Mechanism and Inhibition of Anthrax Lethal Factor

锌是一种必需元素，是参与许多关键生物过程的300多种酶的不可缺少的组成部分。我的研究项目旨在了解这些酶如何在分子水平上起作用。我们的主要研究重点是炭疽致死因子（LF），一种锌依赖性金属酶，它构成炭疽毒素的三种成分之一。这种毒素的其他成分之一被称为保护性抗原（PA）。PA是一种成孔蛋白，它允许LF进入宿主细胞质，并在那里发挥其有害作用。

Zinc is an essential element, and an indispensable constituent of more than 300 enzymes involved in many critical biological processes. My research program seeks to understand how these enzymes work on the molecular level. Our primary focus of study is the anthrax lethal factor (LF), a zinc-dependent metalloenzyme, which constitutes one of the three components of the anthrax toxin. One of the other components of this toxin is termed protective antigen (PA). PA is a pore-forming protein, which allows LF to enter the host cell cytoplasm where it exerts its deleterious action.