1
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Danilack AD, Dickson CJ, Soylu C, Fortunato M, Rodde S, Munkler H, Hornak V, Duca JS. Reactivities of acrylamide warheads toward cysteine targets: a QM/ML approach to covalent inhibitor design. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2024; 38:21. [PMID: 38693331 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-024-00560-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Covalent inhibition offers many advantages over non-covalent inhibition, but covalent warhead reactivity must be carefully balanced to maintain potency while avoiding unwanted side effects. While warhead reactivities are commonly measured with assays, a computational model to predict warhead reactivities could be useful for several aspects of the covalent inhibitor design process. Studies have shown correlations between covalent warhead reactivities and quantum mechanic (QM) properties that describe important aspects of the covalent reaction mechanism. However, the models from these studies are often linear regression equations and can have limitations associated with their usage. Applications of machine learning (ML) models to predict covalent warhead reactivities with QM descriptors are not extensively seen in the literature. This study uses QM descriptors, calculated at different levels of theory, to train ML models to predict reactivities of covalent acrylamide warheads. The QM/ML models are compared with linear regression models built upon the same QM descriptors and with ML models trained on structure-based features like Morgan fingerprints and RDKit descriptors. Experiments show that the QM/ML models outperform the linear regression models and the structure-based ML models, and literature test sets demonstrate the power of the QM/ML models to predict reactivities of unseen acrylamide warhead scaffolds. Ultimately, these QM/ML models are effective, computationally feasible tools that can expedite the design of new covalent inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Danilack
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Callum J Dickson
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Cihan Soylu
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Mike Fortunato
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Stephane Rodde
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, Novartis Campus, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hagen Munkler
- Technical Research & Development, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Campus, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Hornak
- Merck Research Laboratories, 33 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jose S Duca
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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2
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Levine DS, Jacobson LD, Bochevarov AD. Large Computational Survey of Intrinsic Reactivity of Aromatic Carbon Atoms with Respect to a Model Aldehyde Oxidase. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:9302-9317. [PMID: 38085599 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Aldehyde oxidase (AOX) and other related molybdenum-containing enzymes are known to oxidize the C-H bonds of aromatic rings. This process contributes to the metabolism of pharmaceutical compounds and, therefore, is of vital importance to drug pharmacokinetics. The present work describes an automated computational workflow and its use for the prediction of intrinsic reactivity of small aromatic molecules toward a minimal model of the active site of AOX. The workflow is based on quantum chemical transition state searches for the underlying single-step oxidation reaction, where the automated protocol includes identification of unique aromatic C-H bonds, creation of three-dimensional reactant and product complex geometries via a templating approach, search for a transition state, and validation of reaction end points. Conformational search on the reactants, products, and the transition states is performed. The automated procedure has been validated on previously reported transition state barriers and was used to evaluate the intrinsic reactivity of nearly three hundred heterocycles commonly found in approved drug molecules. The intrinsic reactivity of more than 1000 individual aromatic carbon sites is reported. Stereochemical and conformational aspects of the oxidation reaction, which have not been discussed in previous studies, are shown to play important roles in accurate modeling of the oxidation reaction. Observations on structural trends that determine the reactivity are provided and rationalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Levine
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, Floor 24, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - Leif D Jacobson
- Schrödinger, Inc., 101 SW Main Street, Suite 1300, Portland, Oregon 97204, United States
| | - Art D Bochevarov
- Schrödinger, Inc., 1540 Broadway, Floor 24, New York, New York 10036, United States
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3
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Mehta NV, Degani MS. The expanding repertoire of covalent warheads for drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103799. [PMID: 37839776 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The reactive functionalities of drugs that engage in covalent interactions with the enzyme/receptor residue in either a reversible or an irreversible manner are called 'warheads'. Covalent warheads that were previously neglected because of safety concerns have recently gained center stage as a result of their various advantages over noncovalent drugs, including increased selectivity, increased residence time, and higher potency. With the approval of several covalent inhibitors over the past decade, research in this area has accelerated. Various strategies are being continuously developed to tune the characteristics of warheads to improve their potency and mitigate toxicity. Here, we review research progress in warhead discovery over the past 5 years to provide valuable insights for future drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namrashee V Mehta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Mariam S Degani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Matunga, Mumbai 400019, Maharashtra, India.
