Tuberculosis, caused by the pathogenic bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the most widespread and deadly infectious diseases today. Treatment of tuberculosis relies on antibiotics that were developed more than 50 years ago. These are now becoming ineffective due to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of the bacteria. The aim of the research in this thesis was to develop new antibiotics for tuberculosis treatment. To this end, we targeted enzymes from two essential biosynthetic pathways in M. tuberculosis for drug development. The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway synthesizes a group of compounds called isoprenoids. These compounds have essential roles in all living organisms. The fact that humans utilize a different pathway for isoprenoid synthesis makes the MEP pathway enzymes attractive targets for drug development. We have determined the structures of two essential enzymes from this pathway by X-ray crystallography: 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (IspD). These are the first structures of these enzymes from M. tuberculosis. Additionally, structures of the IspD enzyme from the related bacteria Mycobacterium smegmatis were determined. We have characterized these enzymes and evaluated the efficiency of a number of inhibitors of the DXR enzyme by biochemical methods. Crystal structures of DXR in complex with some of these inhibitors were also determined. The second pathway of interest for drug development is the universal pathway for Coenzyme A biosynthesis. Enzymes in this pathway have essential roles in all living organisms. However, the bacterial enzymes have little similarity to the human homologues. We have determined a number of structures of the M. tuberculosis pantothenate kinase (PanK), the regulatory enzyme of this pathway, in complex with two new classes of inhibitory compounds, and evaluated these by biochemical methods. The structures and biochemical characterization of these enzymes provide us with detailed information about their functions and broadens our knowledge of these bacteria. Biochemical and structural information about new inhibitors of these enzymes serve as a starting point for future development of antibiotics against tuberculosis.

Malaria is a severe and deadly mosquito-borne disease. Although treatable, the continuous emergence of multi-drug resistant parasite strains urgently calls for the development of novel antimalarial agents. P. falciparum parasites synthesize essential isoprenoid precursors, isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP), via a non-mevalonate pathway: the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. This pathway is not utilized by humans. Thus, compounds that target the MEP pathway and disrupt isoprenoid biosynthesis in P. falciparum hold promise as potent and safe new antimalarial agents, that engage new targets. Previously, we and others identified MMV008138 from the Malaria Box as a MEP pathway targeting compound. Later work revealed that it targets the IspD enzyme within the MEP pathway. Work in the Carlier group has established preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) of MMV008138: 1) (1R,3S)-configuration is required; 2) 2', 4'-disubstitution of the D-ring with small, electronegative substituents; 3) functional importance of carboxylate acid at C3. In this work, I aim to gain further insight into the C3 SAR and A-ring SAR of lead compound MMV008138. Synthesized acid bioisosteres and A-ring analogs of MMV008138 were evaluated in their ability to inhibit P. falciparum parasite growth. We showed that the C3 substituent of MMV008138 has a very tight SAR, and likely interacts with a very constricted pocket within the PfIspD enzyme. A-ring modifications are limited to certain positions of MMV001838 and need to be sterically small. However, we have yet to identify a modification that significantly improves drug lead potency. Future work will continue towards understanding the A-ring SAR of MMV008138, as well as D-ring SAR and C1-SAR. Efforts will also be directed towards finding analogs with improved potency, transport and metabolic stability. / MS

The war between human and malaria has never stopped, and the development and application of antimalarial drugs has not eradicated this terrible disease. To fight drug-resistant malaria, many leads have been studied over the years. (1S,3R)-MMV008138 and MMV1803522 are two compounds that have been studied in the Carlier Group. My research focused on the structural variation of each of these compounds, in the hope that greater potency could be realized. Chapter 2 describes my work on (1S,3R)-MMV008138, which inhibits the enzyme PfIspD in the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. This compound shows good in vitro potency against the drug resistant Dd2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. However, this lead showed no activity in mouse models. This lack of activity may be due to poor metabolic stability of the compound. However, a significant increase in in vitro potency could also improve in vivo activity. Towards that end, I focused on further variation of the D-ring and A-rings. With the regard to the D-ring, we made five analogs of MMV008138 that replaced the 2,4-dichlorophenyl ring with dihalogenated thiophen-3-yl and thiophen-2-yl rings. We also explored the effect of installing a cyano group on the A-ring of MMV008138. Unfortunately, none of these new compounds were potent growth inhibitors of Dd2 strain P. falciparum. We conclude that the lead goes into a well-defined pocket within the PfIspD enzyme that only accommodates 2,4-dihalogenated phenyl D-rings. This pocket also cannot accept any substitution larger than F on the A-ring. Interestingly, the crystal structure of 5-cyano-substituted MMV008138 was obtained ((±)-2-50c). This is the first compound out of more than 100 analogs of MMV008138 family to be amenable to crystallization. The solid state conformation of the (±)-2-50c revealed that the C3-carboxyl group was in a pseudoequatorial orientation, and the C1-aryl group was thus in a pseudoaxial orientation. 1H NMR spectroscopic studies in CD3OD-D2O were carried out to determine the solution conformation. As expected from previous studies of ester derivatives of MMV008138, these studies indicated that in solution, 2-5 would adopt both the C3-carboxyl pseudoequatorial and pseudoaxial conformations. In Chapter 3, I describe the synthesis of analogs of the antimalarial drug candidate MMV1803522. This β-carboline-3-carboxamide shows good in vitro growth inhibition potency of Dd2 strain P. falciparum, operating by a still unknown mechanism. To investigate the pharmacophore of this lead, I first sought to determine whether the pyridine N (i.e. N2) of the β-carboline was important for in vitro potency. I prepared series of carbazole analogs of MMV1803522, which replace N2 with a CH. These compounds potently inhibited the growth of Dd2 strain P. falciparum. These results suggest that N2 of MMV1803522 is not involved in any energetically significant interactions with its target protein. To further identify the pharmacophore, we prepared truncated analogs lacking the A- and B- rings (biphenyl analogs), and tricyclic analogs that feature a reversed indole moiety. Unfortunately, the biphenyl analogs and reversed indole analogs show no growth inhibition at 10,000 nM the highest concentration tested. Lastly, I describe analogs of MMV1803522 in which the 3,4-dichlorophenyl ring of MMV1803522 was replaced with halogenated thiophene. This substitution was tolerated, but compounds were roughly half as potent as MMV1803522. / Doctor of Philosophy / Malaria, mainly caused by the infection of P. falciparum, is a serious worldwide disease. In 2020, there were 241 million cases of malaria infections and over 600,000 deaths from malaria. Combinations of commercially available antimalarial compounds, such as chloroquine, mefloquine and artemisinin, are commonly used as combination therapies to treat malaria. Since different antimalarial compounds have different mechanisms of action, this combination strategy can greatly slow down the spread of drug-resistant parasites. However, multiple drug-resistant strains of P. falciparum have been reported. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial compounds with novel mechanisms of action. This dissertation involves my research on the investigation and optimization of two novel antimalarial compounds, MMV008138 and MMV1803522. MMV008138 is an inhibitor of the MEP pathway, which is an essential metabolic pathway and attractive target for antimalarial therapies, in malaria parasites. The parasites cannot survive, with the MEP pathway inhibited. Since the MEP pathway is not present in human, the MMV008138 molecule is unlikely to have toxicity to human. The MMV008138 molecule has been demonstrated to have great in vitro performance of inhibiting the MEP pathway in several studies, however, the in vivo performance in mouse models is yet to improve. This may be due to the poor metabolic stability of this compound. The compound decomposes in the mouse body before it takes effect. To enhance the metabolic stability and potency, I performed chemical modifications on the A- and D-rings of the MMV008138 compound. An X-ray crystal structure was obtained to help elucidate the conformer distribution of MMV008138. This crystal structure can be used to guide our understanding of the docking of this compound to the target enzyme in the future. MMV1803522 is another compound that shows great potency in vitro and in vivo. This compound is fully oxidized and contains four aromatic rings. However, the target enzyme and the mechanism of action of MMV1803522 is yet to be discovered, and the structure-activity relationship between the chemical structure and the biological activity of this molecule is still unknown. Therefore, I have developed synthetic methods to synthesize a series of compounds that are structurally similar to the MMV1803522 and found that potency of this molecule is not due to the nitrogen on the C-ring. Also, the number and size of the ring structures in the MMV1803522 may be crucial for this molecule to exhibit great potency in vitro and in vivo.

