Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

10:21
Protein Target Prediction and Validation of Small Molecule Compound
Published on: February 23, 2024
[Structural and functional studies on proteins as potential drug discovery targets]
1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Showa University, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan. ntanaka@pharm.showa-u.ac.jp
Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
|October 6, 2007
Summary
This study uses structural biology to investigate human disease proteins and pathogen growth factors, including autocrine motility factor, ribonuclease L, and Plasmodium falciparum S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase.
Area of Science:
- Structural biology
- Protein structure and function
- Drug discovery
Context:
- Structural biology is key to understanding biological molecules.
- Drug design is a primary medical application of structural biology.
- Research focuses on human disease proteins and pathogen-essential proteins.
Purpose:
- To perform structural and functional studies on key proteins.
- To investigate human autocrine motility factor.
- To analyze human ribonuclease L and Plasmodium falciparum S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase.
Summary:
- Detailed structural and functional analyses of human autocrine motility factor.
- Elucidation of the structure and function of human ribonuclease L.
- Investigation of Plasmodium falciparum S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase structure and function.
Impact:
- Provides foundational structural data for potential drug targets.
- Advances understanding of human disease mechanisms.
- Offers insights into pathogenic organism biology for therapeutic development.
Related Concept Videos
Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design
Drug design is a dynamic field that involves discovering and developing new medications based on specific biological targets. This process heavily relies on structure-activity relationships (SAR) and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) to guide the design and optimization of efficient drugs.
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence its...
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence its...
Targets for Drug Action: Overview
Drugs target macromolecules to modify ongoing cellular processes. Primary drug targets include receptors, ion channels, transporters, and enzymes.
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...
Ligand Binding Sites
Proteins are dynamic macromolecules that carry out a wide variety of essential processes; however, the activities of most proteins depend on their interactions with other molecules or ions, known as ligands.
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
Protein-protein Interfaces
Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a polypeptide...
Drug Discovery: Overview
Drug discovery is a multifaceted process involving extensive screening, testing, and optimization of lead compounds to identify potential new drugs for therapeutic use. It combines several approaches, including screening large numbers of natural products, chemical modification of known active molecules, identification of new drug targets, and rational design based on biological mechanisms and drug-receptor structure. These approaches are carried out in both academic research laboratories and...
Protein Networks
An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
