1
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Sigal M, Matsumoto S, Beattie A, Katoh T, Suga H. Engineering tRNAs for the Ribosomal Translation of Non-proteinogenic Monomers. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6444-6500. [PMID: 38688034 PMCID: PMC11122139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00894] [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] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome-dependent protein biosynthesis is an essential cellular process mediated by transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Generally, ribosomally synthesized proteins are limited to the 22 proteinogenic amino acids (pAAs: 20 l-α-amino acids present in the standard genetic code, selenocysteine, and pyrrolysine). However, engineering tRNAs for the ribosomal incorporation of non-proteinogenic monomers (npMs) as building blocks has led to the creation of unique polypeptides with broad applications in cellular biology, material science, spectroscopy, and pharmaceuticals. Ribosomal polymerization of these engineered polypeptides presents a variety of challenges for biochemists, as translation efficiency and fidelity is often insufficient when employing npMs. In this Review, we will focus on the methodologies for engineering tRNAs to overcome these issues and explore recent advances both in vitro and in vivo. These efforts include increasing orthogonality, recruiting essential translation factors, and creation of expanded genetic codes. After our review on the biochemical optimizations of tRNAs, we provide examples of their use in genetic code manipulation, with a focus on the in vitro discovery of bioactive macrocyclic peptides containing npMs. Finally, an analysis of the current state of tRNA engineering is presented, along with existing challenges and future perspectives for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Sigal
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Satomi Matsumoto
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Adam Beattie
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takayuki Katoh
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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2
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Chen FJ, Pinnette N, Gao J. Strategies for the Construction of Multicyclic Phage Display Libraries. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400072. [PMID: 38466139 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Peptide therapeutics have gained great interest due to their multiple advantages over small molecule and antibody-based drugs. Peptide drugs are easier to synthesize, have the potential for oral bioavailability, and are large enough to target protein-protein interactions that are undruggable by small molecules. However, two major limitations have made it difficult to develop novel peptide therapeutics not derived from natural products, including the metabolic instability of peptides and the difficulty of reaching antibody-like potencies and specificities. Compared to linear and disulfide-monocyclized peptides, multicyclic peptides can provide increased conformational rigidity, enhanced metabolic stability, and higher potency in inhibiting protein-protein interactions. The identification of novel multicyclic peptide binders can be difficult, however, recent advancements in the construction of multicyclic phage libraries have greatly advanced the process of identifying novel multicyclic peptide binders for therapeutically relevant protein targets. This review will describe the current approaches used to create multicyclic peptide libraries, highlighting the novel chemistries developed and the proof-of-concept work done on validating these libraries against different protein targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-Jie Chen
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Nicole Pinnette
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA-02467, USA
| | - Jianmin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Merkert Chemistry Center 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, MA-02467, USA
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3
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Villequey C, Zurmühl SS, Cramer CN, Bhusan B, Andersen B, Ren Q, Liu H, Qu X, Yang Y, Pan J, Chen Q, Münzel M. An efficient mRNA display protocol yields potent bicyclic peptide inhibitors for FGFR3c: outperforming linear and monocyclic formats in affinity and stability. Chem Sci 2024; 15:6122-6129. [PMID: 38665530 PMCID: PMC11040643 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc04763f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Macrocyclization has positioned itself as a powerful method for engineering potent peptide drug candidates. Introducing one or multiple cyclizations is a common strategy to improve properties such as affinity, bioavailability and proteolytic stability. Consequently, methodologies to create large libraries of polycyclic peptides by phage or mRNA display have emerged, allowing the rapid identification of binders to virtually any target. Yet, within those libraries, the performance of linear vs. mono- or bicyclic peptides has rarely been studied. Indeed, a key parameter to perform such a comparison is to use a display protocol and cyclization chemistry that enables the formation of all 3 formats in equal quality and diversity. Here, we developed a simple, efficient and fast mRNA display protocol which meets these criteria and can be used to generate highly diverse libraries of thioether cyclized polycyclic peptides. As a proof of concept, we selected peptides against fibroblast growth factor receptor 3c (FGFR3c) and compared the different formats regarding affinity, specificity, and human plasma stability. The peptides with the best KD's and stability were identified among bicyclic peptide hits, further strengthening the body of evidence pointing at the superiority of this class of molecules and providing functional and selective inhibitors of FGFR3c.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Villequey