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4
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Hasan MN, Ray M, Saha A. Landscape of In Silico Tools for Modeling Covalent Modification of Proteins: A Review on Computational Covalent Drug Discovery. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9663-9684. [PMID: 37921534 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Covalent drug discovery has been a challenging research area given the struggle of finding a sweet balance between selectivity and reactivity for these drugs, the lack of which often leads to off-target activities and hence undesirable side effects. However, there has been a resurgence in covalent drug design following the success of several covalent drugs such as boceprevir (2011), ibrutinib (2013), neratinib (2017), dacomitinib (2018), zanubrutinib (2019), and many others. Design of covalent drugs includes many crucial factors, where "evaluation of the binding affinity" and "a detailed mechanistic understanding on covalent inhibition" are at the top of the list. Well-defined experimental techniques are available to elucidate these factors; however, often they are expensive and/or time-consuming and hence not suitable for high throughput screens. Recent developments in in silico methods provide promise in this direction. In this report, we review a set of recent publications that focused on developing and/or implementing novel in silico techniques in "Computational Covalent Drug Discovery (CCDD)". We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches along with what improvements are required to make it a great tool in medicinal chemistry in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Nazmul Hasan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin─Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
| | - Manisha Ray
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60660, United States
| | - Arjun Saha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin─Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, United States
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5
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Liu R, Vázquez-Montelongo EA, Ma S, Shen J. Quantum Descriptors for Predicting and Understanding the Structure-Activity Relationships of Michael Acceptor Warheads. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:4912-4923. [PMID: 37463342 PMCID: PMC10837637 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Predictive modeling and understanding of chemical warhead reactivities have the potential to accelerate targeted covalent drug discovery. Recently, the carbanion formation free energies as well as other ground-state electronic properties from density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been proposed as predictors of glutathione reactivities of Michael acceptors; however, no clear consensus exists. By profiling the thiol-Michael reactions of a diverse set of singly- and doubly-activated olefins, including several model warheads related to afatinib, here we reexamined the question of whether low-cost electronic properties can be used as predictors of reaction barriers. The electronic properties related to the carbanion intermediate were found to be strong predictors, e.g., the change in the Cβ charge accompanying carbanion formation. The least expensive reactant-only properties, the electrophilicity index, and the Cβ charge also show strong rank correlations, suggesting their utility as quantum descriptors. A second objective of the work is to clarify the effect of the β-dimethylaminomethyl (DMAM) substitution, which is incorporated in the warheads of several FDA-approved covalent drugs. Our data suggest that the β-DMAM substitution is cationic at neutral pH in solution and promotes acrylamide's intrinsic reactivity by enhancing the charge accumulation at Cα upon carbanion formation. In contrast, the inductive effect of the β-trimethylaminomethyl substitution is diminished due to steric hindrance. Together, these results reconcile the current views of the intrinsic reactivities of acrylamides and contribute to large-scale predictive modeling and an understanding of the structure-activity relationships of Michael acceptors for rational TCI design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruibin Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Erik A Vázquez-Montelongo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Shuhua Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, Towson University, Towson, Maryland 21252, United States
| | - Jana Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
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6
