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Kairys V, Baranauskiene L, Kazlauskiene M, Zubrienė A, Petrauskas V, Matulis D, Kazlauskas E. Recent advances in computational and experimental protein-ligand affinity determination techniques. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:649-670. [PMID: 38715415 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2349169] [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: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Modern drug discovery revolves around designing ligands that target the chosen biomolecule, typically proteins. For this, the evaluation of affinities of putative ligands is crucial. This has given rise to a multitude of dedicated computational and experimental methods that are constantly being developed and improved. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors reassess both the industry mainstays and the newest trends among the methods for protein - small-molecule affinity determination. They discuss both computational affinity predictions and experimental techniques, describing their basic principles, main limitations, and advantages. Together, this serves as initial guide to the currently most popular and cutting-edge ligand-binding assays employed in rational drug design. EXPERT OPINION The affinity determination methods continue to develop toward miniaturization, high-throughput, and in-cell application. Moreover, the availability of data analysis tools has been constantly increasing. Nevertheless, cross-verification of data using at least two different techniques and careful result interpretation remain of utmost importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Visvaldas Kairys
- Department of Bioinformatics, Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Lina Baranauskiene
- Department of Biothermodynamics and Drug Design, Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Asta Zubrienė
- Department of Biothermodynamics and Drug Design, Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Petrauskas
- Department of Biothermodynamics and Drug Design, Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Daumantas Matulis
- Department of Biothermodynamics and Drug Design, Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Egidijus Kazlauskas
- Department of Biothermodynamics and Drug Design, Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Zhang H, Liu C, Zhu D, Zhang Q, Li J. Medicinal Chemistry Strategies for the Development of Inhibitors Disrupting β-Catenin's Interactions with Its Nuclear Partners. J Med Chem 2023; 66:1-31. [PMID: 36583662 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is strongly associated with various aspects of cancer, including tumor initiation, proliferation, and metastasis as well as antitumor immunity, and presents a promising opportunity for cancer therapy. Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation increases nuclear dephosphorylated β-catenin levels, resulting in β-catenin binding to TCF and additional cotranscription factors, such as BCL9, CBP, and p300. Therefore, directly disrupting β-catenin's interactions with these nuclear partners holds promise for the effective and selective suppression of the aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Herein, we summarize recent advances in biochemical techniques and medicinal chemistry strategies used to identify potent peptide-based and small-molecule inhibitors that directly disrupt β-catenin's interactions with its nuclear binding partners. We discuss the challenges involved in developing drug-like inhibitors that target the interactions of β-catenin and its nuclear binding partner into therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.,Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chenglong Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Di Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 201100, China
| | - Qingwei Zhang
- Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jianqi Li
- Novel Technology Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, Shanghai 201203, China
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Zhao Y, Mahy W, Willis NJ, Woodward HL, Steadman D, Bayle ED, Atkinson BN, Sipthorp J, Vecchia L, Ruza RR, Harlos K, Jeganathan F, Constantinou S, Costa A, Kjær S, Bictash M, Salinas PC, Whiting P, Vincent JP, Fish PV, Jones EY. Structural Analysis and Development of Notum Fragment Screening Hits. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2060-2077. [PMID: 35731924 PMCID: PMC9264368 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling suppressor Notum is a promising target for osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, and colorectal cancers. To develop novel Notum inhibitors, we used an X-ray crystallographic fragment screen with the Diamond-SGC Poised Library (DSPL) and identified 59 fragment hits from the analysis of 768 data sets. Fifty-eight of the hits were found bound at the enzyme catalytic pocket with potencies ranging from 0.5 to >1000 μM. Analysis of the fragments' diverse binding modes, enzymatic inhibitory activities, and chemical properties led to the selection of six hits for optimization, and five of these resulted in improved Notum inhibitory potencies. One hit, 1-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole 7, and its related cluster members, have shown promising lead-like properties. These became the focus of our fragment development activities, resulting in compound 7d with IC50 0.0067 μM. The large number of Notum fragment structures and their initial optimization provided an important basis for further Notum inhibitor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguang Zhao
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - William Mahy
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Nicky J. Willis
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Hannah L. Woodward
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - David Steadman
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Elliott D. Bayle
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Benjamin N. Atkinson
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - James Sipthorp
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Luca Vecchia
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Reinis R. Ruza
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Karl Harlos
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
| | - Fiona Jeganathan
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Stefan Constantinou
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Artur Costa
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Svend Kjær
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Magda Bictash
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Patricia C. Salinas
- Department
of Cell and Developmental Biology, Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular
Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Paul Whiting
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
| | - Jean-Paul Vincent
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - Paul V. Fish
- Alzheimer’s
Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute, University College London, The Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K.
- The
Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, U.K.
| | - E. Yvonne Jones
- Division
of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, The Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, U.K.
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Kell SR, Wang Z, Ji H. Fragment hopping protocol for the design of small-molecule protein-protein interaction inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 69:116879. [PMID: 35749838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.116879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Fragment-based ligand discovery (FBLD) is one of the most successful approaches to designing small-molecule protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors. The incorporation of computational tools to FBLD allows the exploration of chemical space in a time- and cost-efficient manner. Herein, a computational protocol for the development of small-molecule PPI inhibitors using fragment hopping, a fragment-based de novo design approach, is described and a case study is presented to illustrate the efficiency of this protocol. Fragment hopping facilitates the design of PPI inhibitors from scratch solely based on key binding features in the PPI complex structure. This approach is an open system that enables the inclusion of different state-of-the-art programs and softwares to improve its performances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby R Kell
- Drug Discovery Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - Zhen Wang
- Drug Discovery Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - Haitao Ji
- Drug Discovery Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States.
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5
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Wu X, Zhang Q, Guo Y, Zhang H, Guo X, You Q, Wang L. Methods for the Discovery and Identification of Small Molecules Targeting Oxidative Stress-Related Protein–Protein Interactions: An Update. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11040619. [PMID: 35453304 PMCID: PMC9025695 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11040619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The oxidative stress response pathway is one of the hotspots of current pharmaceutical research. Many proteins involved in these pathways work through protein–protein interactions (PPIs). Hence, targeting PPI to develop drugs for an oxidative stress response is a promising strategy. In recent years, small molecules targeting protein–protein interactions (PPIs), which provide efficient methods for drug discovery, are being investigated by an increasing number of studies. However, unlike the enzyme–ligand binding mode, PPIs usually exhibit large and dynamic binding interfaces, which raise additional challenges for the discovery and optimization of small molecules and for the biochemical techniques used to screen compounds and study structure–activity relationships (SARs). Currently, multiple types of PPIs have been clustered into different classes, which make it difficult to design stationary methods for small molecules. Deficient experimental methods are plaguing medicinal chemists and are becoming a major challenge in the discovery of PPI inhibitors. In this review, we present current methods that are specifically used in the discovery and identification of small molecules that target oxidative stress-related PPIs, including proximity-based, affinity-based, competition-based, structure-guided, and function-based methods. Our aim is to introduce feasible methods and their characteristics that are implemented in the discovery of small molecules for different types of PPIs. For each of these methods, we highlight successful examples of PPI inhibitors associated with oxidative stress to illustrate the strategies and provide insights for further design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuexuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qiuyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yuqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hengheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiaoke Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Correspondence: (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (L.W.); Tel.: +86-025-83271351 (Q.Y.); +86-15261483858 (L.W.)
| | - Qidong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Correspondence: (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (L.W.); Tel.: +86-025-83271351 (Q.Y.); +86-15261483858 (L.W.)
