Publications by authors named "Sandhya Subramanian"

Glycyl tRNA synthetases (GlyRSs) are prospective drug targets for combating Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and cancer in humans. These synthetases are of the α2-subtype, with the ortholog in humans being dual targeted to the cytosol and mitochondria. Whereas the human enzyme has been structurally characterized previously in several liganded states, no structures of MtbGlyRS have thus far been reported.

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are pathogenic bacteria responsible for a worldwide zoonosis called brucellosis. In this study, we exploit the d-mannose central metabolism for the selective labeling of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a key virulence factor in Gram-negative bacteria. Our approach provides chemical tools to allow selective derivatization of bacterial membranes in vivo and a handle for imaging studies.

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The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AaRSs) are an ancient family of structurally diverse enzymes that are divided into two major classes. The functionalities of most AaRSs are inextricably linked to their oligomeric states. While GluRSs were previously classified as monomers, the current investigation reveals that the form expressed in is a rotationally pseudosymmetrical homodimer featuring intersubunit tRNA binding sites.

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Entamoeba histolytica causes amebiasis, a neglected disease that kills ∼100 000 people globally each year. Due to emerging drug resistance, E. histolytica is one of the target organisms for structure-based drug discovery by the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID).

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  • Helicobacter pylori is a type 1 carcinogen linked to gastric ulcers and cancer, and research by the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease focuses on potential treatments targeting this bacterium.
  • The study reports on the purification and crystallization of H. pylori biotin protein ligase (HpBPL), an enzyme that plays a crucial role in important metabolic processes and helps H. pylori thrive in the acidic environment of the stomach.
  • Despite having low sequence identity with similar proteins, HpBPL shares significant structural similarities with Mycobacterium tuberculosis biotin protein ligase, indicating potential for developing inhibitors that could be effective against HpBPL.
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Plasmodium vivax, a significant contributor to global malaria cases, poses an escalating health burden on a substantial portion of the world's population. The increasing spread of P. vivax because of climate change underscores the development of new and rational drug-discovery approaches.

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Griselimycin, a cyclic depsidecapeptide produced by Streptomyces griseus, is a promising lead inhibitor of the sliding clamp component of bacterial DNA polymerases (β-subunit of Escherichia coli DNA pol III). It was previously shown to inhibit the Mycobacterium tuberculosis β-clamp with remarkably high affinity and selectivity - the peptide lacks any interaction with the human sliding clamp. Here, we used a structural genomics approach to address the prospect of broader-spectrum inhibition, in particular of β-clamps from Gram-negative bacterial targets.

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  • Trichomonas vaginalis is a one-celled parasite that causes trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral STD worldwide, and it uses mimicry of human proteins to evade the immune system.
  • The parasite produces a protein called TvMIF, which helps it survive stress, boosts prostate cell growth, and triggers inflammation, paralleling the effects of human MIF.
  • Recent studies have revealed the structure of TvMIF, showing it has a similar shape to human versions, suggesting that understanding this protein can aid in developing new drugs.
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  • * There is a growing need for alternative treatments due to drug resistance in H. pylori, leading to research at the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) into potential drug targets, specifically Glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS).
  • * The SSGCID has successfully determined the structure of H. pylori GluRS, which shares significant similarities with other bacterial GluRS, presenting opportunities for drug discovery aimed at developing new antibacterials to combat H. pylori infections.
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  • Onchocerca volvulus is responsible for serious health issues, including blindness and neurological diseases, and current treatments like ivermectin can't be safely used in pregnant women or those co-infected with Loa loa.
  • Researchers at the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease have successfully produced and crystallized a potential drug target called OvMIF-1, which has a unique jellyfish-like structure.
  • The study suggests that deleting its N-terminal tag could reveal a larger cavity for drug targeting, indicating the need for further analysis to confirm the true biological structure of OvMIF-1.
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  • Plasmodium vivax causes malaria, affecting about a third of the world's population, and primaquine treatment is unsafe for those with G6PD deficiency, which impacts a significant portion of people in endemic areas.
  • The Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease studied PvNMT (N-myristoyltransferase) to find alternative drug targets since it's essential for P. vivax survival by facilitating protein modification.
  • The newly solved crystal structure of PvNMT, showing its interaction with myristoyl-CoA and a novel inhibitor, reveals differences from human enzymes, providing insights for creating effective antimalarial drugs.
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  • Brucella ovis is a major cause of reproductive diseases in sheep and other animals, with no effective global eradication methods for ovine brucellosis currently available.
  • Research at the Seattle Structural Genomics Center is focusing on analyzing B. ovis and other Brucella proteins to discover new therapeutic targets while also aiding in education about structural science and biochemistry.
  • The study highlights the unique structure of BoLBP, a protein that binds amino acids, which could help in the development of new drugs by revealing insights into its flexibility and potential for drug repurposing.
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  • Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a major global health concern due to its ability to cause severe infections and resist multiple drugs, making research on its enzymes crucial for developing effective antibiotics like nitrofurantoin.
  • This study presents crystal structures of two Kp nitroreductases (Kp-NRs) at high resolutions, detailing their unique structural features, including their αβ folds and variations in specific loops.
  • The findings suggest that these enzymes may play a role in detoxifying harmful compounds and activating nitrofuran drugs, indicating their potential significance in combating Kp infections.
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  • Pathogenic free-living amoebae (pFLA) pose serious risks for central nervous system infections, making it crucial to find new chemical agents to fight these pathogens.
  • The study focuses on glucokinase (Glck), a metabolic enzyme with minimal similarity to human counterparts, as a promising target for developing inhibitors.
  • Using a novel "shotgun" multifragment kinetic target-guided synthesis (KTGS) strategy, researchers identified 12 effective inhibitors against three different pFLA glucokinase enzymes, showcasing KTGS's effectiveness even in the absence of detailed structural information.
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In the summer of 2020, multiple efforts were undertaken to establish safe and effective vaccines to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In the United States (U.S.

