Future Directions in Biotechnological and Pharmacological Applications of CAIs

Around 50 different chemotypes were described so far to possess carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) inhibitory action, through five different inhibition mechanisms: zinc coordination, anchoring to the zinc-coordinated water molecule; occluding the active site entrance; out of the active site binding, and halogen bond formation with the proton shuttling residues. It is conceivable that future research will evidence new CA inhibitors (CAIs) and novel mechanisms of inhibition. Presently, the emerging trends in CAI research include, apart the search for new inhibitors, the design of hybrid drugs incorporating CAIs and other pharmacological agents, the design of PROTACs targeting various CA isoforms, as well as expanding the clinical utility of such compounds for the management of tumors, cerebral ischemia, arthritis, neuropathic pain, and infections produced by bacteria, fungi, and protozoans. From the biotechnological viewpoint, CAs may be highly useful for carbon dioxide capture technologies.