Structural analysis of fungal pathogenicity-related casein kinase α subunit, Cka1, in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

ABSTRACT: CK2α is a constitutively active and highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that is involved in the regulation of key cellular metabolic pathways and associated with a variety of tumours and cancers. The most well-known CK2α inhibitor is the human clinical trial candidate CX-4945, which has recently shown to exhibit not only anti-cancer, but also anti-fungal properties. This prompted us to work on the CK2α orthologue, Cka1, from the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes life-threatening systemic cryptococcosis and meningoencephalitis mainly in immunocompromised individuals. At present, treatment of cryptococcosis remains a challenge due to limited anti-cryptococcal therapeutic strategies. Hence, expanding therapeutic options for the treatment of the disease is hi

SUBMITTER: Ong BX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6779870 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature