About this Research Topic
Protozoan parasites cause a tremendous disease burden to humans and other animals. The medically relevant intracellular protozoan parasites such as Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Babesia, Entamoeba, etc. replicate within the host cell to maintain their biomass and infection. In many cases, it has been observed that they follow significantly different biochemical processes compared to that of the host, at various developmental stages of their life cycle.
In recent years, considerable progress has been made to understand DNA replication, DNA damage response, and DNA repair-recombination pathways in disease-causing parasites, and their impact on their virulence. This article collection will focus on capturing the latest understanding of the DNA replication-repair-recombination (R-R-R) machinery of protozoan parasites which could be exploited as potential drug targets to control disease.
This research topic will address the latest research on the various pathways of DNA metabolism among different protozoan parasites. It will elucidate the importance of both the effector and regulatory proteins in these pathways that have the potential to be novel drug targets.
The topic will allow the readership a comparative understanding of the R-R-R processes from various protozoan parasites. The knowledge of the similarities and dissimilarities, and structure-function relationship of the key proteins, common to all the parasites, will guide future research undertaking rational drug-designing approaches. This collection will help the readership identify the lacuna and thus propel research into new avenues.
We invite brief research reports, original research articles, review, and mini reviews, which may include, but are not limited to:
• Latest understanding of the specific biochemical pathways involving DNA replication-repair-recombination (R-R-R) of the protozoan parasites
• Structure-function analysis of specific parasite proteins involved in R-R-R that can be used as drug targets
• Inhibitor study on the development of drugs targeting the DNA replication-repair-recombination machinery of the protozoan parasites, and its consequence on parasite virulence and survivability within the host
• Emerging new technologies to elucidate an in-depth understanding of the above-mentioned pathways in protozoan parasites
In recent years, considerable progress has been made to understand DNA replication, DNA damage response, and DNA repair-recombination pathways in disease-causing parasites, and their impact on their virulence. This article collection will focus on capturing the latest understanding of the DNA replication-repair-recombination (R-R-R) machinery of protozoan parasites which could be exploited as potential drug targets to control disease.
This research topic will address the latest research on the various pathways of DNA metabolism among different protozoan parasites. It will elucidate the importance of both the effector and regulatory proteins in these pathways that have the potential to be novel drug targets.
The topic will allow the readership a comparative understanding of the R-R-R processes from various protozoan parasites. The knowledge of the similarities and dissimilarities, and structure-function relationship of the key proteins, common to all the parasites, will guide future research undertaking rational drug-designing approaches. This collection will help the readership identify the lacuna and thus propel research into new avenues.
We invite brief research reports, original research articles, review, and mini reviews, which may include, but are not limited to:
• Latest understanding of the specific biochemical pathways involving DNA replication-repair-recombination (R-R-R) of the protozoan parasites
• Structure-function analysis of specific parasite proteins involved in R-R-R that can be used as drug targets
• Inhibitor study on the development of drugs targeting the DNA replication-repair-recombination machinery of the protozoan parasites, and its consequence on parasite virulence and survivability within the host
• Emerging new technologies to elucidate an in-depth understanding of the above-mentioned pathways in protozoan parasites
Keywords: protozoan parasites, drug targets, structure-function analysis, DNA recombination, DNA repair
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
