NOS: Developments in scientific research follow improvements in computing: developments in bioinformatics, such as the interrogation of databases, have facilitated research into metabolic pathways

• Bioinformatics?is the use of?computers to analyse and sequence data?in biological research
• It has led to the creation of massive?databases?of information on molecules such as proteins, genes and DNA sequences
• Bioinformatics involves multiple scientific research groups contributing into central databases; other groups can then analyse the research and raise queries
• There are a number of different applications of bioinformatics
  • Testing commercially available drugs?on diseases that the drugs have not been originally targeted for
  • Theoretical molecular chemicals can be developed to?screen databases for new compounds?with the potential for targeting specific diseases, such as malaria
  • Gene function?can be studied using model organisms with similar sequences
  • When?developing new drugs?scientists can test whole libraries of chemicals individually on a range of model organisms

• One bioinformatics technique has specifically facilitated research in?metabolic pathways?and is called?chemogenomics
• Chemogenomics focuses on finding chemicals that target?enzyme?binding sites in order to alter metabolic pathways

• Malaria?is a disease caused by the parasitic?protozoans?of the genus?Plasmodium
• Some?Plasmodium?protozoa have become?resistant?to many of the available drugs currently used to treat the disease, such as chloroquine
• The development and life cycle of the parasite is governed by specific?enzymes?and?metabolic pathways
• A global research effort is in place to determine?new methods of treatment?for malaria
• The use of?bioinformatics?has a crucial place in this research by targeting the enzymes and metabolites within the parasite

The use of bioinformatics in identifying malarial inhibitors

• Scientists have sequenced the?proteome?of the parasitic?Plasmodium falciparum
• Consequently the enzymes involved in the parasite's metabolism have been?identified?and can be?targeted?for?inhibition
• Targeting these enzymes and metabolic pathways by inhibition can facilitate the development of?new anti-malarial drugs and medications
• Bioinformatics can be used to?screen?the parasite's enzymes against a?database of chemicals?to identify potential?enzyme inhibitors
  • Molecular models of the target enzymes can be?tested against computer designed models of inhibitors
  • So far over 300,000 chemicals have been screened against resistant malaria strains to identify?19 new chemicals?that can inhibit the parasite's enzymes

The use of bioinformatics in finding treatments for malaria

• Aside from targeting malarial inhibitors, bioinformatics has also played a key role developing other?new treatments?for malaria, including
  • Chemical?modification of current anti-malarial drugs?to create?hybrid drugs
  • Screening databases for?new compounds?with potential anti-malarial activity
  • 15 new chemicals?have been identified that bind to 61 malarial proteins creating new lines of investigation for scientists to follow in the search for anti-malarials