Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: STEM Research
Eric Bonsu - Bowie State University
Co-Author(s): Isata Yokie Christ Warren Tessofo
There is no debate about the importance of critical research and development, pertaining to both the present and future of new and improved antiviral drugs. The world is constantly at the mercy of current and emerging infectious diseases, particularly viral infections. More modern examples include: Ebola virus, Zika virus, Dengue Fever virus, Influenza A virus, and the other variants and mutants they will later present. This research involves investigation, literature research, critical structure-activity study, multi-step synthesis of some structurally and mechanistically-designed C-2 functionalized ribofuranosylpurine nucleosides as antiviral compounds targeting the inhibition of IMPDH (Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase). IMPDH is a choice target for antiviral chemotherapy because it is involved in the first committed and rate-limiting step in the de-novo biosynthesis of guanine nucleotides. Thus, IMPDH inhibition depletes the guanylate pools (GMP, GDP, GTP and dGTP), and since GTP is a cofactor in the conversion of IMP to AMP (via adenylosuccinate), ATP and dATP pools are also depleted. This retards cellular functions such as DNA replication, RNA synthesis and signal transduction, which subsequently leads to anticancer, antiviral, immunosuppressive, and anti-parasitic chemotherapy. Students will have hands-on experience in modern synthetic chemistry and the use of modern state-of-the-art instruments such as 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR, UV, IR, MS, and HPLC to validate synthesized compounds.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation
Faculty Advisor: None Listed,