Session: 670 Antibacterial targets and drug discovery I
(670.8) Expression and Characterization of Helminthic Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases
Monday, April 4, 2022
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Exhibit/Poster Hall A-B - Pennsylvania Convention Center
Poster Board Number: A371
David Wilson (Carleton College), Molly Kammann (Carleton College), Leo Qi (Carleton College), Augustus Williams (Carleton College), Joseph Chihade (Carleton College)
Parasitic worms, broadly described as helminths, currently infect approximately 2 billion people worldwide. Existing treatment options are limited and many cause harmful side effects. We are working to characterize aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases, enzymes that carry out an essential step in protein synthesis, as potential drug targets in these parasites. Using genomic data to predict the protein sequences, we have identified synthetases likely to differ most from human homologues. We have designed gene sequences to insert into bacterial expression vectors in order to of express, purify, and characterize the helminthic enzymes.
In order to facilitate kinetic assays with these enzymes, we have made progress in adapting and improving a non-radioactive aminoacylation assay, which couples the formation of AMP during the aminoacylation reaction to the production of NADH, which can be measured spectrophotometrically at 340 nm.
