Picture of A. fumigatus growth in solid blood media. White spots in wells show fungal growth while clear wells shows no growth because of SidA inhibition. Credit: Julia S. Martin del Campo
Researchers with the Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery have identified a compound that blocks the growth of a fungus that causes deadly lung infections and allergic reactions in people with compromised immune systems. The research team targeted the switch that allows the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus to survive in iron-deficient conditions like the human body. Specifically, they targeted an enzyme known as SidA, which is essential for the synthesis of siderophores that are made during infection to steal iron from human proteins.
Furthermore, by performing high-throughput screening in the center’s Dr...
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