GTPase enzymes as antiviral drug targets

We discovered that metabolites of the FDA-approved thiopurine analog 6-thioguanine (6-TG) have potent and broad-spectrum antiviral activities. We have determined that inhibition of host cell enzymes known as GTPases is central to the antiviral mechanism of action, but we have a lot to learn about precise drug targets and effects on viral processes. This proposal directly addresses this knowledge gap by identifying key host GTPases inhibited 6-TG metabolites and determining precisely how this affects viral infection. With better knowledge of drug targets we will create novel antiviral drug candidates with superior properties that can be studied in a range of pre-clinical models.