Molecular basis for the antiparasitic activity of a mercaptoacetamide derivative that inhibits histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) from the human pathogen schistosoma mansoni.

Schistosomiasis, caused by the parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni and related species, is a tropical disease that affects over 200 million people worldwide. A new approach for targeting eukaryotic parasites is to tackle their dynamic epigenetic machinery that is necessary for the extensive phenotypic changes during the life cycle of the parasite. Recently, we identified S.

Cysteine mapping in conformationally distinct kinase nucleotide binding sites: application to the design of selective covalent inhibitors.

Kinases have emerged as one of the most prolific therapeutic targets. An important criterion in the therapeutic success of inhibitors targeting the nucleotide binding pocket of kinases is the inhibitor residence time. Recently, covalent kinase inhibitors have attracted attention since they confer terminal inhibition and should thus be more effective than reversible inhibitors with transient inhibition.