Malaria continues to threaten human beings, causing a staggering number of more than 400,000 deaths each year. Although effective treatment and prevention methods are available, rapidly emerging resistance towards existing drugs is of great concern, and the need for novel antimalarial compounds are still urgent. The Malaria Box lead molecules MMV008138 and MMV665831 are promising in this regard, due to their apparently novel antimalarial mechanisms of action. The target of MMV008138 is the PfIspD enzyme in the MEP pathway, which is absent in humans. This difference makes the PfIspD a great target. However, while MMV008138 shows potency against Plasmodium falciparum-infected human erythrocytes in vitro, no efficacy was observed in a humanized mouse model or a P. berghei infected mouse in vivo. In order to block potential metabolic spots and to probe for steric demand, a series of analogous featuring C1-deuteration, methyl substitution on B- and C-ring, and an ethylene bridge were prepared. The effect of various substitution on the tetrahydro-β-carboline conformation and D-ring orientation was studied. In the course of preparing the C1-Me analog of MMV008138 featuring 2',4'- dichloro substitution, unexpected ring-expanded azepane products were isolated. Later it was found that the desired product could be isolated when the imine formed was treated with acid at lower temperature. Other intermediates possessing a 2ʹ- substituent were also isolated under the low temperature acid treatment protocol, which upon heating in acid gave the ring-expanded azepane we initially isolated. A mechanism was proposed to account for the formation of the azepane as well as other intermediates. The driving force of the expansion reaction was explored, and the hypothesis that the steric interaction between the 2ʹ-substituent and the C1-Me was supported via DFT calculation and conformational analysis. MMV665831 is another potent hit from the Malaria Box, and it appears to inhibit the hemoglobin endocytosis process of P. falciparum. The structure–activity relationship of MMV665831 was studied with analogues featuring modifications on C2-benzamide, C3-ester, C-7 phenol, as well as the phenolic Mannich base moiety. Modifications at phenolic Mannich base moiety leads to the discovery of an analogue that is twice as potent toward cultured P. falciparum compared to MMV665831. We were worried the phenolic Mannich base moiety might act as the precursor of toxic quinone methide intermediates, and designed two analogs to block this potential toxicophore. Although the modification resulted in reduced potency, this result proved that the potency of MMV665831 does not stem from the formation of quinone methides. Unfortunately, MMV665831 did not reduce parasitemia in P. berghei- infected mice. Fast hepatocyte metabolism was observed for MMV665831, and the loss of in vivo efficacy was discussed in comparison with other phenolic Mannich bases with similar hepatocyte stability. / Doctor of Philosophy / In the fight against malaria, one concerning issue is the rapidly emerging resistance towards existing drugs. The continuous development of antimalarials with novel mechanism of action is greatly needed. To accelerate the development of novel antimalarials, an open access ensemble of 400 compounds that are toxic to the malaria parasite known as the Malaria Box, has been made available. My work involves the optimization of two compounds from this ensemble, MMV008138 and MMV665831. MMV008138 kills the malaria parasite by inhibiting an enzyme named PfIspD, which is absent in human. In the parasite an enzyme called PfIspD is responsible for the biosynthesis of IPP and DMAPP, two chemical building blocks that are essential for all cells. It is unlikely that MMV008138 will interrupt with the biosynthesis of IPP and DMAPP in human, since we use another enzyme to synthesize them. Although MMV008138 shows great in vitro potency, but did not protect a live mouse from malaria infection. The lack of in vivo efficacy could stem from the rapid metabolism of MMV008138, and analogs aimed to prevent metabolism were designed and prepared. While preparing analogs featuring 2ʹ-substitution, the desired product was not found, but other unexpected by-products were isolated. The conditions that leads to both the desired products and the by-products were found, and the mechanistics detail of this unexpected reaction were studied. During the blood-stage, which causes malaria symptoms in human, the Plasmodium falciparum parasite invades and feeds on human red blood cells (erythrocytes). The parasite destroys human hemoglobin through a multistep process that begins by transporting the hemoglobin from the red blood cell into itself, a process called endocytosis. MMV665831 appears to interfere with this endocytosis process of P. falciparum, thus starving the parasite of its food. Analogs of MMV665831 were prepared to probe for the effect on potency, and one compound that is twice as potent in cultured parasites was found. The structure of MMV665831 contains a potentially unstable moiety, which might lead to toxicity in humans. Two analogs with the problematic moiety removed were designed and prepared, and one still shows antimalarial activity, showing that the reactivity of the potentially unstable moiety is not the reason for the antimalarial activity of MMV665831. However, MMV665831did not protect P. berghei-infected mice (murine malaria) in vivo, and the reason for the loss of efficacy was discussed.