Approaches to identify novel druggable targets for treating neglected diseases include computational studies that predict possible interactions of drugs and their molecular targets. Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) plays a central role in the purine salvage pathway. This enzyme is essential for the survival of the protozoan parasite T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Na/K-ATPase is an integral plasma membrane glycoprotein of all animal cells that couples the exchange of intracellular Na for extracellular K to the hydrolysis of ATP. The asymmetric distribution of Na and K is essential for cellular life and constitutes the physical basis of a series of fundamental biological phenomena. The pumping mechanism is explained by the Albers-Post model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochim Biophys Acta Biomembr
November 2022
This work analyses the thermostability of a membrane protein, the gastric H,K-ATPase, by means of a detailed kinetic characterization of its inactivation process, which showed to exhibit first-order kinetics. We observed parallel time courses for the decrease of ATPase activity, the decrease of the autophosphorylation capacity and the loss of tertiary structure at 49 °C. Higher temperatures were required to induce a significant change in secondary structure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: (AJ) are involved in cancer, infections and neurodegeneration. Still, their composition has not been completely disclosed. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) catalyze the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) as a posttranslational modification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and affects 7 million people worldwide. Considering the side effects and drug resistance shown by current treatments, the development of new anti-Chagas therapies is an urgent need. T.
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