Synthesis and in vitro evaluation shows disquaramide compounds are a promising class of anti-leishmanial drugs.

An increasing number of treatment failures with current pharmaceutics, as well as a lack of a vaccine, demonstrates the need to develop new treatment options for leishmaniasis. Herein, we describe the synthesis and in vitro analysis of 24 disquaramide compounds targeting the parasite. Of the compounds that were evaluated, six of them ( , , , , , and ) were capable of significantly decreasing the number of parasites by up to 42% compared to the control by day four.

Simple to Complex: The Role of Actin and Microtubules in Mitochondrial Dynamics in Amoeba, Yeast, and Mammalian Cells.

Mitochondria are complex organelles that provide energy for the cell in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and have very specific structures. For most organisms, this is a reticular or tubular mitochondrial network, while others have singular oval-shaped organelles. Nonetheless, maintenance of this structure is dependent on the mitochondrial dynamics, fission, fusion, and motility.