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative pathogen of tuberculosis, currently infects one-third of the world’s population, resulting in two million deaths annually. This clearly shows that tuberculosis is one of the most serious diseases of our times. The often unpleasant side effects from the current drugs, combined with the difficulty of ensuring patient compliance, and the emergence of drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant strains, makes the need for new and better drugs urgent. In this thesis, all the steps, from cloning, purification, crystallization, to activity determination, and structure determination are presented for two different M. tuberculosis enzymes. The structures, which were modeled from X-ray crystallographic data, provide the framework for structure-based drug design. Here, new potential inhibitors can be tailor-made based on the specific interactions in the enzyme’s active site. The bacteria have two different peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases that catalyze the isomerization of peptide bonds preceding proline residues, a process of high importance for correct folding. Here we present the structure of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A, an enzyme present inside the bacteria, and distinguish it from the B form of the enzyme, which is membrane bound, placing its active site outside the bacteria. The enzyme 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase catalyzes the second step within the non-mevalonate pathway, which leads to the production of isopentenyl diphosphate. This compound is the precursor of various isoprenoids, vital to all living organisms. In humans, isopentenyl diphosphate is produced via a different pathway, indicating that all the enzymes within the non-mevalonate pathway may be suitable drug targets in M. tuberculosis. Several structures of both wild type and mutant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase in complex with different substrates, and also with the known inhibitor fosmidomycin, provide valuable information not only to the field of drug design, but also, in this case, into the catalysis.

Malaria is a serious mosquito-borne disease affecting the majority of Earth's southern hemisphere. While consistent efforts to curb malaria spread throughout 20th and early 21st century were largely successful, the recent rise in resistance to antimalarial treatments resulted in an increasing incidence rate and stalling mortality rate. This trend clearly signifies the need for the development of novel antimalarial agents able to circumvent current drug-resistance mechanisms. In 2014, in collaboration with Prof. Maria Belen Cassera from the University of Georgia, our group found that compound 1a (1R,3S-MMV008138), discovered from the publicly available Malaria Box, targets an essential biosynthetic pathway (MEP pathway) of malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Analogs of 1a synthesized in our laboratory were found effective against multi-resistant Dd2 strain of P. falciparum which, together with an absence of MEP pathway in humans, suggests that potent analogs of 1a may be safe and efficient antimalarial drug candidates. The initial bioassay studies determined that only one of four possible MMV008138 stereoisomers satisfactorily inhibits the target PfIspD enzyme. Thus a secure determination of stereochemistry in 1a analogs was of utmost importance to the structure-activity relationship studies performed in our group. The second chapter of this work discusses the validation of the previously known empirical stereoassignment method based on analysis of relative shift of 13C NMR resonances between cis and trans diastereomers and compares it to a new method based on 3JHH coupling constants developed in our laboratory. We demonstrate that the new method relying on the analysis of 1H-1H coupling is reliable over large samples of experimental data and suitable even when only a single diastereomer is produced in the synthetic process. Importantly, the origin of 3JHH coupling constants is well understood, unlike the source of relative differences in 13C NMR shifts observed in the older method. The empirical observations for both stereoassignment methods are supported by extensive density-functional theory calculations, which validate the new 1H-1H coupling-based assignment but do not provide a conclusive explanation for the origin of the 13C NMR-based method. In the third chapter, we discuss the replacement of the carboxylic acid moiety in 1a by alternative functional groups promising improved toxicity and bioavailability profile. The total synthesis of tetrazole (trans-23a) and phosphonic acid ((±)-62a) derivatives of 1a is discussed in detail. The tetrazole analog 23a was previously synthesized in the Carlier group as a diastereomeric mixture of cis and trans isomers (dr = 3:7), and it was tested for growth inhibition of multi-resistant P. falciparum with promising results. Later, the synthesis was revisited to obtain a stereochemically pure sample of trans-23a, which was expected to show improved potency compared to the original sample. Furthermore, the synthesis of pure trans-23a confirmed the accuracy of the previous assignment of cis and trans diastereomers in the mixture. Unfortunately, neither analog showed an improvement in potency relative to 1a. / Doctor of Philosophy / The most severe form of malaria disease is caused by the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which gives rise to over 200 million infections and more than 400 thousand deaths every year, the majority of which affect young children. In recent years, the effectiveness of clinically used antimalarial medicines decreased due to an increase in drug-resistant strains of P. falciparum. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial agents that could bypass the emerging resistance. A promising candidate for a new antimalarial drug is a molecule named MMV008138. This molecule exists in four distinct forms called stereoisomers. Stereoisomers are molecules with the same chemical formula, but the atoms in each molecule are positioned differently. Only one of MMV008138's four stereoisomers (1a) was effective in killing the P. falciparum. The second chapter of this work discusses a new method for identifying stereoisomers in molecules like MMV008138. We demonstrate that the new method is both reliable and simpler than the previously used procedures. The third chapter of this dissertation discusses the preparation of two new compounds based on the structure of 1a that contain modifications promising improved biological activity. Unfortunately, neither of these two molecules was able to kill the P. falciparum efficiently.

