Projects / Programmes
Characterization of ligand-receptor interactions
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.09.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Pharmacy |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B000 |
Biomedical sciences |
|
| P000 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
|
non-covalent interactions, NMR spectroscopy, laser tweezers, screening, fragment-based design
Researchers (5)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0104 |
National Institute of Chemistry |
Ljubljana |
5051592000 |
21,007 |
Abstract
Experimental methodology for investigation of ligand-receptor interactions based on high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and molecular force spectroscopy will be implemented and developed. In particular generally appearing problems of large molecular weight of the protein target and low solubility of ligands in aqueous solution will be considered. Development of experimental methodology will be focused on determination of experimental parameters, which allow identification of ligand binding to protein targets and quantitative determination of non-covalent interactions in formation of ligand-receptor complexes. Precise identification of ligand binding is crucial for effective screening approaches. Knowledge of nature and energetics of non-covalent interactions between the ligand and receptor functional groups offers essential information for rational drug design and improvement of theoretical algorithms for investigation of drug-receptor complexes.
Significance for science
New molecular targets and development of novel antibiotics directed at these targets are a challenge for a scientist in the field of biomedicine on one hand and on the other hand a pressing need of medicine for introduction of novel drugs into therapy because of unmet medical needs and fast development of bacterial resistance towards current antimicrobial drugs.
The contribution to the development of science will be validation and characterization of DNA gyrase as molecular target for the development of novel antimicrobials and importance of this targets in pathology of various bacterial infections. The most important result will be the discovery of novel antibiotics and enzyme inhibitors and knowledge about their mode of action. Also, important new knowledge will result from experimental determination of structure of the ligand –enzyme complex which will enable insight into underlying molecular mechanisms.
The results of our work will be published in highly ranked journals and we will report on our research at international conferences.
Significance for the country
The research activity directed towards development of a novel chemical entity to the end of preclinical research has been completed successfully in this laboratory for biological systems in which various enzymatic targets and chemical classes of inhibitor molecules were studied. There is also a continuously growing interest of the world pharmaceutical industry to promote an intense collaboration with innovative groups in academia. Such collaboration is the basis for formation of high-tech biotechnological companies what has been a priority for the Slovenian economic development of the 21st century.
Functional knowledge obtained and developed by young researchers of the project team will be a foundation on which these high-tech biotechnological companies can be organized. The resulting products which can be commercialized are an important contribution towards the economic exploitation of existing infrastructure of academic research institutions. Novel knowledge obtained by this project will contribute to further development of the field of pharmacy, biotechnology and biomedicine in Slovenia.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