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; (X.W.); (Q.Z.); (Y.G.); (H.Z.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Correspondence: (X.G.); (Q.Y.); (L.W.); Tel.: +86-025-83271351 (Q.Y.); +86-15261483858 (L.W.)
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6
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Zhao X, Meng X, Ragauskas AJ, Lai C, Ling Z, Huang C, Yong Q. Unlocking the secret of lignin-enzyme interactions: Recent advances in developing state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 54:107830. [PMID: 34480987 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Bioconversion of renewable lignocellulosics to produce liquid fuels and chemicals is one of the most effective ways to solve the problem of fossil resource shortage, energy security, and environmental challenges. Among the many biorefinery pathways, hydrolysis of lignocellulosics to fermentable monosaccharides by cellulase is arguably the most critical step of lignocellulose bioconversion. In the process of enzymatic hydrolysis, the direct physical contact between enzymes and cellulose is an essential prerequisite for the hydrolysis to occur. However, lignin is considered one of the most recalcitrant factors hindering the accessibility of cellulose by binding to cellulase unproductively, which reduces the saccharification rate and yield of sugars. This results in high costs for the saccharification of carbohydrates. The various interactions between enzymes and lignin have been explored from different perspectives in literature, and a basic lignin inhibition mechanism has been proposed. However, the exact interaction between lignin and enzyme as well as the recently reported promotion of some types of lignin on enzymatic hydrolysis is still unclear at the molecular level. Multiple analytical techniques have been developed, and fully unlocking the secret of lignin-enzyme interactions would require a continuous improvement of the currently available analytical techniques. This review summarizes the current commonly used advanced research analytical techniques for investigating the interaction between lignin and enzyme, including quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy (FLS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Interdisciplinary integration of these analytical methods is pursued to provide new insight into the interactions between lignin and enzymes. This review will serve as a resource for future research seeking to develop new methodologies for a better understanding of the basic mechanism of lignin-enzyme binding during the critical hydrolysis process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Zhao
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Center for Renewable Carbon, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Chenhuan Lai
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Zhe Ling
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Caoxing Huang
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Qiang Yong
- Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Department of Bioengineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
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Wilson DM, Deacon AM, Duncton MAJ, Pellicena P, Georgiadis MM, Yeh AP, Arvai AS, Moiani D, Tainer JA, Das D. Fragment- and structure-based drug discovery for developing therapeutic agents targeting the DNA Damage Response. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 163:130-142. [PMID: 33115610 PMCID: PMC8666131 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer will directly affect the lives of over one-third of the population. The DNA Damage Response (DDR) is an intricate system involving damage recognition, cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, and ultimately cell fate determination, playing a central role in cancer etiology and therapy. Two primary therapeutic approaches involving DDR targeting include: combinatorial treatments employing anticancer genotoxic agents; and synthetic lethality, exploiting a sporadic DDR defect as a mechanism for cancer-specific therapy. Whereas, many DDR proteins have proven "undruggable", Fragment- and Structure-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD, SBDD) have advanced therapeutic agent identification and development. FBDD has led to 4 (with ∼50 more drugs under preclinical and clinical development), while SBDD is estimated to have contributed to the development of >200, FDA-approved medicines. Protein X-ray crystallography-based fragment library screening, especially for elusive or "undruggable" targets, allows for simultaneous generation of hits plus details of protein-ligand interactions and binding sites (orthosteric or allosteric) that inform chemical tractability, downstream biology, and intellectual property. Using a novel high-throughput crystallography-based fragment library screening platform, we screened five diverse proteins, yielding hit rates of ∼2-8% and crystal structures from ∼1.8 to 3.2 Å. We consider current FBDD/SBDD methods and some exemplary results of efforts to design inhibitors against the DDR nucleases meiotic recombination 11 (MRE11, a.k.a., MRE11A), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1, a.k.a., APEX1), and flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1).
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Wilson
- Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Boost Scientific, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium; XPose Therapeutics Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
| | - Ashley M Deacon
- Accelero Biostructures Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA; XPose Therapeutics Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Millie M Georgiadis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; XPose Therapeutics Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA
| | - Andrew P Yeh
- Accelero Biostructures Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew S Arvai
- Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Davide Moiani
- Department of Cancer Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John A Tainer
- Department of Cancer Biology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Debanu Das
- Accelero Biostructures Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA; XPose Therapeutics Inc., San Carlos, CA, USA.
