This design shows Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) bound to its substrate D-ornithine and a non-competitive inhibitor drug G418 (Geneticin). Understanding the mechanisms of how this allosteric inhibitor works can be extremely beneficial since it has been found to be a good drug target for treatment of African sleeping sickness. In particular, the annotations in this model demonstrate the conformational changes and binding reactions that occur as the mechanisms by which G418 works as a non-competitive inhibitor. For instance, it is critical to recognise that D-Ornithine can still bind in the active site but the inability of the enzymatic event to occur is of great importance. By stopping ODC from converting Ornithine to putriscine, the drug interrupts the cell cycle and stops subsequent spread of the disease.
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