Worldwide, malaria is one of the deadliest diseases. In 2016 it sickened 216 million people and caused 445,000 deaths. In order to control the spread of this deadly diseases to human, we can either target the mosquito vector (Anopheles gambiae) or the parasite (Plasmodium falciparum). Due to recent emergence of resistance to current insecticides and antimalarial drugs there is a pressing need to discover and develop new agents that engage new targets in these organisms. To circumvent the effect of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides on the efficacy of insecticide treated nets (ITNs), the use of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors on ITNs has drawn attention. In the first project, we explored a small library of γ- substituted oxoisoxazole- 2(3H)-carboxamides and isoxazol-3-yl carbamates, and nitriles as AChE inhibitors targeting wild- type (G3) and resistant (Akron) An. gambiae mosquito. In total 23 compounds were synthesized and evaluated. Both carbamates and carboximides with a 2-cyclopropylethyl side chain (1-87a and 1-88a) were extremely toxic to Akron mosquitos, yet these compounds did not exhibit appreciable selectivity between human and An. gambiae AChE. Unfortunately, none of the nitriles showed appreciable toxicity to G3 strain of the mosquitoes, nor did they inhibit An. gambiae AChE. In the second project, conducted in collaboration with Professor Michael Klemba, we focused on the mode of action of an established antimalarial drug, Mefloquine (MQ). Dr. Klemba's recently developed amino acid efflux assay was used to determine the effect of MQ and its open-ring analogs on hemoglobin endocytosis and catabolism in P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes. In total 26 MQ analogs were synthesized and 18 were studied in depth to determine their potency to inhibit leucine (Leu) efflux and parasite growth (SYBR Green). An excellent correlation (R² = 0.98) over nearly 4 log units was seen for these 18 compounds in the two assays. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the antimalarial action of these compounds principally derives from inhibition of hemoglobin endocytosis. After this observation, a number of photo-affinity probes were designed and synthesized in hopes of isolating the molecular target of MQ. These analogs are currently being used by Dr. Klemba in pull-down experiments. In the third project, conducted in collaboration with Professor Belen Cassera, we sought to optimize a new antimalarial drug lead that would circumvent current resistance mechanisms. In Plasmodium parasites, the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway is known to be essential for its growth. This pathway is absent in humans, presenting the opportunity to develop potentially safe and effective therapeutic candidates. Previous work in the Cassera and Carlier lab had established that MMV008138 was the only compound in the Malaria Box that targeted the MEP pathway and that it was (1R,3S)-configured. My research expanded previous efforts in the Carlier group and produced synthesis of 73 analogs of MMV008138 (3-21a'1) that were tested for growth inhibition. These analogs featured variation at the A-, B-, C- and D-ring. In the process, a novel Pictet-Spengler ring expansion reaction of ortho-substituted acetphenones was discovered. The ring-expanded products were identified by means of 1D and 2D NMR experiments, HRMS, and X-ray crystallography. Among the 73 analogs prepared, four compounds showed similar growth inhibition potency to the lead 3-21a'1. In particular, the methoxyamide 3-80a, and the fluorinated A-ring analogs 3-124a, 3-124c and 3-124d all showed excellent (500-700 nM) growth IC₅₀ values against P. falciparum. All four showed full rescue upon co-application of IPP (200 μM), confirming that they target the MEP pathway. ADME-Tox evaluation of these new analogs will soon be underway. / PHD

