Transcripts
DR. LINGWOOD:
This is the crystal structure
they've shown of the VT complex, and although
it's very laudable, the original idea was to
have the pentameter of dimers fit through the
five binding sites of the B subunits. But
actually what happened is the pentameter of
dimers actually cross-linked between the B
subunits of different VT molecules, so it's like
a sandwich.
So although this is effective,
it isn't effective in the mechanism that it was
originally planned. It cross-links the VT's
together so they don't work. But it still
works.
We think that we can still
improve upon this. And also this is binding in
the lower affinity site whereas our compound
binds in the high affinity site. But still this
is highly effective in cell culture and has yet
to be shown effective in animals.
Our compound, to some degree,
does have effects in animals. They still die,
though. There's no cure yet. But, it's
monovalent. We still have to pentameterise it
or change its structure; there are lots of
possibilities.
The other thing that's on the
horizon here is the enzymes that make Gb3 are
present in bacteria, too. So, for example,
Pseudomonas makes an LPS that has Gb3 like
structures.
