (ATTAIN-1 Study)

U of I researchers trace genetic code’s origins to early protein structures

Disease experts team up with Florida Museum of Natural History to create a forecast for West Nile virus

Researchers: Targeted efforts needed to stem fentanyl crisis

New UMaine research could help lower prescription drug costs

Molecular movie shows how mitochondria read their DNA

Loss of key male fertility gene leads to changes in expression of hundreds of other genes

Water’s density is key to sustainable lithium mining

Pioneering research reveals problem gambling quadruples the risk of suicide among young people four years later

New method improves the accuracy of machine-learned potentials for simulating catalysts

Astronomers discover rare Einstein cross with fifth image, revealing hidden dark matter

UCalgary researchers show brain shunts significantly benefit older adults with hydrocephalus

UCalgary researchers pursue new approach to manage deadly lung scarring

Psychotherapy can be readily integrated into brief “med-check” psychiatry visits

‘Wiggling’ atoms may lead to smaller, more efficient electronics

Alliance webinar highlights latest advances in cancer treatment

Climate change could drastically reduce aquifer recharge in Brazil

$1.7M DOD grant funds virtual cancer center to support research into military health

Brain organoids could unlock energy-efficient AI

AI-powered CRISPR could lead to faster gene therapies, Stanford Medicine study finds

Shared genetic mechanisms underpin social life in bees and humans

Prescribed opioid pain medications during pregnancy likely aren’t associated with increased risk of autism, ADHD

Sustainable, plant-based diet benefits both human and planetary health

[Press-News.org] Blocking the active site of thiolase