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Sui S, Mulichak A, Kulathila R, McGee J, Filiatreault D, Saha S, Cohen A, Song J, Hung H, Selway J, Kirby C, Shrestha OK, Weihofen W, Fodor M, Xu M, Chopra R, Perry SL. A capillary-based microfluidic device enables primary high-throughput room-temperature crystallographic screening. J Appl Crystallogr 2021; 54:1034-1046. [PMID: 34429718 PMCID: PMC8366422 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576721004155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel capillary-based microfluidic strategy to accelerate the process of small-molecule-compound screening by room-temperature X-ray crystallography using protein crystals is reported. The ultra-thin microfluidic devices are composed of a UV-curable polymer, patterned by cleanroom photolithography, and have nine capillary channels per chip. The chip was designed for ease of sample manipulation, sample stability and minimal X-ray background. 3D-printed frames and cassettes conforming to SBS standards are used to house the capillary chips, providing additional mechanical stability and compatibility with automated liquid- and sample-handling robotics. These devices enable an innovative in situ crystal-soaking screening workflow, akin to high-throughput compound screening, such that quantitative electron density maps sufficient to determine weak binding events are efficiently obtained. This work paves the way for adopting a room-temperature microfluidics-based sample delivery method at synchrotron sources to facilitate high-throughput protein-crystallography-based screening of compounds at high concentration with the aim of discovering novel binding events in an automated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Sui
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Anne Mulichak
- IMCA-CAT, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA
| | | | - Joshua McGee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Sarthak Saha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Aina Cohen
- Macromolecular Crystallography Group, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Jinhu Song
- Macromolecular Crystallography Group, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Selway
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Christina Kirby
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Om K. Shrestha
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Michelle Fodor
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mei Xu
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rajiv Chopra
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah L. Perry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
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9
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Zhang S, Garzan A, Haese N, Bostwick R, Martinez-Gzegozewska Y, Rasmussen L, Streblow DN, Haise MT, Pathak AK, Augelli-Szafran CE, Wu M. Pyrimidone inhibitors targeting Chikungunya Virus nsP3 macrodomain by fragment-based drug design. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245013. [PMID: 33482665 PMCID: PMC7822648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The macrodomain of nsP3 (nsP3MD) is highly conserved among the alphaviruses and ADP-ribosylhydrolase activity of Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) nsP3MD is critical for CHIKV viral replication and virulence. No small molecule drugs targeting CHIKV nsP3 have been identified to date. Here we report small fragments that bind to nsP3MD which were discovered by virtually screening a fragment library and X-ray crystallography. These identified fragments share a similar scaffold, 2-pyrimidone-4-carboxylic acid, and are specifically bound to the ADP-ribose binding site of nsP3MD. Among the fragments, 2-oxo-5,6-benzopyrimidine-4-carboxylic acid showed anti-CHIKV activity with an IC50 of 23 μM. Our fragment-based drug discovery approach provides valuable information to further develop a specific and potent nsP3 inhibitor of CHIKV viral replication based on the 2-pyrimidone-4-carboxylic acid scaffold. In silico studies suggest this pyrimidone scaffold could also bind to the macrodomains of other alphaviruses and coronaviruses and thus, have potential pan-antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixue Zhang
- Drug Discovery Division, Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Atefeh Garzan
- Drug Discovery Division, Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Nicole Haese
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Robert Bostwick
- Drug Discovery Division, High-Throughput Screening Center, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Yohanka Martinez-Gzegozewska
- Drug Discovery Division, High-Throughput Screening Center, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Lynn Rasmussen
- Drug Discovery Division, High-Throughput Screening Center, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Daniel N. Streblow
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Mark T. Haise
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ashish K. Pathak
- Drug Discovery Division, Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Corinne E. Augelli-Szafran
- Drug Discovery Division, Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Mousheng Wu
- Drug Discovery Division, Chemistry Department, Southern Research, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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10
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Drakou CE, Gardeli C, Tsialtas I, Alexopoulos S, Mallouchos A, Koulas SM, Tsagkarakou AS, Asimakopoulos D, Leonidas DD, Psarra AMG, Skamnaki VT. Affinity Crystallography Reveals Binding of Pomegranate Juice Anthocyanins at the Inhibitor Site of Glycogen Phosphorylase: The Contribution of a Sugar Moiety to Potency and Its Implications to the Binding Mode. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2020; 68:10191-10199. [PMID: 32840370 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.0c04205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Anthocyanins (ACNs) are dietary phytochemicals with an acknowledged therapeutic significance. Pomegranate juice (PJ) is a rich source of ACNs with potential applications in nutraceutical development. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) catalyzes the first step of glycogenolysis and is a molecular target for the development of antihyperglycemics. The inhibitory potential of the ACN fraction of PJ is assessed through a combination of in vitro assays, ex vivo investigation in hepatic cells, and X-ray crystallography studies. The ACN extract potently inhibits muscle and liver isoforms of GP. Affinity crystallography reveals the structural basis of inhibition through the binding of pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside at the GP inhibitor site. The glucopyranose moiety is revealed as a major determinant of potency as it promotes a structural binding mode different from that observed for other flavonoids. This inhibitory effect of the ACN scaffold and its binding mode at the GP inhibitor binding site may have significant implications for future structure-based drug design endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina E Drakou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Chrysavgi Gardeli
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens 118 55, Greece
| | - Ioannis Tsialtas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Serafeim Alexopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Athanasios Mallouchos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Symeon M Koulas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Anastasia S Tsagkarakou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Demetres Asimakopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Demetres D Leonidas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Anna-Maria G Psarra
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
| | - Vasiliki T Skamnaki
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 41500, Larisa, Greece
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11
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Rapid optimisation of fragments and hits to lead compounds from screening of crude reaction mixtures. Commun Chem 2020; 3:122. [PMID: 36703375 PMCID: PMC9814918 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-020-00367-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragment based methods are now widely used to identify starting points in drug discovery and generation of tools for chemical biology. A significant challenge is optimization of these weak binding fragments to hit and lead compounds. We have developed an approach where individual reaction mixtures of analogues of hits can be evaluated without purification of the product. Here, we describe experiments to optimise the processes and then assess such mixtures in the high throughput crystal structure determination facility, XChem. Diffraction data for crystals of the proteins Hsp90 and PDHK2 soaked individually with 83 crude reaction mixtures are analysed manually or with the automated XChem procedures. The results of structural analysis are compared with binding measurements from other biophysical techniques. This approach can transform early hit to lead optimisation and the lessons learnt from this study provide a protocol that can be used by the community.
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12
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Troelsen NS, Clausen MH. Library Design Strategies To Accelerate Fragment‐Based Drug Discovery. Chemistry 2020; 26:11391-11403. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.202000584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaj S. Troelsen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Theranostics Department of Chemistry Technical University of Denmark Kemitorvet 207 2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark
| | - Mads H. Clausen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Theranostics Department of Chemistry Technical University of Denmark Kemitorvet 207 2800 Kongens Lyngby Denmark
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13
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Draxler SW, Bauer M, Eickmeier C, Nadal S, Nar H, Rangel Rojas D, Seeliger D, Zeeb M, Fiegen D. Hybrid Screening Approach for Very Small Fragments: X-ray and Computational Screening on FKBP51. J Med Chem 2020; 63:5856-5864. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian W. Draxler
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Margit Bauer
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Christian Eickmeier
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Simon Nadal
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Herbert Nar
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Daniel Rangel Rojas
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Daniel Seeliger
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Markus Zeeb
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
| | - Dennis Fiegen
- Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorferstraße 65, 88397 Biberach, Germany
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14
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Wu F, Zhuo L, Wang F, Huang W, Hao G, Yang G. Auto In Silico Ligand Directing Evolution to Facilitate the Rapid and Efficient Discovery of Drug Lead. iScience 2020; 23:101179. [PMID: 32498019 PMCID: PMC7267738 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivated by the growing demand for reducing the chemical optimization burden of H2L, we developed auto in silico ligand directing evolution (AILDE, http://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/server/AILDE), an efficient and general approach for the rapid identification of drug leads in accessible chemical space. This computational strategy relies on minor chemical modifications on the scaffold of a hit compound, and it is primarily intended for identifying new lead compounds with minimal losses or, in some cases, even increases in ligand efficiency. We also described how AILDE greatly reduces the chemical optimization burden in the design of mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met) kinase inhibitors. We only synthesized eight compounds and found highly efficient compound 5g, which showed an ∼1,000-fold improvement in in vitro activity compared with the hit compound. 5g also displayed excellent in vivo antitumor efficacy as a drug lead. We believe that AILDE may be applied to a large number of studies for rapid design and identification of drug leads. AILDE was developed for the rapid identification of drug leads A potent drug lead targeted to c-Met was found by synthesizing only eight compounds
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengxu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Linsheng Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Gefei Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
| | - Guangfu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China.
