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Biotechnology and genetic engineering in the new drug development. Part III. Biocatalysis, metabolic engineering and molecular modelling

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Abstract

Industrial biotechnology has been defined as the use and application of biotechnology for the sustainable processing and production of chemicals, materials and fuels. It makes use of biocatalysts such as microbial communities, whole-cell microorganisms or purified enzymes. In the review these processes are described.

Drug design is an iterative process which begins when a chemist identifies a compound that displays an interesting biological profile and ends when both the activity profile and the chemical synthesis of the new chemical entity are optimized. Traditional approaches to drug discovery rely on a stepwise synthesis and screening program for large numbers of compounds to optimize activity profiles. Over the past ten to twenty years, scientists have used computer models of new chemical entities to help define activity profiles, geometries and relativities. This article introduces inter alia the concepts of molecular modelling and contains references for further reading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, PL 50-370, Wrocław, Poland

    Agnieszka Stryjewska & Katarzyna Kiepura

  2. Department of Radioligands, Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Medyczna 9, PL 30-688, Kraków, Poland

    Tadeusz Librowski

  3. Institute of Cosmetology, Wrocław College of Physiotherapy, Kościuszki 4, PL 50-038, Wrocław, Poland

    Stanisław Lochyński

Authors
  1. Agnieszka Stryjewska
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  2. Katarzyna Kiepura
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  3. Tadeusz Librowski
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  4. Stanisław Lochyński
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Tadeusz Librowski or Stanisław Lochyński.

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Stryjewska, A., Kiepura, K., Librowski, T. et al. Biotechnology and genetic engineering in the new drug development. Part III. Biocatalysis, metabolic engineering and molecular modelling. Pharmacol. Rep 65, 1102–1111 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1734-1140(13)71468-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1734-1140(13)71468-3

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