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Drug Docking
06 April 2017

Drug Docking

These beautiful rainbow squiggles, twirls and dots represent the precise three-dimensional structure of the malaria parasite’s ribosome – a critical component of its protein synthesis machinery. And the tiny pink blob (resembling a piece of discreetly discarded chewing gum) is a molecule of the antimalarial drug mefloquine. The drug is a frontline treatment for malaria, yet its mechanism of action was largely unknown. Having solved the atomic structure of the ribosome with the bound drug, scientists were able to observe, for the first time, the drug’s exact interaction site and could thus figure out how it inhibits protein synthesis to kill the parasite. Importantly, this structural map should enable researchers to create improved versions of mefloquine with more potent activity, fewer side effects and with less chance of the parasite developing resistance – a current problem associated with the use of this important drug.

Written by Ruth Williams

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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