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15
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Lountos GT, Zhao XZ, Kiselev E, Tropea JE, Needle D, Pommier Y, Burke TR, Waugh DS. Identification of a ligand binding hot spot and structural motifs replicating aspects of tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase I (TDP1) phosphoryl recognition by crystallographic fragment cocktail screening. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:10134-10150. [PMID: 31199869 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Tyrosyl DNA-phosphodiesterase I (TDP1) repairs type IB topoisomerase (TOP1) cleavage complexes generated by TOP1 inhibitors commonly used as anticancer agents. TDP1 also removes DNA 3' end blocking lesions generated by chain-terminating nucleosides and alkylating agents, and base oxidation both in the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Combination therapy with TDP1 inhibitors is proposed to synergize with topoisomerase targeting drugs to enhance selectivity against cancer cells exhibiting deficiencies in parallel DNA repair pathways. A crystallographic fragment screening campaign against the catalytic domain of TDP1 was conducted to identify new lead compounds. Crystal structures revealed two fragments that bind to the TDP1 active site and exhibit inhibitory activity against TDP1. These fragments occupy a similar position in the TDP1 active site as seen in prior crystal structures of TDP1 with bound vanadate, a transition state mimic. Using structural insights into fragment binding, several fragment derivatives have been prepared and evaluated in biochemical assays. These results demonstrate that fragment-based methods can be a highly feasible approach toward the discovery of small-molecule chemical scaffolds to target TDP1, and for the first time, we provide co-crystal structures of small molecule inhibitors bound to TDP1, which could serve for the rational development of medicinal TDP1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- George T Lountos
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Xue Zhi Zhao
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Evgeny Kiselev
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch & Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joseph E Tropea
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Danielle Needle
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Yves Pommier
- Developmental Therapeutics Branch & Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Terrence R Burke
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - David S Waugh
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
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16
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Namanja AT, Xu J, Wu H, Sun Q, Upadhyay AK, Sun C, Van Doren SR, Petros AM. NMR-based fragment screening and lead discovery accelerated by principal component analysis. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR NMR 2019; 73:675-685. [PMID: 31541395 DOI: 10.1007/s10858-019-00279-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based NMR spectroscopy has proven to be a very robust method for finding fragment leads to protein targets. However, one limitation of protein-based NMR is that the data acquisition and analysis can be time consuming. In order to streamline the scoring of protein-based NMR fragment screening data and the determination of ligand affinities using 2D NMR experiments we have developed a data analysis workflow based on principal component analysis (PCA) within the TREND NMR Pro software package. We illustrate this using four different proteins and sets of ligands which interact with these proteins over a range of affinities. Also, these PCA-based methods can be successfully applied even to systems where ligand binding to target proteins is in intermediate or even slow exchange on the NMR time scale. Finally, these methods will work for scoring of fragment binding data using protein spectra that are either highly overlapped or lower in resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Namanja
- Research & Development, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Jia Xu
- Biochemistry Department, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Haihong Wu
- Research & Development, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Research & Development, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Anup K Upadhyay
- Research & Development, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Chaohong Sun
- Research & Development, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Steven R Van Doren
- Biochemistry Department, University of Missouri, 117 Schweitzer Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
| | - Andrew M Petros
- Research & Development, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
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17
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Förster A, Schulze-Briese C. A shared vision for macromolecular crystallography over the next five years. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2019; 6:064302. [PMID: 31832486 PMCID: PMC6892709 DOI: 10.1063/1.5131017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular crystallography (MX) is the dominant means of determining the three-dimensional structures of biological macromolecules, but the method has reached a critical juncture. New diffraction-limited storage rings and upgrades to the existing sources will provide beamlines with higher flux and brilliance, and even the largest detectors can collect at rates of several hundred hertz. Electron cryomicroscopy is successfully competing for structural biologists' most exciting projects. As a result, formerly scarce beam time is becoming increasingly abundant, and beamlines must innovate to attract users and ensure continued funding. Here, we will show how data collection has changed over the preceding five years and how alternative methods have emerged. We then explore how MX at synchrotrons might develop over the next five years. We predict that, despite the continued dominance of rotation crystallography, applications previously considered niche or experimental, such as serial crystallography, pink-beam crystallography, and crystallography at energies above 25 keV and below 5 keV, will rise in prominence as beamlines specialize to offer users the best value. Most of these emerging methods will require new hardware and software. With these advances, MX will more efficiently provide the high-resolution structures needed for drug development. MX will also be able to address a broader range of questions than before and contribute to a deeper understanding of biological processes in the context of integrative structural biology.
