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New York: Toxic mushroomsmay hold secrets to tackling deadly diseases
as researchers have discovered that the fungi could help in the
production of medicines capable of curing disease without the patient
suffering any side effects.
The researchers discovered in mushrooms an enzyme called POPB that
create the mushroom's molecules that harbour missile-like proficiency
in attacking and annihilating a single vulnerable target in the human
liver.
These findings could lead to single-minded medicines with zero side
effects, said co-lead author Jonathan Walton, professor of plant
biology at the Michigan State University in the US.
The team revealed how the enzyme contributes to the manufacture of
chemical compounds known as cyclic peptides, a favourite molecule that
pharmaceutical companies use to create new drugs.
"Mushrooms are prolific chemical factories, yet only a few of their
peptides are poisonous," he added.
"These toxins survive the high temperatures of cooking and the acids
of digestion, and yet they are readily absorbed by the bloodstream and
go directly to their intended target. These are the exact qualities
needed for an effective medicine," Walton said.
The enzyme POPB convert the toxins from their initial linear shape
into cyclic peptides, fortress-like molecular circles comprising eight
amino acids.
Harnessing the distinct properties of POPB will allow scientist to
create billions of variant molecules, which can be tested against many
different medical targets such as pathogenic bacteria and cancer, the
researchers said.
For the study, the scientists worked with the mushroom species Amanita.
The study appeared in the journal Chemistry and Biology.
Credit: IANS
