Invertebrate and fungal model organisms: emerging platforms for drug discovery

Abstract

Early-stage translational research programs have increasingly exploited yeast, worms and flies to model human disease. These genetically tractable organisms represent flexible platforms for small molecule and drug target discovery. This review highlights recent examples of how model organisms are integrated into chemical genomic approaches to drug discovery with an emphasis on fungal yeast, nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The roles of these organisms are expanding as novel models of human disease are developed and novel high-throughput screening technologies are created and adapted for drug discovery.

Keywords::

• Caenorhabditis elegans
• disease models
• Drosophila melanogaster
• high-throughput
• in vivo screens
• model organism
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• translational research

Acknowledgements

The authors thank M Viswanathan and the anonymous referees for critical reading of the manuscript and for suggestions.

Notes