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18
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Ho WKH, Bao ZY, Gan X, Wong KY, Dai J, Lei D. Probing Conformation Change and Binding Mode of Metal Ion-Carboxyl Coordination Complex through Resonant Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:4692-4698. [PMID: 31368709 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b01435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding carboxyl-metal ligand interaction has great significance in analytical chemistry. Herein, we use resonant surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to probe the physiochemical interaction and conformation change in several metal ion-carboxyl coordination complex systems adsorbed on the surface of plasmonically resonant metal nanostructures. Our SERS results and density function theory calculations jointly reveal that low-valence metal ions (such as K+ and Pb2+) tend to bind to the carboxyl active site of a Raman tag molecule, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), in a unidentate binding mode of low binding energy whereas high-valence metal ions (such as Fe3+) favor a bidentate binding mode of relatively high binding energy. Particularly, Pb2+-ion concentration-dependent SERS suggests a repulsive interaction among the coordination complex leading to a tilted configuration of 4-MBA on the metal surface. This work indicates the resonant SERS approach is suitable not only for studying the carboxyl-metal ligand interaction but also for detecting various types of heavy metal ions at low concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willis Kwun Hei Ho
- Department of Applied Physics , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
| | - Zhi Yong Bao
- Department of Applied Physics , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering , Hefei University of Technology , Hefei 230009 , China
| | - Xiaorong Gan
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
- College of Environment , Hohai University , Nanjing 210098 , China
| | - Kwok-Yin Wong
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
| | - Jiyan Dai
- Department of Applied Physics , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
| | - Dangyuan Lei
- Department of Applied Physics , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , City University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China
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19
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Albesa-Jové D, Cifuente JO, Trastoy B, Guerin ME. Quick-soaking of crystals reveals unprecedented insights into the catalytic mechanism of glycosyltransferases. Methods Enzymol 2019; 621:261-279. [PMID: 31128783 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2019.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Glycosyltransferases (GTs) catalyze the transfer of a sugar moiety from nucleotide-sugar or lipid-phospho-sugar donors to a wide range of acceptor substrates, generating a remarkable amount of structural diversity in biological systems. Glycosyl transfer reactions can proceed with either inversion or retention of the anomeric configuration with respect to the sugar donor substrate. In this chapter, we discuss the application of a quick soaking method of substrates and products into protein crystals to visualize native ternary complexes of retaining glycosyltransferases. The crystal structures provide different snapshots of the catalytic cycle, including the Michaelis complex. During this sequence of events, we visualize how the enzyme guides the substrates into the reaction center where the glycosyl transfer reaction takes place, and unveil the mechanism of product release, involving multiple conformational changes not only in the substrates and products but also in the enzyme. The methodology described here provides unprecedented insights into the catalytic mechanism of glycosyltransferases at the molecular level, and can be applied to the study a myriad of enzymatic mediated reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Albesa-Jové
- Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, Derio, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | | | | | - Marcelo E Guerin
- Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, Derio, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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20
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Proposing novel TNFα direct inhibitor Scaffolds using fragment-docking based e-pharmacophore modeling and binary QSAR-based virtual screening protocols pipeline. J Mol Graph Model 2018; 85:111-121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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21
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Van Vleet TR, Liguori MJ, Lynch JJ, Rao M, Warder S. Screening Strategies and Methods for Better Off-Target Liability Prediction and Identification of Small-Molecule Pharmaceuticals. SLAS DISCOVERY 2018; 24:1-24. [PMID: 30196745 DOI: 10.1177/2472555218799713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical discovery and development is a long and expensive process that, unfortunately, still results in a low success rate, with drug safety continuing to be a major impedance. Improved safety screening strategies and methods are needed to more effectively fill this critical gap. Recent advances in informatics are now making it possible to manage bigger data sets and integrate multiple sources of screening data in a manner that can potentially improve the selection of higher-quality drug candidates. Integrated screening paradigms have become the norm in Pharma, both in discovery screening and in the identification of off-target toxicity mechanisms during later-stage development. Furthermore, advances in computational methods are making in silico screens more relevant and suggest that they may represent a feasible option for augmenting the current screening paradigm. This paper outlines several fundamental methods of the current drug screening processes across Pharma and emerging techniques/technologies that promise to improve molecule selection. In addition, the authors discuss integrated screening strategies and provide examples of advanced screening paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry R Van Vleet
- 1 Department of Investigative Toxicology and Pathology, AbbVie, N Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michael J Liguori
- 1 Department of Investigative Toxicology and Pathology, AbbVie, N Chicago, IL, USA
| | - James J Lynch
- 2 Department of Integrated Science and Technology, AbbVie, N Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mohan Rao
- 1 Department of Investigative Toxicology and Pathology, AbbVie, N Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Scott Warder
- 3 Department of Target Enabling Science and Technology, AbbVie, N Chicago, IL, USA
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22
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NMR-Fragment Based Virtual Screening: A Brief Overview. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23020233. [PMID: 29370102 PMCID: PMC6017141 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23020233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) using NMR has become a central approach over the last twenty years for development of small molecule inhibitors against biological macromolecules, to control a variety of cellular processes. Yet, several considerations should be taken into account for obtaining a therapeutically relevant agent. In this review, we aim to list the considerations that make NMR fragment screening a successful process for yielding potent inhibitors. Factors that may govern the competence of NMR in fragment based drug discovery are discussed, as well as later steps that involve optimization of hits obtained by NMR-FBDD.
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23
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Abstract
Fragment-based drug design strategies have been used in drug discovery since it was first demonstrated using experimental structural biology techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray crystallography. The underlying idea is that existing or new chemical entities with known desirable properties may serve both as tool compounds and as starting points for hit-to-lead expansion. Despite the recent advancements, there remain challenges to overcome, such as assembly of the synthetically feasible structures, development of scoring functions to correlate structure and their activities, and fine tuning of the promising molecules. This chapter first covers the theoretical background needed to understand the concepts and the challenges related to the field of study, followed by the description of important protocols and related software. Case studies are presented to demonstrate practical applications.
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24
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Howard RJ, Carnevale V, Delemotte L, Hellmich UA, Rothberg BS. Permeating disciplines: Overcoming barriers between molecular simulations and classical structure-function approaches in biological ion transport. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1860:927-942. [PMID: 29258839 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Ion translocation across biological barriers is a fundamental requirement for life. In many cases, controlling this process-for example with neuroactive drugs-demands an understanding of rapid and reversible structural changes in membrane-embedded proteins, including ion channels and transporters. Classical approaches to electrophysiology and structural biology have provided valuable insights into several such proteins over macroscopic, often discontinuous scales of space and time. Integrating these observations into meaningful mechanistic models now relies increasingly on computational methods, particularly molecular dynamics simulations, while surfacing important challenges in data management and conceptual alignment. Here, we seek to provide contemporary context, concrete examples, and a look to the future for bridging disciplinary gaps in biological ion transport. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Beyond the Structure-Function Horizon of Membrane Proteins edited by Ute Hellmich, Rupak Doshi and Benjamin McIlwain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Howard
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Box 1031, 17121 Solna, Sweden.
| | - Vincenzo Carnevale
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
| | - Lucie Delemotte
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Theoretical Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Box 1031, 17121 Solna, Sweden.