A malária mata mais de um milhão de pessoas por ano, sendo uma das doenças infecciosas mais relevantes e um grande problema de saúde pública. Além disso, o surgimento de cepas resistentes aos quimioterápicos utilizados faz necessário o estudo de novos alvos para tratamentos contra esta doença. No nosso laboratório foi demonstrada a biossíntese de isoprenóides, em P. falciparum pela via MEP. Sabe-se que substâncias inibidoras da biossíntese de isoprenóides, dentre essas os terpenos, apresentam atividade antimalárica. Levando em consideração o anterior, nós avaliamos o potencial antimalárico do álcool perilico (POH) em P. falciparum e P. berghei. Nossos resultados demonstraram que o POH teve efeito inibitório contra o crescimento do P. falciparum in vitro, nas cepas 3D7 e K1 com uma IC50 de 4,8 ± 0,5 &mu;M, e 10,41±2,33 &mu;M, respectivamente. Além disso, o POH não teve efeito tóxico na linhagem celular Vero. Ainda, Comprovamos que o POH inibiu a farnesilação de proteinas entre 20 e 37 KDa de P. falciparum. Por outro lado, os experimentos in vivo não mostraram eficácia do tratamento do POH contra PbGFP em camundongos Balb/c. Em contraste, foi demostrada a eficácia do POH na de malária cerebral experimental (MCE), , indicando uma redução na taxa de incidência da MCE no grupo tratado com POH, comparado o não tratado ( P<0,05). Além disso, o POH reduziu a inflamação no cérebro dos animais tratados, uma vez que teve uma redução significativa na adesão de leucócitos aos vasos cerebrais (P<0.001), como também, o numero de hemorragias foi menor comparados com os animais não tratados. (P<0.0001). Portanto, os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa abrem novas alternativas no estudo do mecanismo de ação do POH como um terpeno com grande potencial para tratar MC. / Malaria kills over one million people a year worldwide, and is one of the most important infectious diseases and a major public health problem. Furthermore, the emergence of resistant strains to chemotherapeutic agents used, make it necessary to study new targets for treatments against this disease. In our laboratory we have demonstrated the isoprenoids biosynthesis in P. falciparum, by the MEP pathway. It is known that the substances that inhibit isoprenoid biosynthesis, among these terpenes, have antimalarial activity in vitro and in vivo. Considering this, we evaluate the antimalarial potential of PA (POH) in P. falciparum and P. berghei. Our results showed that the POH had inhibitory effect against the growth of strains 3D7 and K1 of P. falciparum in vitro, with an IC50 of 4.8 &mu;M ± 0.5, and 10.41 ± 2.33 &mu;M, respectively. Furthermore, the POH had no toxic effect on cell line Vero. Moreover, the POH proved that inhibited proteins farnesylation from 20 to 37 kDa of P.falciparum. On the other hand, in vivo experiments did not show efficacy on treatment against POH PbGFP in BALB/c mice. In contrast, the effectiveness of POH in the experimental cerebral malaria (MCE) was demonstrated, indicating a reduction in the incidence rate of MCE in the group treated with POH, compared with of untreated animals (P <0.05). In addition, the POH reduced inflammation in the brain of treated animals, since it had a significant reduction in leukocyte adhesion to cerebral vessels (P <0.001), as also the number of bleeding was lower compared to untreated animals (P<0.0001). Therefore, the results obtained in this work provide new alternatives to study the POH\'s mechanism of action as a terpene with great potential to treat MC.

