Recent advances in identification of potential drug targets and development of novel drugs in parasitic diseases. Part II: Parasite targets

Document Type : Review Article

Author

Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

Abstract

Understanding the parasite biology on molecular basis is the starting point for identification of novel parasite
drug targets. The interpretation of gene regulatory networks is a “blueprint” for discovery of new interactions
among system biological events that lead to identification of novel potential drug targets and/or vaccine
candidates. The aim of the present review is to simplify the molecular bases of the mandatory biological
processes involved in the parasite survival, growth, replication, pathogenesis, and virulence. Growth and
replication include nucleic acid synthesis, DNA replication and gene expression (topoisomerase, histone
variants, and histone modification enzymes), and translation process for protein synthesis (initiation and
elongation factors). Parasite survival includes signaling pathways (protein kinases, and protein lipidadtion),
regulated cell death machinery, mitochondrial respiratory electron chain, and transmembrane transporters.
Parasite pathogenesis and virulence include proteases, endogenous protease inhibitors (cysteine and serine
protease inhibitors), heat shock proteins, glycoproteins, and tetraspanins. This publication is part II in a series
of reviews dealing with identification of potential drug targets and development of novel drugs in parasitic
diseases published in PUJ as part I[1].

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