A comparative analysis of Hsp90 and its possible role in drug resistance in nematode parasites

线虫寄生虫是感染人类和家畜的圆形蠕虫。它们可以在宿主中引起疾病和各种症状，并且在农场动物的经济和公共卫生方面都非常重要，特别是在世界上较贫困的地区。农场动物的线虫寄生虫的一个主要问题是耐药性的传播。有三种不同类型的药物可用于治疗受感染的动物，但一些线虫现在对所有三类药物都有抗药性。在这项研究中，我们将研究一种名为Hsp90的蛋白质是否是新药的良好靶点。这种蛋白质在癌症研究领域具有很大的意义，并且正在制备许多抑制其功能的新化合物。此外，我们将测试一个假设，热休克蛋白90也可能参与线虫的耐药性。它最近被证明是非常重要的真菌已成为抗药性，我们将研究它是否可能在线虫有类似的功能。由于有许多新的Hsp90抑制剂，这种方法可以提供逆转耐药性的潜力。

Nematode parasites are round worms that infect humans and domestic animals. They can cause illness and a variety of symptoms in their hosts and are very important both economically in farm animals and in public health terms, particularly in poorer areas of the world. A major problem with nematode parasites of farm animals is the spread of drug resistance. There are three different types of drugs available to treat infected animals, but some nematodes are now resistant to all three classes of drug. In this study we will investigate whether a protein called Hsp90 is a good target for new drugs. This protein is of great interest in the field of cancer research and many new compounds are being prepared which inhibit its function. In addition we will test a hypothesis that Hsp90 might also be involved in drug resistance in nematodes. It has recently been shown to be very important in fungi that have become resistant to drugs and we will investigate whether it may have a similar function in nematodes. As there are many new inhibitors of Hsp90, this approach could offer the potential to reverse drug resistance.