| | - Ute A Hellmich
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Institute for Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Johann-Joachim-Becherweg 30, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Brad S Rothberg
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
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Wang J, Guo Z, Fu Y, Wu Z, Huang C, Zheng C, Shar PA, Wang Z, Xiao W, Wang Y. Weak-binding molecules are not drugs?-toward a systematic strategy for finding effective weak-binding drugs. Brief Bioinform 2017; 18:321-332. [PMID: 26962012 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbw018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Designing maximally selective ligands that act on individual drug targets with high binding affinity has been the central dogma of drug discovery and development for the past two decades. However, many low-affinity drugs that aim for several targets at the same time are found more effective than the high-affinity binders when faced with complex disease conditions, such as cancers, Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to appreciate the importance and reveal the features of weak-binding drugs and propose an integrated strategy for discovering them. Weak-binding drugs can be characterized by their high dissociation rates and transient interactions with their targets. In addition, network topologies and dynamics parameters involved in the targets of weak-binding drugs also influence the effects of the drugs. Here, we first performed a dynamics analysis for 33 elementary subgraphs to determine the desirable topology and dynamics parameters among targets. Then, by applying the elementary subgraphs to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, several optimal target combinations were obtained. Combining drug-target interaction prediction with molecular dynamics simulation, we got two potential weak-binding drug candidates, luteolin and tanshinone IIA, acting on these targets. Further, the binding affinity of these two compounds to their targets and the anti-inflammatory effects of them were validated through in vitro experiments. In conclusion, weak-binding drugs have real opportunities for maximum efficiency and may show reduced adverse reactions, which can offer a bright and promising future for new drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinan Wang
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Zihu Guo
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Yingxue Fu
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Ziyin Wu
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Chao Huang
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Chunli Zheng
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
| | - Piar Ali Shar
- College of Life Science, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China; Center of Bioinformatics, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhenzhong Wang
- Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lianyungang, PR China
| | - Wei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of New-Tech for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yonghua Wang
- Lab of Systems Pharmacology, Center of Bioinformatics, College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, School of Chemical engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, China, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, ChaoYang District, Beijing, China and School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
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Fragment-based drug discovery and its application to challenging drug targets. Essays Biochem 2017; 61:475-484. [PMID: 29118094 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20170029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a technique for identifying low molecular weight chemical starting points for drug discovery. Since its inception 20 years ago, FBDD has grown in popularity to the point where it is now an established technique in industry and academia. The approach involves the biophysical screening of proteins against collections of low molecular weight compounds (fragments). Although fragments bind to proteins with relatively low affinity, they form efficient, high quality binding interactions with the protein architecture as they have to overcome a significant entropy barrier to bind. Of the biophysical methods available for fragment screening, X-ray protein crystallography is one of the most sensitive and least prone to false positives. It also provides detailed structural information of the protein-fragment complex at the atomic level. Fragment-based screening using X-ray crystallography is therefore an efficient method for identifying binding hotspots on proteins, which can then be exploited by chemists and biologists for the discovery of new drugs. The use of FBDD is illustrated here with a recently published case study of a drug discovery programme targeting the challenging protein-protein interaction Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1:nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2.
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Current perspectives in fragment-based lead discovery (FBLD). Essays Biochem 2017; 61:453-464. [PMID: 29118093 PMCID: PMC5869234 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20170028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 09/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
It is over 20 years since the first fragment-based discovery projects were disclosed. The methods are now mature for most ‘conventional’ targets in drug discovery such as enzymes (kinases and proteases) but there has also been growing success on more challenging targets, such as disruption of protein–protein interactions. The main application is to identify tractable chemical startpoints that non-covalently modulate the activity of a biological molecule. In this essay, we overview current practice in the methods and discuss how they have had an impact in lead discovery – generating a large number of fragment-derived compounds that are in clinical trials and two medicines treating patients. In addition, we discuss some of the more recent applications of the methods in chemical biology – providing chemical tools to investigate biological molecules, mechanisms and systems.
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van Montfort RLM, Workman P. Structure-based drug design: aiming for a perfect fit. Essays Biochem 2017; 61:431-437. [PMID: 29118091 PMCID: PMC5869280 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20170052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of therapeutically relevant targets has informed drug discovery since the first protein structures were determined using X-ray crystallography in the 1950s and 1960s. In this editorial we provide a brief overview of the powerful impact of structure-based drug design (SBDD), which has its roots in computational and structural biology, with major contributions from both academia and industry. We describe advances in the application of SBDD for integral membrane protein targets that have traditionally proved very challenging. We emphasize the major progress made in fragment-based approaches for which success has been exemplified by over 30 clinical drug candidates and importantly three FDA-approved drugs in oncology. We summarize the articles in this issue that provide an excellent snapshot of the current state of the field of SBDD and fragment-based drug design and which offer key insights into exciting new developments, such as the X-ray free-electron laser technology, cryo-electron microscopy, open science approaches and targeted protein degradation. We stress the value of SBDD in the design of high-quality chemical tools that are used to interrogate biology and disease pathology, and to inform target validation. We emphasize the need to maintain the scientific rigour that has been traditionally associated with structural biology and extend this to other methods used in drug discovery. This is particularly important because the quality and robustness of any form of contributory data determines its usefulness in accelerating drug design, and therefore ultimately in providing patient benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob L M van Montfort
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
- Division of Structural Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW3 6JB, U.K
| | - Paul Workman
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
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Choi S, Choi KY. Screening-based approaches to identify small molecules that inhibit protein–protein interactions. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2017; 12:293-303. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2017.1280456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sehee Choi
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kang-Yell Choi
- Translational Research Center for Protein Function Control, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- CK Biotechnology Inc., 416 Advanced Science and Technology Center, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, Korea
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Drakou CE, Tsitsanou KE, Potamitis C, Fessas D, Zervou M, Zographos SE. The crystal structure of the AgamOBP1•Icaridin complex reveals alternative binding modes and stereo-selective repellent recognition. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:319-338. [PMID: 27535661 PMCID: PMC11107575 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2335-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Anopheles gambiae Odorant Binding Protein 1 in complex with the most widely used insect repellent DEET, was the first reported crystal structure of an olfactory macromolecule with a repellent, and paved the way for OBP1-structure-based approaches for discovery of new host-seeking disruptors. In this work, we performed STD-NMR experiments to directly monitor and verify the formation of a complex between AgamOBP1 and Icaridin, an efficient DEET alternative. Furthermore, Isothermal Titration Calorimetry experiments provided evidence for two Icaridin-binding sites with different affinities (Kd = 0.034 and 0.714 mM) and thermodynamic profiles of ligand binding. To elucidate the binding mode of Icaridin, the crystal structure of AgamOBP1•Icaridin complex was determined at 1.75 Å resolution. We found that Icaridin binds to the DEET-binding site in two distinct orientations and also to a novel binding site located at the C-terminal region. Importantly, only the most active 1R,2S-isomer of Icaridin's equimolar diastereoisomeric mixture binds to the AgamOBP1 crystal, providing structural evidence for the possible contribution of OBP1 to the stereoselectivity of Icaridin perception in mosquitoes. Structural analysis revealed two ensembles of conformations differing mainly in spatial arrangement of their sec-butyl moieties. Moreover, structural comparison with DEET indicates a common recognition mechanism for these structurally related repellents. Ligand interactions with both sites and binding modes were further confirmed by 2D 1H-15N HSQC NMR spectroscopy. The identification of a novel repellent-binding site in AgamOBP1 and the observed structural conservation and stereoselectivity of its DEET/Icaridin-binding sites open new perspectives for the OBP1-structure-based discovery of next-generation insect repellents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina E Drakou
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina E Tsitsanou
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635, Athens, Greece
| | - Constantinos Potamitis
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Fessas
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Zervou
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635, Athens, Greece
| | - Spyros E Zographos
- Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635, Athens, Greece.
