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Scientific Overview
Infochemicals include distinct classes of chemical structures and functional groups. They evoke diverse biochemical, physiological and behavioral responses. Published and ongoing research has revealed the signal-transduction mechanisms involved in the biological response to certain infochemicals. These mechanisms, together with chemoinformatics tools, guide Alydar's research to exploit the pharmaceutical potential of the Pheromics™ library.
Pheromones
- Used by many (possibly all) species - invertebrates and vertebrates:
mammals (e.g., rodents, dogs, sheep, antelopes, elephants, pigs, humans),
insects, reptiles, marine animals (fish, snails), plants, and lower
organisms.
- Evoke diverse biochemical and physiological reactions, resulting in both
behavioral and developmental responses, e.g., mating, reproductive
development, trailing, alarm, aggregation, recognition, repelling, defense.
Allelochemicals
- Induce behavioral responses in another species -- predator repulsion,
attraction of parasites and predators, preening
BIOLOGY
In many instances there is striking similarity - even identity - among compounds that diverse species use to communicate, implying similar or related receptors. Examples:
- Similar compounds secreted by insects, rodent, and plant --bark beetle,
swift moth, mouse, Norway spruce
- Identical compound secreted by male mice and by African antelope (male and
female) to mark territory
- Identical compound secreted by female Asian elephant and by ~100 species
of Lepidopteran insects (butterflies) as a signal to mate
BIOCHEMISTRY
Infochemicals act via receptor-mediated signal-transduction pathways. Significant cross-species conservation of the pathways, second messengers, and molecular homologies among key pathway constituents support the potential therapeutic utility of infochemicals, their derivatives and analogs, in a broad range of human diseases. Understanding these signaling mechanisms, together with cheminformatics tools, guides research aimed at identifying the pharmaceutical potential of Alydar's Pheromics library.
- Activate a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) or guanylyl cyclase
- Homology between infochemical receptors and receptors on various tissues
(prostate, lung, brain, heart, testes) unrelated to known infochemical
activities
- GPCRs are largest family of mammalian receptors
- Many efficacious and commercially successful drugs act on human GPCRs
REFERENCES
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