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Elizabethkingia bacteria are globally emerging pathogens that cause opportunistic and nosocomial infections, with up to 40% mortality among the immunocompromised. Elizabethkingia species are in the pipeline of organisms for high-throughput structural analysis at the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID). These efforts include the structure-function analysis of potential therapeutic targets.

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The name of one of the authors in Beard et al. [(2022), Acta Cryst. F78, 59-65] is corrected.

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Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted infections globally and is one of the most commonly reported infections in the United States. There is a need to develop new therapeutics due to drug resistance and the failure of current treatments to clear persistent infections. Structures of potential C.

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Burkholderia phymatum is an important symbiotic nitrogen-fixing betaproteobacterium. B. phymatum is beneficial, unlike other Burkholderia species, which cause disease or are potential bioagents.

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  • Burkholderia pseudomallei is the bacterium that causes melioidosis, a serious and often fatal infection if not treated.
  • There is an urgent need for new, effective treatments for this condition, leading to research on the structure of a potential drug target called betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH).
  • The study found that BADH from B. pseudomallei shares structural similarities with BADH from another bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can be inhibited by the drug disulfiram, suggesting potential for repurposing existing drugs.
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Members of the bacterial genus Brucella cause brucellosis, a zoonotic disease that affects both livestock and wildlife. Brucella are category B infectious agents that can be aerosolized for biological warfare. As part of the structural genomics studies at the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID), FolM alternative dihydrofolate reductases 1 from Brucella suis and Brucella canis were produced and their structures are reported.

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Paraburkholderia xenovorans degrades organic wastes, including polychlorinated biphenyls. The atomic structure of a putative dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) from P. xenovorans (PxSDR) was determined in space group P2 at a resolution of 1.

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  • * Despite the dangers, there are limited drug treatments available, as few effective targets have been identified at the molecular level for combating infections, particularly in the central nervous system.
  • * Recent research has led to the screening of 85 compounds, resulting in 59 that effectively hinder the growth of the amoeba, and the sequencing of its transcriptome has allowed for the identification of important genes which can be targeted for new drug development.
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Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic, thermophilic, free-living amoeba which causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Penetrating the olfactory mucosa, the brain-eating amoeba travels along the olfactory nerves, burrowing through the cribriform plate to its destination: the brain's frontal lobes. The amoeba thrives in warm, freshwater environments, with peak infection rates in the summer months and has a mortality rate of approximately 97%.

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Rapid generation of diagnostics is paramount to understand epidemiology and to control the spread of emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Computational methods to predict serodiagnostic epitopes that are specific for the pathogen could help accelerate the development of new diagnostics. A systematic survey of 27 SARS-CoV-2 proteins was conducted to assess whether existing B-cell epitope prediction methods, combined with comprehensive mining of sequence databases and structural data, could predict whether a particular protein would be suitable for serodiagnosis.

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