- Global Research Technologies, Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Nordisk Park 2760 Måløv Denmark
| | - Silvana S Zurmühl
- Global Research Technologies, Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Nordisk Park 2760 Måløv Denmark
| | - Christian N Cramer
- Global Research Technologies, Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Nordisk Park 2760 Måløv Denmark
| | - Bhaskar Bhusan
- Department of Chemistry, Oxford University, Chemistry Research Laboratory 12 Mansfield Road Oxford UK
| | - Birgitte Andersen
- Global Drug Discovery, Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Nordisk Park 2760 Måløv Denmark
| | - Qianshen Ren
- Novo Nordisk Research Center China, Novo Nordisk A/S Shengmingyuan West Ring Rd, Changping District Beijing China
| | - Haimo Liu
- Novo Nordisk Research Center China, Novo Nordisk A/S Shengmingyuan West Ring Rd, Changping District Beijing China
| | - Xinping Qu
- Novo Nordisk Research Center China, Novo Nordisk A/S Shengmingyuan West Ring Rd, Changping District Beijing China
| | - Yang Yang
- Novo Nordisk Research Center China, Novo Nordisk A/S Shengmingyuan West Ring Rd, Changping District Beijing China
| | - Jia Pan
- Novo Nordisk Research Center China, Novo Nordisk A/S Shengmingyuan West Ring Rd, Changping District Beijing China
| | - Qiujia Chen
- Novo Nordisk Research Center China, Novo Nordisk A/S Shengmingyuan West Ring Rd, Changping District Beijing China
| | - Martin Münzel
- Global Research Technologies, Novo Nordisk A/S Novo Nordisk Park 2760 Måløv Denmark
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4
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Fassi EMA, Citarella A, Albani M, Milano EG, Legnani L, Lammi C, Silvani A, Grazioso G. PCSK9 inhibitors: a patent review 2018-2023. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38588538 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2340569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) plays a crucial role in breaking down the hepatic low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), thereby influencing the levels of circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Consequently, inhibiting PCSK9 through suitable ligands has been established as a validated therapeutic strategy for combating hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular diseases. AREA COVERED Patent literature claiming novel compounds inhibiting PCSK9 disclosed from 2018 to June 2023 available in the espacenet database, which contains more than 150 million patent documents from over 100 patent-granting authorities worldwide. EXPERT OPINION The undisputable beneficial influence of PCSK9 as a pharmacological target has prompted numerous private and public institutions to patent chemical frameworks as inhibitors of PCSK9. While several compounds have advanced to clinical trials for treating hypercholesterolemia, they have not completed these trials yet. These compounds must contend in a complex market where new, costly, and advanced drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies and siRNA, are prescribed instead of inexpensive and less potent statins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Citarella
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Albani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Erica Ginevra Milano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Legnani
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Carmen Lammi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Silvani
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Grazioso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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5
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Faris JH, Adaligil E, Popovych N, Ono S, Takahashi M, Nguyen H, Plise E, Taechalertpaisarn J, Lee HW, Koehler MFT, Cunningham CN, Lokey RS. Membrane Permeability in a Large Macrocyclic Peptide Driven by a Saddle-Shaped Conformation. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:4582-4591. [PMID: 38330910 PMCID: PMC10885153 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10949] [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: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The effort to modulate challenging protein targets has stimulated interest in ligands that are larger and more complex than typical small-molecule drugs. While combinatorial techniques such as mRNA display routinely produce high-affinity macrocyclic peptides against classically undruggable targets, poor membrane permeability has limited their use toward primarily extracellular targets. Understanding the passive membrane permeability of macrocyclic peptides would, in principle, improve our ability to design libraries whose leads can be more readily optimized against intracellular targets. Here, we investigate the permeabilities of over 200 macrocyclic 10-mers using the thioether cyclization motif commonly found in mRNA display macrocycle libraries. We identified the optimal lipophilicity range for achieving permeability in thioether-cyclized 10-mer cyclic peptide-peptoid hybrid scaffolds and showed that permeability could be maintained upon extensive permutation in the backbone. In one case, changing a single amino acid from d-Pro to d-NMe-Ala, representing the loss of a single methylene group in the side chain, resulted in a highly permeable scaffold in which the low-dielectric conformation shifted from the canonical cross-beta geometry of the parent compounds into a novel saddle-shaped fold in which all four backbone NH groups were sequestered from the solvent. This work provides an example by which pre-existing physicochemical knowledge of a scaffold can benefit the design of macrocyclic peptide mRNA display libraries, pointing toward an approach for biasing libraries toward permeability by design. Moreover, the compounds described herein are a further demonstration that geometrically diverse, highly permeable scaffolds exist well beyond conventional drug-like chemical space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin H Faris
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Emel Adaligil
- Department of Peptide Therapeutics, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Nataliya Popovych
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Satoshi Ono
- Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Kanagawa 227-0033, Japan
| | - Mifune Takahashi
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Huy Nguyen
- Department of Analytical Research, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Emile Plise
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jaru Taechalertpaisarn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Hsiau-Wei Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | - Michael F T Koehler
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Christian N Cunningham
- Department of Peptide Therapeutics, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - R Scott Lokey
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
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6
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Bao X, Liang Y, Chang H, Cai T, Feng B, Gordon K, Zhu Y, Shi H, He Y, Xie L. Targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9): from bench to bedside. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:13. [PMID: 38185721 PMCID: PMC10772138 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01690-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has evolved as a pivotal enzyme in lipid metabolism and a revolutionary therapeutic target for hypercholesterolemia and its related cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This comprehensive review delineates the intricate roles and wide-ranging implications of PCSK9, extending beyond CVD to emphasize its significance in diverse physiological and pathological states, including liver diseases, infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and notably, cancer. Our exploration offers insights into the interaction between PCSK9 and low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs), elucidating its substantial impact on cholesterol homeostasis and cardiovascular health. It also details the evolution of PCSK9-targeted therapies, translating foundational bench discoveries into bedside applications for optimized patient care. The advent and clinical approval of innovative PCSK9 inhibitory therapies (PCSK9-iTs), including three monoclonal antibodies (Evolocumab, Alirocumab, and Tafolecimab) and one small interfering RNA (siRNA, Inclisiran), have marked a significant breakthrough in cardiovascular medicine. These therapies have demonstrated unparalleled efficacy in mitigating hypercholesterolemia, reducing cardiovascular risks, and have showcased profound value in clinical applications, offering novel therapeutic avenues and a promising future in personalized medicine for cardiovascular disorders. Furthermore, emerging research, inclusive of our findings, unveils PCSK9's potential role as a pivotal indicator for cancer prognosis and its prospective application as a transformative target for cancer treatment. This review also highlights PCSK9's aberrant expression in various cancer forms, its association with cancer prognosis, and its crucial roles in carcinogenesis and cancer immunity. In conclusion, this synthesized review integrates existing knowledge and novel insights on PCSK9, providing a holistic perspective on its transformative impact in reshaping therapeutic paradigms across various disorders. It emphasizes the clinical value and effect of PCSK9-iT, underscoring its potential in advancing the landscape of biomedical research and its capabilities in heralding new eras in personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhui Bao
- Institute of Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
- Center for Clinical Research, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Cell-based Immunotherapy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Yongjun Liang
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanman Chang
- Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tianji Cai
- Department of Sociology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Baijie Feng
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Konstantin Gordon
- Medical Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
- A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center, Obninsk, Russia
| | - Yuekun Zhu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hailian Shi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, Shanghai, China
| | - Yundong He
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Liyi Xie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Zheng M, Gao J. Phage Display of Two Distinct Warheads to Inhibit Challenging Proteins. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:2259-2266. [PMID: 37682047 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00297] [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: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Falling in between traditional small molecules and antibodies in size, peptides are emerging as a privileged therapeutic modality, one that can harness the benefits of both small molecule and antibody drugs. To discover potential peptide therapeutics, it is highly desirable to have high throughput screening platforms that can assess peptides with diverse and non-natural functional motifs. With this contribution, we present a novel phage library that incorporates two distinct designer groups. As an example, a pair of reversible covalent warheads was installed onto phage-displayed peptides to target a cysteine and a lysine. The double modification is realized by sequential modification of an N-terminal cysteine and then an internal cysteine using chemoselective chemistry. Screening of this double-warhead-presenting library against TEV protease readily revealed peptide inhibitors with single-digit micromolar potency. Importantly, our structure-activity studies demonstrate that both covalent warheads make important contributions to TEV protease inhibition. We envision that our strategy of double phage modification can be readily extended to build phage libraries with diverse structural motifs, allowing facile expansion of the chemical space coverable by phage display.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Jianmin Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Merkert Chemistry Center, Boston College, 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
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8
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Chen Z, Lim YW, Neo JY, Ting Chan RS, Koh LQ, Yuen TY, Lim YH, Johannes CW, Gates ZP. De Novo Sequencing of Synthetic Bis-cysteine Peptide Macrocycles Enabled by "Chemical Linearization" of Compound Mixtures. Anal Chem 2023; 95:14870-14878. [PMID: 37724843 PMCID: PMC10569172 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
A "chemical linearization" approach was applied to synthetic peptide macrocycles to enable their de novo sequencing from mixtures using nanoliquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS). This approach─previously applied to individual macrocycles but not to mixtures─involves cleavage of the peptide backbone at a defined position to give a product capable of generating sequence-determining fragment ions. Here, we first established the compatibility of "chemical linearization" by Edman degradation with a prominent macrocycle scaffold based on bis-Cys peptides cross-linked with the m-xylene linker, which are of major significance in therapeutics discovery. Then, using macrocycle libraries of known sequence composition, the ability to recover accurate de novo assignments to linearized products was critically tested using performance metrics unique to mixtures. Significantly, we show that linearized macrocycles can be sequenced with lower recall compared to linear peptides but with similar accuracy, which establishes the potential of using "chemical linearization" with synthetic libraries and selection procedures that yield compound mixtures. Sodiated precursor ions were identified as a significant source of high-scoring but inaccurate assignments, with potential implications for improving automated de novo sequencing more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi’ang Chen
- Institute
of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency
for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Yi Wee Lim
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Jin Yong Neo
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Rachel Shu Ting Chan
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Li Quan Koh
- Institute
of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency
for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Tsz Ying Yuen
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Yee Hwee Lim
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
| | - Charles W. Johannes
- Institute
of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency
for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
| | - Zachary P. Gates
- Institute
of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency
for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore
- Institute
of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE), Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR), 8 Biomedical Grove, #07-01 Neuros, Singapore 138665, Republic
of Singapore
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9
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Miles SA, Nillama JA, Hunter L. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: The Diverse Roles That Fluorine Can Play within Amino Acid Side Chains. Molecules 2023; 28:6192. [PMID: 37687021 PMCID: PMC10489206 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Side chain-fluorinated amino acids are useful tools in medicinal chemistry and protein science. In this review, we outline some general strategies for incorporating fluorine atom(s) into amino acid side chains and for elaborating such building blocks into more complex fluorinated peptides and proteins. We then describe the diverse benefits that fluorine can offer when located within amino acid side chains, including enabling 19F NMR and 18F PET imaging applications, enhancing pharmacokinetic properties, controlling molecular conformation, and optimizing target-binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luke Hunter
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
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10
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Iskandar SE, Chiou LF, Leisner TM, Shell DJ, Norris-Drouin JL, Vaziri C, Pearce KH, Bowers AA. Identification of Covalent Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors in mRNA Display. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:15065-15070. [PMID: 37395736 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04833] [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: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Peptides have historically been underutilized for covalent inhibitor discovery, despite their unique abilities to interact with protein surfaces and interfaces. This is in part due to a lack of methods for screening and identifying covalent peptide ligands. Here, we report a method to identify covalent cyclic peptide inhibitors in mRNA display. We combine co- and post-translational library diversification strategies to create cyclic libraries with reactive dehydroalanines (Dhas), which we employ in selections against two model targets. The most potent hits exhibit low nanomolar inhibitory activities and disrupt known protein-protein interactions with their selected targets. Overall, we establish Dhas as electrophiles for covalent inhibition and showcase how separate library diversification methods can work synergistically to dispose mRNA display to novel applications like covalent inhibitor discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina E Iskandar
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Lilly F Chiou
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Tina M Leisner
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Devan J Shell
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jacqueline L Norris-Drouin
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Cyrus Vaziri
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Curriculum in Toxicology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Kenneth H Pearce
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Albert A Bowers
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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11
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Tanada M, Tamiya M, Matsuo A, Chiyoda A, Takano K, Ito T, Irie M, Kotake T, Takeyama R, Kawada H, Hayashi R, Ishikawa S, Nomura K, Furuichi N, Morita Y, Kage M, Hashimoto S, Nii K, Sase H, Ohara K, Ohta A, Kuramoto S, Nishimura Y, Iikura H, Shiraishi T. Development of Orally Bioavailable Peptides Targeting an Intracellular Protein: From a Hit to a Clinical KRAS Inhibitor. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37463267 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c03886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Cyclic peptides as a therapeutic modality are attracting a lot of attention due to their potential for oral absorption and accessibility to intracellular tough targets. Here, starting with a drug-like hit discovered using an mRNA display library, we describe a chemical optimization that led to the orally available clinical compound known as LUNA18, an 11-mer cyclic peptide inhibitor for the intracellular tough target RAS. The key findings are as follows: (i) two peptide side chains were identified that each increase RAS affinity over 10-fold; (ii) physico-chemical properties (PCP) including Clog P can be adjusted by side-chain modification to increase membrane permeability; (iii) restriction of cyclic peptide conformation works effectively to adjust PCP and improve bio-activity; (iv) cellular efficacy was observed in peptides with a permeability of around 0.4 × 10-6 cm/s or more in a Caco-2 permeability assay; and (v) while keeping the cyclic peptide's main-chain conformation, we found one example where the RAS protein structure was changed dramatically through induced-fit to our peptide side chain. This study demonstrates how the chemical optimization of bio-active peptides can be achieved without scaffold hopping, much like the processes for small molecule drug discovery that are guided by Lipinski's rule of five. Our approach provides a versatile new strategy for generating peptide drugs starting from drug-like hits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikimasa Tanada
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Minoru Tamiya
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Atsushi Matsuo
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Aya Chiyoda
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Koji Takano
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Toshiya Ito
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Machiko Irie
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Tomoya Kotake
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Ryuuichi Takeyama
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Hatsuo Kawada
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Ryuji Hayashi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Shiho Ishikawa
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Kenichi Nomura
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Furuichi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Yuya Morita
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Mirai Kage
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hashimoto
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Keiji Nii
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Sase
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Ohara
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Atsushi Ohta
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Shino Kuramoto
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Nishimura
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Iikura
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
| | - Takuya Shiraishi
- Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., 216, Totsuka-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 244-8602, Japan
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12
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Fleming MC, Bowler MM, Park R, Popov KI, Bowers AA. Tyrosinase-Catalyzed Peptide Macrocyclization for mRNA Display. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:10445-10450. [PMID: 37155687 PMCID: PMC11091840 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12629] [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: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
