TARGET FOR DRUG DISCOVERY

摘要

A method for identification of an inhibitor of shikimate kinase activity and/or expression, which method comprises determining whether a test substance can inhibit: (I) activity of a polypeptide which comprises: (i) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (ii) a variant thereof which is capable of shikimate kinase activity; or (iii) a fragment of (i) or (ii); and/or (II) transcription and/or translation of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of (I); and/or (III) transcription and/or translation of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide capable of shikimate kinase activity and which polynucleotide comprises: (a) the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and/or a sequence complementary thereto; (b) a sequence which hybridises under stringent conditions to a sequence as defined in (a); (c) a sequence that is degenerate as a result of the genetic code to a sequence as defined in (a) or (b); or (d) a sequence having at least 60 % identity to a sequence as defined in (a), (b) or (c). Inhibitors identified by such a method are useful in therapy, in particular in the treatment of microbial infections.