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Marques E, de Gendt S, Pourtois G, van Setten MJ. Improving Accuracy and Transferability of Machine Learning Chemical Activation Energies by Adding Electronic Structure Information. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1454-1461. [PMID: 36864757 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Predicting chemical activation energies is one of the longstanding and important challenges in computational chemistry. Recent advances have shown that machine learning can be used to create tools to predict them. Such tools can significantly decrease the computational cost for these predictions compared to traditional methods, which require an optimal path search along a high-dimensional potential energy surface. To enable this new route, we need both large and accurate datasets and a compact yet complete description of the reactions. Although data for chemical reactions is becoming increasingly available, the key step of encoding the reaction as an efficient descriptor remains a big challenge. In this paper, we demonstrate that including electronic energy levels in the description of the reaction significantly improves the prediction accuracy and transferability. Feature importance analysis further demonstrates that electronic energy levels have a higher importance than some structural information and typically require less space in the reaction encoding vector. In general, we observe that the results of the feature importance analysis relate well to the domain knowledge of fundamental chemical principles. This work can help to build better chemical reaction encodings for machine learning and thus improve the predictions of machine learning models for reaction activation energies. These models could ultimately be used to recognize reaction limiting steps in large reaction systems, allowing to account for bottlenecks at the design stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Marques
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Celestijnenlaan 200 F, Heverlee 3001, Belgium.,IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Stefan de Gendt
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Celestijnenlaan 200 F, Heverlee 3001, Belgium.,IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Geoffrey Pourtois
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk 2610, Belgium
| | - Michiel J van Setten
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,ETSF European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility, Institut de Physique, Université de Liège, Allée du 6 août 17, Liège 4000, Belgium
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7
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Chen Y, Ou Y, Zheng P, Huang Y, Ge F, Dral PO. Benchmark of general-purpose machine learning-based quantum mechanical method AIQM1 on reaction barrier heights. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:074103. [PMID: 36813722 DOI: 10.1063/5.0137101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial intelligence-enhanced quantum mechanical method 1 (AIQM1) is a general-purpose method that was shown to achieve high accuracy for many applications with a speed close to its baseline semiempirical quantum mechanical (SQM) method ODM2*. Here, we evaluate the hitherto unknown performance of out-of-the-box AIQM1 without any refitting for reaction barrier heights on eight datasets, including a total of ∼24 thousand reactions. This evaluation shows that AIQM1's accuracy strongly depends on the type of transition state and ranges from excellent for rotation barriers to poor for, e.g., pericyclic reactions. AIQM1 clearly outperforms its baseline ODM2* method and, even more so, a popular universal potential, ANI-1ccx. Overall, however, AIQM1 accuracy largely remains similar to SQM methods (and B3LYP/6-31G* for most reaction types) suggesting that it is desirable to focus on improving AIQM1 performance for barrier heights in the future. We also show that the built-in uncertainty quantification helps in identifying confident predictions. The accuracy of confident AIQM1 predictions is approaching the level of popular density functional theory methods for most reaction types. Encouragingly, AIQM1 is rather robust for transition state optimizations, even for the type of reactions it struggles with the most. Single-point calculations with high-level methods on AIQM1-optimized geometries can be used to significantly improve barrier heights, which cannot be said for its baseline ODM2* method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxinxin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yanchi Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Peikun Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yaohuang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Fuchun Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Pavlo O Dral
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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8
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Hermann MR, Tautermann CS, Sieger P, Grundl MA, Weber A. BIreactive: Expanding the Scope of Reactivity Predictions to Propynamides. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16010116. [PMID: 36678612 PMCID: PMC9866037 DOI: 10.3390/ph16010116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We present the first comprehensive study on the prediction of reactivity for propynamides. Covalent inhibitors like propynamides often show improved potency, selectivity, and unique pharmacologic properties compared to their non-covalent counterparts. In order to achieve this, it is essential to tune the reactivity of the warhead. This study shows how three different in silico methods can predict the in vitro properties of propynamides, a covalent warhead class integrated into approved drugs on the market. Whereas the electrophilicity index is only applicable to individual subclasses of substitutions, adduct formation and transition state energies have a good predictability for the in vitro reactivity with glutathione (GSH). In summary, the reported methods are well suited to estimate the reactivity of propynamides. With this knowledge, the fine tuning of the reactivity is possible which leads to a speed up of the design process of covalent drugs.
