Fungal enzyme and drug resistance. Illustration of a cell membrane and a key metabolic fungal enzyme (blue) interacting with a drug (yellow) which binds to the enzyme's active site (red). The enzyme is lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase and the drug is the azole antifungal fluconazole. Also shown here is the normal metabolic process the drug is designed to disrupt. Lanosterol (purple) binds to the enzyme and is transformed into ergosterol (dark blue). Ergosterol is essential for the permeability and rigidity of the fungal plasma membrane. Fluconazole is used to treat a range of fungal infections by blocking the action of this enzyme, though some fungi have developed resistance to azole drugs due to genetic mutations at the active site. | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Gaertner, Juan |
Bildgröße: | 6827 px × 5120 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |