biostudies-literatureUnknown27(17)Abraham JBowie State UniversityThe pathogenic form of thermophilic Naegleria sp. i.e., Naegleria fowleri, also known as brain eating amoeba, causes primary amoebic encephalitis (PAM) with a >97% fatality rate. To date, there are no specific drugs identified to treat this disease specifically. The present antimicrobial combinatorial chemotherapy is hard on many patients, especially children. Interestingly, Naegleria fowleri has complex lipid biosynthesis pathways like other protists and also has a strong preference to utilize absorbed host lipids for generating energy. The ergosterol biosynthesis pathway provides a unique drug target opportunity, as some of the key enzymes involved in this pathway are absent in humans. Sterol 24-C Methyltransferase (SMT) is one such enzyme that is not found in humans. To select novel inhMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)5727https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9457665biostudies-literatureVirtual Screening of Alkaloid and Terpenoid Inhibitors of SMT Expressed in <i>Naegleria</i> sp.PMC9457665Chauhan NAbraham JRay SfalseVirtual Screening of Alkaloid and Terpenoid Inhibitors of SMT Expressed in <i>Naegleria</i> sp.The pathogenic form of thermophilic Naegleria sp. i.e., Naegleria fowleri, also known as brain eating amoeba, causes primary amoebic encephalitis (PAM) with a >97% fatality rate. To date, there are no specific drugs identified to treat this disease specifically. The present antimicrobial combinatorial chemotherapy is hard on many patients, especially children. Interestingly, Naegleria fowleri has complex lipid biosynthesis pathways like other protists and also has a strong preference to utilize absorbed host lipids for generating energy. The ergosterol biosynthesis pathway provides a unique drug target opportunity, as some of the key enzymes involved in this pathway are absent in humans. Sterol 24-C Methyltransferase (SMT) is one such enzyme that is not found in humans. To select novel inh2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Sep2026-04-08T12:05:51.593Z2024-10-18T02:35:53.688ZS-EPMC94576653608050410.3390/molecules27175727