mRNA display of macrocyclic peptides has proven itself to be a powerful technique to discover high-affinity ligands for a protein target. However, only a limited number of cyclization chemistries are known to be compatible with mRNA display. Tyrosinase is a copper-dependent oxidase that oxidizes tyrosine phenol to an electrophilic o-quinone, which is readily attacked by cysteine thiol. Here we show that peptides containing tyrosine and cysteine are rapidly cyclized upon tyrosinase treatment. Characterization of the cyclization reveals it to be widely applicable to multiple macrocycle sizes and scaffolds. We combine tyrosinase-mediated cyclization with mRNA display to discover new macrocyclic ligands targeting melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4). These macrocycles potently inhibit the MAGE-A4 binding axis with nanomolar IC50 values. Importantly, macrocyclic ligands show clear advantage over noncyclized analogues with ∼40-fold or greater decrease in IC50 values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Fleming
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Matthew M. Bowler
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Rodney Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Konstantin I. Popov
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Albert A. Bowers
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
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13
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Hickey J, Sindhikara D, Zultanski SL, Schultz DM. Beyond 20 in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges of Non-canonical Amino Acids in Peptide Drug Discovery. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:557-565. [PMID: 37197469 PMCID: PMC10184154 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Life is constructed primarily using a toolbox of 20 canonical amino acids-relying upon these building blocks for the assembly of proteins and peptides that regulate nearly every cellular task, including cell structure, function, and maintenance. While Nature continues to be a source of inspiration for drug discovery, medicinal chemists are not beholden to only 20 canonical amino acids and have begun to explore non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) for the construction of designer peptides with improved drug-like properties. However, as our toolbox of ncAAs expands, drug hunters are encountering new challenges in approaching the iterative peptide design-make-test-analyze cycle with a seemingly boundless set of building blocks. This Microperspective focuses on new technologies that are accelerating ncAA interrogation in peptide drug discovery (including HELM notation, late-stage functionalization, and biocatalysis) while shedding light on areas where further investment could not only accelerate the discovery of new medicines but also improve downstream development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer
L. Hickey
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Merck & Co.,
Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Dan Sindhikara
- Department
of Modeling and Informatics, Merck &
Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Susan L. Zultanski
- Department
of Process Research & Development, Merck
& Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Danielle M. Schultz
- Department
of Process Research & Development, Merck
& Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
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14
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Iskandar SE, Pelton JM, Wick ET, Bolhuis DL, Baldwin AS, Emanuele MJ, Brown NG, Bowers AA. Enabling Genetic Code Expansion and Peptide Macrocyclization in mRNA Display via a Promiscuous Orthogonal Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1512-1517. [PMID: 36630539 PMCID: PMC10411329 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
mRNA display is revolutionizing peptide drug discovery through its ability to quickly identify potent peptide binders of therapeutic protein targets. Methods to expand the chemical diversity of display libraries are continually needed to increase the likelihood of identifying clinically relevant peptide ligands. Orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ORSs) have proven utility in cellular genetic code expansion, but are relatively underexplored for in vitro translation (IVT) and mRNA display. Herein, we demonstrate that the promiscuous ORS p-CNF-RS can incorporate noncanonical amino acids at amber codons in IVT, including the novel substrate p-cyanopyridylalanine (p-CNpyrA), to enable a pyridine-thiazoline (pyr-thn) macrocyclization in mRNA display. Pyr-thn-based selections against the deubiquitinase USP15 yielded a potent macrocyclic binder that exhibits good selectivity for USP15 and close homologues over other ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs). Overall, this work exemplifies how promiscuous ORSs can both expand side chain diversity and provide structural novelty in mRNA display libraries through a heterocycle forming macrocyclization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina E. Iskandar
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jarrett M. Pelton
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Elizaveta T. Wick
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Derek L. Bolhuis
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Albert S. Baldwin
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Michael J. Emanuele
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Nicholas G. Brown
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
| | - Albert A. Bowers
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
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