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Bassetto M, Massarotti A, Coluccia A, Brancale A. Structural biology in antiviral drug discovery. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2016; 30:116-130. [PMID: 27611878 PMCID: PMC7185576 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2016.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Structural biology has emerged during the last thirty years as a powerful tool for rational drug discovery. Crystal structures of biological targets alone and in complex with ligands and inhibitors provide essential insights into the mechanisms of actions of enzymes, their conformational changes upon ligand binding, the architectures and interactions of binding pockets. Structure-based methods such as crystallographic fragment screening represent nowadays invaluable instruments for the identification of new biologically active compounds. In this context, three-dimensional protein structures have played essential roles for the understanding of the activity and for the design of novel antiviral agents against several different viruses. In this review, the evolution in the resolution of viral structures is analysed, along with the role of crystal structures in the discovery and optimisation of new antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Bassetto
- School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Alberto Massarotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale A, Avogadro Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Antonio Coluccia
- Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Brancale
- School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK.
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Renaud JP, Chung CW, Danielson UH, Egner U, Hennig M, Hubbard RE, Nar H. Biophysics in drug discovery: impact, challenges and opportunities. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2016; 15:679-98. [PMID: 27516170 DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2016.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Over the past 25 years, biophysical technologies such as X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry have become key components of drug discovery platforms in many pharmaceutical companies and academic laboratories. There have been great improvements in the speed, sensitivity and range of possible measurements, providing high-resolution mechanistic, kinetic, thermodynamic and structural information on compound-target interactions. This Review provides a framework to understand this evolution by describing the key biophysical methods, the information they can provide and the ways in which they can be applied at different stages of the drug discovery process. We also discuss the challenges for current technologies and future opportunities to use biophysical methods to solve drug discovery problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Renaud
- NovAliX, Boulevard Sébastien Brant, 67405 Illkirch Cedex, France.,Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR7104/INSERM U964/Université de Strasbourg, 1 rue Laurent Fries - BP10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France.,RiboStruct, 15 rue Neuve, 67540 Ostwald, France
| | - Chun-Wa Chung
- GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, SG1 2NY, UK
| | - U Helena Danielson
- Department of Chemistry - BMC and Science for Life Laboratory, Drug Discovery &Development Platform, Uppsala University, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden.,Beactica AB, Uppsala Business Park, 754 50 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ursula Egner
- Bayer Pharma AG, Müllerstrasse 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Hennig
- Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070 Basel, Switzerland.,leadXpro AG, PARK INNOVAARE, CH-5234 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Roderick E Hubbard
- University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.,Vernalis (R&D), Granta Park, Cambridge, CB21 6GB, UK
| | - Herbert Nar
- Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH &Co. KG, Birkendorfer Strasse 65, 88400 Biberach, Germany
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Xue Y, Guo H, Hillertz P. Fragment Screening of RORγt Using Cocktail Crystallography: Identification of Simultaneous Binding of Multiple Fragments. ChemMedChem 2016; 11:1881-5. [PMID: 27432277 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201600242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The retinoic-acid-related orphan receptor γ t (RORγt), as a master regulator of Th17 cell pathology, has become an attractive target for small-molecule drug discovery for the treatment of Th17-cell-related autoimmune diseases. A crystallographic fragment screening was carried out for RORγt using the ligand binding domain. An overall hit rate of 5.5 % was obtained by screening 384 compounds in 96 cocktails. Five distinct hotspots were identified, and four regions of anchoring polar interactions were observed. In addition, significant induced fit was found for the binding of several fragments. Strikingly, a simultaneous binding of three fragments was revealed which presents interesting features including π-π stacking, multiple hydrogen bonds to the protein, and significant induced fit. Overall, the results offer a complete mapping of the ligand binding pocket and provide valuable inspiration in structure-based design for RORγt lead generation and optimization. The crystallographic screening also resulted in fragment hits that bind at the surface away from the ligand binding pocket. This surface site is near the plausible dimer interface by analogy with other nuclear receptor systems, which can provide initial hints to explore alternative ways to modulate RORγt through protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Xue
- Discovery Sciences, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden.
| | - Hongwei Guo
- Discovery Sciences, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Per Hillertz
- Discovery Sciences, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden.,Research and Development Information, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden 1, 431 83, Mölndal, Sweden
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Bauer U, Breeze AL. “Ligandability” of Drug Targets: Assessment of Chemical Tractability via Experimental and
In Silico
Approaches. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527677047.ch03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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36
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Hubbard RE. The Role of Fragment-based Discovery in Lead Finding. FRAGMENT-BASED DRUG DISCOVERY LESSONS AND OUTLOOK 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527683604.ch01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Grove LE, Vajda S, Kozakov D. Computational Methods to Support Fragment-based Drug Discovery. FRAGMENT-BASED DRUG DISCOVERY LESSONS AND OUTLOOK 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527683604.ch09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
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Abstract
Over the past two decades, solvent mapping has emerged as a useful tool for identifying hot spots within binding sites on proteins for drug-like molecules and suggesting properties of potential binders. While the experimental technique requires solving multiple crystal structures of a protein in different solvents, computational solvent mapping allows for fast analysis of a protein for potential binding sites and their druggability. Recent advances in genomics, systems biology and interactomics provide a multitude of potential targets for drug development and solvent mapping can provide useful information to help prioritize targets for drug discovery projects. Here, we review various approaches to computational solvent mapping, highlight some key advances and provide our opinion on future directions in the field.
