DNA topoisomerase VI: a novel target for herbicides and antimalarial drugs

DNA拓扑异构酶VI是一种最初在古细菌中发现的酶，但最近在植物（拟南芥）和疟疾寄生虫（恶性疟原虫）中发现。对这种酶知之甚少，但它在植物生长和发育以及疟原虫生命周期中起着关键作用。我们将研究这种酶，并更多地了解它催化的反应及其在植物和疟原虫中的作用。我们将继续开发酶的抑制剂，特别是我们的目标是筛选化合物库，并研究发现抑制酶的化合物的作用机制。我们的目标是开发除草剂和抗疟疾治疗的新线索。

DNA topoisomerase VI is an enzyme that was originally discovered in archaea but has more recently been found in plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) and malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum). Rather little is known about this enzyme but it has key roles in plant growth and development and in the plasmodium life cycle. We will characterise this enzyme and learn more about the reactions that it catalyses and its role in plants and plasmodia. We will go on to develop inhibitors of the enzyme, specifically we aim to screen libraries of compounds and investigate the mechanism of action of compounds that are found to inhibit the enzyme. We aim to develop new leads for herbicides and antimalarial therapy.