A malária mata mais de um milhão de pessoas por ano, sendo uma das doenças infecciosas mais relevantes e um grande problema de saúde pública. Além disso, o surgimento de cepas resistentes aos quimioterápicos utilizados faz necessário o estudo de novos alvos para tratamentos contra esta doença. No nosso laboratório foi demonstrada a biossíntese de isoprenóides, em P. falciparum pela via MEP. Sabe-se que substâncias inibidoras da biossíntese de isoprenóides, dentre essas os terpenos, apresentam atividade antimalárica. Levando em consideração o anterior, nós avaliamos o potencial antimalárico do álcool perilico (POH) em P. falciparum e P. berghei. Nossos resultados demonstraram que o POH teve efeito inibitório contra o crescimento do P. falciparum in vitro, nas cepas 3D7 e K1 com uma IC50 de 4,8 ± 0,5 &mu;M, e 10,41±2,33 &mu;M, respectivamente. Além disso, o POH não teve efeito tóxico na linhagem celular Vero. Ainda, Comprovamos que o POH inibiu a farnesilação de proteinas entre 20 e 37 KDa de P. falciparum. Por outro lado, os experimentos in vivo não mostraram eficácia do tratamento do POH contra PbGFP em camundongos Balb/c. Em contraste, foi demostrada a eficácia do POH na de malária cerebral experimental (MCE), , indicando uma redução na taxa de incidência da MCE no grupo tratado com POH, comparado o não tratado ( P<0,05). Além disso, o POH reduziu a inflamação no cérebro dos animais tratados, uma vez que teve uma redução significativa na adesão de leucócitos aos vasos cerebrais (P<0.001), como também, o numero de hemorragias foi menor comparados com os animais não tratados. (P<0.0001). Portanto, os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa abrem novas alternativas no estudo do mecanismo de ação do POH como um terpeno com grande potencial para tratar MC. / Malaria kills over one million people a year worldwide, and is one of the most important infectious diseases and a major public health problem. Furthermore, the emergence of resistant strains to chemotherapeutic agents used, make it necessary to study new targets for treatments against this disease. In our laboratory we have demonstrated the isoprenoids biosynthesis in P. falciparum, by the MEP pathway. It is known that the substances that inhibit isoprenoid biosynthesis, among these terpenes, have antimalarial activity in vitro and in vivo. Considering this, we evaluate the antimalarial potential of PA (POH) in P. falciparum and P. berghei. Our results showed that the POH had inhibitory effect against the growth of strains 3D7 and K1 of P. falciparum in vitro, with an IC50 of 4.8 &mu;M ± 0.5, and 10.41 ± 2.33 &mu;M, respectively. Furthermore, the POH had no toxic effect on cell line Vero. Moreover, the POH proved that inhibited proteins farnesylation from 20 to 37 kDa of P.falciparum. On the other hand, in vivo experiments did not show efficacy on treatment against POH PbGFP in BALB/c mice. In contrast, the effectiveness of POH in the experimental cerebral malaria (MCE) was demonstrated, indicating a reduction in the incidence rate of MCE in the group treated with POH, compared with of untreated animals (P <0.05). In addition, the POH reduced inflammation in the brain of treated animals, since it had a significant reduction in leukocyte adhesion to cerebral vessels (P <0.001), as also the number of bleeding was lower compared to untreated animals (P<0.0001). Therefore, the results obtained in this work provide new alternatives to study the POH\'s mechanism of action as a terpene with great potential to treat MC.

The recent emergence of a number of new viral diseases as well as the re-emergence of tuberculosis (TB), indicate an urgent need for new drugs against viral and bacterial infections. Coronavirus nsp1 has been shown to induce suppression of host gene expression and interfere with host immune response. However, the mechanism behind this is currently unknown. Here we present the first nsp1 structure from an alphacoronavirus, Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) nsp1. Contrary to previous speculation, the TGEV nsp1 structure clearly shows that alpha- and betacoronavirus nsp1s have a common evolutionary origin. However, differences in conservation, shape and surface electrostatics indicate that the mechanism for nsp1-induced suppression of host mRNA translation is likely to be different in the alpha- and betacoronavirus genera. The Modoc virus is a neuroinvasive rodent virus with similar pathology as flavivirus encephalitis in humans. The flaviviral methyltransferase catalyses the two methylations required to complete 5´ mRNA capping, essential for mRNA stability and translation. The structure of the Modoc NS5 methyltransferase domain was determined in complex with its cofactor S-adenosyl-L-methionine. The observed methyltransferase conservation between Modoc and other flaviviral branches, indicates that it may be possible to identify drugs that target a range of flaviviruses and supports the use of Modoc virus as a model for general flaviviral studies. 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) is part of the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway that produces essential precursors for isoprenoid biosynthesis. This pathway is used by a number of pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Plasmodium falciparum, but it is not present in humans. Using a structure-based approach, we designed a number of MtDXR inhibitors, including a novel fosmidomycin-analogue that exhibited improved activity against P.falciparum in an in vitro blood cell growth assay. The approach also allowed the first design of an inhibitor that bridge both DXR substrate and co-factor binding sites, providing a stepping-stone for further optimization.