A cell-based ribozyme reporter system employing a chromosomally-integrated 5' exonuclease gene.

Background: Bioinformatic genome surveys indicate that self-cleaving ribonucleic acids (ribozymes) appear to be widespread among all domains of life, although the functions of only a small number have been validated by biochemical methods. Alternatively, cell-based reporter gene assays can be used to validate ribozyme function. However, reporter activity can be confounded by phenomena unrelated to ribozyme-mediated cleavage of RNA.

Validation of deoxyhypusine synthase as an antimalarial target.

Background: Hypusination is an essential post-translational modification in eukaryotes. The two enzymes required for this modification, namely deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) and deoxyhypusine hydrolase are also conserved. human malaria parasites possess genes for both hypusination enzymes, which are hypothesized to be targets of antimalarial drugs.