Publications by authors named "Julie Rima"
Worldwide, tuberculosis is the second leading infectious killer and multidrug resistance severely hampers disease control. Mycolic acids are a unique category of lipids that are essential for viability, virulence, and persistence of the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Therefore, enzymes involved in mycolic acid biosynthesis represent an important class of drug targets.
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- Type I polyketide synthases (PKSs) are key enzymes in producing polyketides, which have significant biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications, and Pks13 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis plays a crucial role in creating mycolic acids essential for the bacteria's survival.
- A quasi-atomic model of Pks13 was developed using small-angle X-ray scattering and known high-resolution structures, revealing that the enzyme exists as a monomer in an elongated form with distinct catalytic domains for condensation and product release.
- This new structural information advances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Pks13, highlighting its potential as a target for drug discovery against tuberculosis.