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9
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McAulay K, Bilsland A, Bon M. Reactivity of Covalent Fragments and Their Role in Fragment Based Drug Discovery. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1366. [PMID: 36355538 PMCID: PMC9694498 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragment based drug discovery has long been used for the identification of new ligands and interest in targeted covalent inhibitors has continued to grow in recent years, with high profile drugs such as osimertinib and sotorasib gaining FDA approval. It is therefore unsurprising that covalent fragment-based approaches have become popular and have recently led to the identification of novel targets and binding sites, as well as ligands for targets previously thought to be 'undruggable'. Understanding the properties of such covalent fragments is important, and characterizing and/or predicting reactivity can be highly useful. This review aims to discuss the requirements for an electrophilic fragment library and the importance of differing warhead reactivity. Successful case studies from the world of drug discovery are then be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten McAulay
- Cancer Research Horizons—Therapeutic Innovation, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK
| | - Alan Bilsland
- Cancer Research Horizons—Therapeutic Innovation, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Marta Bon
- Cancer Research Horizons—Therapeutic Innovation, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Exscientia, The Schrödinger Building, Oxford Science Park, Oxford OX4 4GE, UK
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10
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Lewis‐Atwell T, Townsend PA, Grayson MN. Machine learning activation energies of chemical reactions. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toby Lewis‐Atwell
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science University of Bath Bath UK
| | - Piers A. Townsend
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science University of Bath Bath UK
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11
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Lustosa DM, Milo A. Mechanistic Inference from Statistical Models at Different Data-Size Regimes. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c01741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo M. Lustosa
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Anat Milo
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
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12
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Tavakoli M, Mood A, Van Vranken D, Baldi P. Quantum Mechanics and Machine Learning Synergies: Graph Attention Neural Networks to Predict Chemical Reactivity. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:2121-2132. [PMID: 35020394 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is a lack of scalable quantitative measures of reactivity that cover the full range of functional groups in organic chemistry, ranging from highly unreactive C-C bonds to highly reactive naked ions. Measuring reactivity experimentally is costly and time-consuming, and no single method has sufficient dynamic range to cover the astronomical size of chemical reactivity space. In previous quantum chemistry studies, we have introduced Methyl Cation Affinities (MCA*) and Methyl Anion Affinities (MAA*), using a solvation model, as quantitative measures of reactivity for organic functional groups over the broadest range. Although MCA* and MAA* offer good estimates of reactivity parameters, their calculation through Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations is time-consuming. To circumvent this problem, we first use DFT to calculate MCA* and MAA* for more than 2,400 organic molecules thereby establishing a large data set of chemical reactivity scores. We then design deep learning methods to predict the reactivity of molecular structures and train them using this curated data set in combination with different representations of molecular structures. Using 10-fold cross-validation, we show that graph attention neural networks applied to a relational model of molecular structures produce the most accurate estimates of reactivity, achieving over 91% test accuracy for predicting the MCA* ± 3.0 or MAA* ± 3.0, over 50 orders of magnitude. Finally, we demonstrate the application of these reactivity scores to two tasks: (1) chemical reaction prediction and (2) combinatorial generation of reaction mechanisms. The curated data sets of MCA* and MAA* scores is available through the ChemDB chemoinformatics web portal at cdb.ics.uci.edu under Chemical Reactivities data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadamin Tavakoli
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Aaron Mood
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - David Van Vranken
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Pierre Baldi
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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13
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Farrar EHE, Grayson MN. Machine learning and semi-empirical calculations: a synergistic approach to rapid, accurate, and mechanism-based reaction barrier prediction. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7594-7603. [PMID: 35872815 PMCID: PMC9242013 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc02925a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A synergistic approach that combines machine learning with semi-empirical methods enables the fast and accurate prediction of DFT-quality reaction barriers, with mechanistic insights available from semi-empirical transition state geometries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot H. E. Farrar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Matthew N. Grayson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
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14
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Ertl P, Gerebtzoff G, Lewis RA, Muenkler H, Schneider N, Sirockin F, Stiefl N, Tosco P. Chemical reactivity prediction: current methods and different application areas. Mol Inform 2021; 41:e2100277. [PMID: 34964302 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202100277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The ability to predict chemical reactivity of a molecule is highly desirable in drug discovery, both ex vivo (synthetic route planning, formulation, stability) and in vivo: metabolic reactions determine pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and potential toxic effects, and early assessment of liabilities is vital to reduce attrition rates in later stages of development. Quantum mechanics offer a precise description of the interactions between electrons and orbitals in the breaking and forming of new bonds. Modern algorithms and faster computers have allowed the study of more complex systems in a punctual and accurate fashion, and answers for chemical questions around stability and reactivity can now be provided. Through machine learning, predictive models can be built out of descriptors derived from quantum mechanics and cheminformatics, even in the absence of experimental data to train on. In this article, current progress on computational reactivity prediction is reviewed: applications to problems in drug design, such as modelling of metabolism and covalent inhibition, are highlighted and unmet challenges are posed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard A Lewis
