Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Drug Candidate Discovery: Targeting Bacterial Topoisomerase I Enzymes For Novel Antibiotic Leads, Shayna Sandhaus

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multi-drug resistance in bacterial pathogens has become a global health crisis. Each year, millions of people worldwide are infected with bacterial strains that are resistant to currently available antibiotics. Diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and gonorrhea have become increasingly more difficult to treat. It is essential that novel drugs and cellular targets be identified in order to treat this resistance. Bacterial topoisomerase IA is a novel drug target that is essential for cellular growth. As it has never been targeted by existing antibiotics, it is an attractive target. Topoisomerase IA is responsible for relieving torsional strain on DNA by relaxing …