Target Identification and Validation

Question 1

what is a drug target

Answer 1

• drugs act on a protein to change the function of said protein, by changing shape
• protein is the drug target

not good targets
- DNA/RNA its hard to find potent compounds
- lipids have low specificity
- carbohydrates has challenges w drug safety

main drug targets
- enzymes (protein machines that do work)
- receptors (proteins involved in communicating a signal)

Question 2

enzyme

Answer 2

• lock and key
• substrate binds and undergoes chemical reaction
• substrates fit into active site
• products disassociate from active site

Question 3

receptors

Answer 3

• involved in cell communication
• found on surface OR inside cell
• binds to chemical messengers, called ligands
• relays messages to the cell
• the cell reacts by functioning differently
• many hormone effects are mediated by receptors
• different types of receptors

Question 4

genomics

Answer 4

• study of all genes in the genome and interactions among them and their environment

Question 5

genetics

Answer 5

• study of single genes in isolation