- Computer-Aided Drug Design, Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Windlesham, SWITZERLAND
| | - Hagen Muenkler
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, SWITZERLAND
| | | | | | | | - Paolo Tosco
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Inc, SWITZERLAND
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15
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Abstract
Covalent drugs offer higher efficacy and longer duration of action than their noncovalent counterparts. Significant advances in computational methods for modeling covalent drugs are poised to shift the paradigm of small molecule therapeutics within the next decade. This viewpoint discusses the advantages of a two-state model for ranking reversible and irreversible covalent ligands and of more complex models for dissecting reaction mechanisms. The relation between these models highlights the complexity and diversity of covalent drug binding and provides opportunities for mechanism-based rational design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Lyna Luo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91709, United States
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16
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Zhu X, Ran C, Wen M, Guo G, Liu Y, Liao L, Li Y, Li M, Yu D. Prediction of Multicomponent Reaction Yields Using Machine Learning. CHINESE J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/cjoc.202100434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xing‐Yong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Chuan‐Kun Ran
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Ming Wen
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Gui‐Ling Guo
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Li‐Li Liao
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Yi‐Zhou Li
- College of Cybersecurity Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Meng‐Long Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
| | - Da‐Gang Yu
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan 610064 China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences Beijing 100190 China
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Zaidman D, Gehrtz P, Filep M, Fearon D, Gabizon R, Douangamath A, Prilusky J, Duberstein S, Cohen G, Owen CD, Resnick E, Strain-Damerell C, Lukacik P, Barr H, Walsh MA, von Delft F, London N. An automatic pipeline for the design of irreversible derivatives identifies a potent SARS-CoV-2 M pro inhibitor. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:1795-1806.e5. [PMID: 34174194 PMCID: PMC8228784 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Designing covalent inhibitors is increasingly important, although it remains challenging. Here, we present covalentizer, a computational pipeline for identifying irreversible inhibitors based on structures of targets with non-covalent binders. Through covalent docking of tailored focused libraries, we identify candidates that can bind covalently to a nearby cysteine while preserving the interactions of the original molecule. We found ∼11,000 cysteines proximal to a ligand across 8,386 complexes in the PDB. Of these, the protocol identified 1,553 structures with covalent predictions. In a prospective evaluation, five out of nine predicted covalent kinase inhibitors showed half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values between 155 nM and 4.5 μM. Application against an existing SARS-CoV Mpro reversible inhibitor led to an acrylamide inhibitor series with low micromolar IC50 values against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. The docking was validated by 12 co-crystal structures. Together these examples hint at the vast number of covalent inhibitors accessible through our protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zaidman
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Paul Gehrtz
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mihajlo Filep
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Daren Fearon
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Ronen Gabizon
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Alice Douangamath
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Jaime Prilusky
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shirly Duberstein
- Wohl Institute for Drug Discovery of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Galit Cohen
- Wohl Institute for Drug Discovery of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - C David Owen
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Efrat Resnick
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Claire Strain-Damerell
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Petra Lukacik
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | | | - Haim Barr
- Wohl Institute for Drug Discovery of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, The Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Martin A Walsh
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Frank von Delft
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK; Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK; Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Roosevelt Drive, Headington OX3 7DQ, UK; Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - Nir London
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel.
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Abstract
As more data are introduced in the building of models of chemical reactivity, the mechanistic component can be reduced until 'big data' applications are reached. These methods no longer depend on underlying mechanistic hypotheses, potentially learning them implicitly through extensive data training. Reactivity models often focus on reaction barriers, but can also be trained to directly predict lab-relevant properties, such as yields or conditions. Calculations with a quantum-mechanical component are still preferred for quantitative predictions of reactivity. Although big data applications tend to be more qualitative, they have the advantage to be broadly applied to different kinds of reactions. There is a continuum of methods in between these extremes, such as methods that use quantum-derived data or descriptors in machine learning models. Here, we present an overview of the recent machine learning applications in the field of chemical reactivity from a mechanistic perspective. Starting with a summary of how reactivity questions are addressed by quantum-mechanical methods, we discuss methods that augment or replace quantum-based modelling with faster alternatives relying on machine learning.
