Fungal nucleic acid synthesis enzyme

Fungal nucleic acid synthesis enzymes are a collective term for the fungal proteins that catalyze the synthesis, modification, or processing of DNA and RNA, essential for the proliferation and survival of fungal cells. These enzymes are targets for antifungal drugs such as flucytosine, which acts by inhibiting RNA and DNA synthesis in fungi. Due to the conservation of these enzymes between fungi and humans, designing selective inhibitors is pharmaceutically challenging, and toxicity can be an issue. The term refers to a group rather than a single molecular entity and includes DNA polymerases, RNA polymerases, topoisomerases, and nucleotide biosynthetic enzymes, each with potential as specific antifungal drug targets[1][3].

Other names

nucleic acid synthesis enzyme (fungal)fungal DNA/RNA polymerasefungal DNA synthesis enzymefungal replication enzyme

Inhibition of DNA/RNA synthesis through competitive/integration of analogues (e.g., flucytosine → 5-FU, interrupts RNA synthesis and DNA synthesis); Direct inhibition of enzyme active site; Chain termination