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Lu W, Kostic M, Zhang T, Che J, Patricelli MP, Jones LH, Chouchani ET, Gray NS. Fragment-based covalent ligand discovery. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:354-367. [PMID: 34458789 PMCID: PMC8341086 DOI: 10.1039/d0cb00222d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted covalent inhibitors have regained widespread attention in drug discovery and have emerged as powerful tools for basic biomedical research. Fueled by considerable improvements in mass spectrometry sensitivity and sample processing, chemoproteomic strategies have revealed thousands of proteins that can be covalently modified by reactive small molecules. Fragment-based drug discovery, which has traditionally been used in a target-centric fashion, is now being deployed on a proteome-wide scale thereby expanding its utility to both the discovery of novel covalent ligands and their cognate protein targets. This powerful approach is allowing ‘high-throughput’ serendipitous discovery of cryptic pockets leading to the identification of pharmacological modulators of proteins previously viewed as “undruggable”. The reactive fragment toolkit has been enabled by recent advances in the development of new chemistries that target residues other than cysteine including lysine and tyrosine. Here, we review the emerging area of covalent fragment-based ligand discovery, which integrates the benefits of covalent targeting and fragment-based medicinal chemistry. We discuss how the two strategies synergize to facilitate the efficient discovery of new pharmacological modulators of established and new therapeutic target proteins. Covalent fragment-based ligand discovery greatly facilitates the discovery of useful fragments for drug discovery and helps unveil chemical-tractable biological targets in native biological systems.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchao Lu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA .,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Milka Kostic
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA .,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Jianwei Che
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA .,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02215 USA.,Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA
| | | | - Lyn H Jones
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Edward T Chouchani
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA .,Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA 02215 USA .,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02215 USA
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20
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Bianco G, Goodsell DS, Forli S. Selective and Effective: Current Progress in Computational Structure-Based Drug Discovery of Targeted Covalent Inhibitors. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2020; 41:1038-1049. [PMID: 33153778 PMCID: PMC7669701 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Targeted covalent inhibitors are currently showing great promise for systems that are normally difficult to target with small molecule therapies. This renewed interest has spurred the refinement of existing computational methods as well as the designof new ones, expanding the toolbox for discovery and optimization of selectiveand effective covalent inhibitors. Commonly applied approaches are covalentdocking methods that predict the conformation of the covalent complex with known residues. More recently, a new predictive method, reactive docking, was developed, building on the growing corpus of data generated by large proteomics experiments. This method was successfully used in several 'inverse drug discovery' programs that use high-throughput techniques to isolate effective compounds based on screening of entire compound libraries based on desired phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bianco
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David S Goodsell
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Research Collaboratory for Structure Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Stefano Forli
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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21
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Hermann MR, Pautsch A, Grundl MA, Weber A, Tautermann CS. Covalent inhibitor reactivity prediction by the electrophilicity index-in and out of scope. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2020; 35:531-539. [PMID: 33015740 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-020-00342-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Drug discovery is an expensive and time-consuming process. To make this process more efficient quantum chemistry methods can be employed. The electrophilicity index is one property that can be calculated by quantum chemistry methods, and if calculated correctly gives insight into the reactivity of covalent inhibitors. Herein we present the usage of the electrophilicity index on three common warheads, i.e., acrylamides, 2-chloroacetamides, and propargylamides. We thoroughly examine the properties of the electrophilicity index, show which pitfalls should be avoided, and what the requirements to successfully apply the electrophilicity index are.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus R Hermann
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riß, Germany.
| | - Alexander Pautsch
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Marc A Grundl
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Alexander Weber
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Christofer S Tautermann
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstr. 65, 88397, Biberach an der Riß, Germany.
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