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Successful generation of structural information for fragment-based drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2015; 20:1104-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2015.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Koh CY, Kallur Siddaramaiah L, Ranade RM, Nguyen J, Jian T, Zhang Z, Gillespie JR, Buckner FS, Verlinde CLMJ, Fan E, Hol WGJ. A binding hotspot in Trypanosoma cruzi histidyl-tRNA synthetase revealed by fragment-based crystallographic cocktail screens. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2015; 71:1684-98. [PMID: 26249349 PMCID: PMC4528801 DOI: 10.1107/s1399004715007683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
American trypanosomiasis, commonly known as Chagas disease, is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The chronic form of the infection often causes debilitating morbidity and mortality. However, the current treatment for the disease is typically inadequate owing to drug toxicity and poor efficacy, necessitating a continual effort to discover and develop new antiparasitic therapeutic agents. The structure of T. cruzi histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HisRS), a validated drug target, has previously been reported. Based on this structure and those of human cytosolic HisRS, opportunities for the development of specific inhibitors were identified. Here, efforts are reported to identify small molecules that bind to T. cruzi HisRS through fragment-based crystallographic screening in order to arrive at chemical starting points for the development of specific inhibitors. T. cruzi HisRS was soaked into 68 different cocktails from the Medical Structural Genomics of Pathogenic Protozoa (MSGPP) fragment library and diffraction data were collected to identify bound fragments after soaking. A total of 15 fragments were identified, all bound to the same site on the protein, revealing a fragment-binding hotspot adjacent to the ATP-binding pocket. On the basis of the initial hits, the design of reactive fragments targeting the hotspot which would be simultaneously covalently linked to a cysteine residue present only in trypanosomatid HisRS was initiated. Inhibition of T. cruzi HisRS was observed with the resultant reactive fragments and the anticipated binding mode was confirmed crystallographically. These results form a platform for the development of future generations of selective inhibitors for trypanosomatid HisRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho Yeow Koh
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | | | - Ranae M. Ranade
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jasmine Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Tengyue Jian
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Zhongsheng Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | | | | | | | - Erkang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Wim G. J. Hol
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Zheng H, Handing KB, Zimmerman MD, Shabalin IG, Almo SC, Minor W. X-ray crystallography over the past decade for novel drug discovery - where are we heading next? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 10:975-89. [PMID: 26177814 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2015.1061991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Macromolecular X-ray crystallography has been the primary methodology for determining the three-dimensional structures of proteins, nucleic acids and viruses. Structural information has paved the way for structure-guided drug discovery and laid the foundations for structural bioinformatics. However, X-ray crystallography still has a few fundamental limitations, some of which may be overcome and complemented using emerging methods and technologies in other areas of structural biology. AREAS COVERED This review describes how structural knowledge gained from X-ray crystallography has been used to advance other biophysical methods for structure determination (and vice versa). This article also covers current practices for integrating data generated by other biochemical and biophysical methods with those obtained from X-ray crystallography. Finally, the authors articulate their vision about how a combination of structural and biochemical/biophysical methods may improve our understanding of biological processes and interactions. EXPERT OPINION X-ray crystallography has been, and will continue to serve as, the central source of experimental structural biology data used in the discovery of new drugs. However, other structural biology techniques are useful not only to overcome the major limitation of X-ray crystallography, but also to provide complementary structural data that is useful in drug discovery. The use of recent advancements in biochemical, spectroscopy and bioinformatics methods may revolutionize drug discovery, albeit only when these data are combined and analyzed with effective data management systems. Accurate and complete data management is crucial for developing experimental procedures that are robust and reproducible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heping Zheng
- University of Virginia, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics , 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22908 , USA +1 434 243 6865 ; +1 434 243 2981 ;
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Amano Y, Tanabe E, Yamaguchi T. Identification of N-ethylmethylamine as a novel scaffold for inhibitors of soluble epoxide hydrolase by crystallographic fragment screening. Bioorg Med Chem 2015; 23:2310-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.03.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Synthesis, characterization, in silico approach and in vitro antiproliferative activity of RPF151, a benzodioxole sulfonamide analogue designed from capsaicin scaffold. J Mol Struct 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2015.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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45
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Zhao H, Caflisch A. Molecular dynamics in drug design. Eur J Med Chem 2015; 91:4-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 08/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
A review of fragment-based approaches to finding and optimising bromodomain inhibitors. Early successes against the BET subfamily are now being extended to other members of the target class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bamborough
- Molecular Discovery Research
- GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre
- UK
| | - Chun-wa Chung
- Molecular Discovery Research
- GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre
- UK
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Ludington JL. Virtual fragment preparation for computational fragment-based drug design. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1289:31-41. [PMID: 25709031 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2486-8_4] [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: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) has become an important component of the drug discovery process. The use of fragments can accelerate both the search for a hit molecule and the development of that hit into a lead molecule for clinical testing. In addition to experimental methodologies for FBDD such as NMR and X-ray Crystallography screens, computational techniques are playing an increasingly important role. The success of the computational simulations is due in large part to how the database of virtual fragments is prepared. In order to prepare the fragments appropriately it is necessary to understand how FBDD differs from other approaches and the issues inherent in building up molecules from smaller fragment pieces. The ultimate goal of these calculations is to link two or more simulated fragments into a molecule that has an experimental binding affinity consistent with the additive predicted binding affinities of the virtual fragments. Computationally predicting binding affinities is a complex process, with many opportunities for introducing error. Therefore, care should be taken with the fragment preparation procedure to avoid introducing additional inaccuracies.This chapter is focused on the preparation process used to create a virtual fragment database. Several key issues of fragment preparation which affect the accuracy of binding affinity predictions are discussed. The first issue is the selection of the two-dimensional atomic structure of the virtual fragment. Although the particular usage of the fragment can affect this choice (i.e., whether the fragment will be used for calibration, binding site characterization, hit identification, or lead optimization), general factors such as synthetic accessibility, size, and flexibility are major considerations in selecting the 2D structure. Other aspects of preparing the virtual fragments for simulation are the generation of three-dimensional conformations and the assignment of the associated atomic point charges.
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49
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Catalytic activation of pre-substrates via dynamic fragment assembly on protein templates. Nat Commun 2014; 5:5170. [PMID: 25403979 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitive detection of small molecule fragments binding to defined sites of biomacromolecules is still a considerable challenge. Here we demonstrate that protein-binding fragments are able to induce enzymatic reactions on the protein surface via dynamic fragment ligation. Fragments binding to the S1 pocket of serine proteases containing a nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur nucleophile are found to activate electrophilic pre-substrates through a reversible, covalent ligation reaction. The dynamic ligation reaction positions the pre-substrate molecule at the active site of the protein thereby inducing its enzymatic cleavage. Catalytic activation of pre-substrates is confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy and by high-performance liquid chromatography. The approach is investigated with 3 pre-substrates and 14 protein-binding fragments and the specific activation and the templating effect exerted by the enzyme is quantified for each protease-fragment-pre-substrate combination. The described approach enables the site-specific identification of protein-binding fragments, the functional characterization of enzymatic sites and the quantitative analysis of protein template-assisted ligation reactions.
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Advantages of crystallographic fragment screening: functional and mechanistic insights from a powerful platform for efficient drug discovery. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 116:92-100. [PMID: 25117499 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2014.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
X-ray crystallography has been an under-appreciated screening tool for fragment-based drug discovery due to the perception of low throughput and technical difficulty. Investigators in industry and academia have overcome these challenges by taking advantage of key factors that contribute to a successful crystallographic screening campaign. Efficient cocktail design and soaking methodologies have evolved to maximize throughput while minimizing false positives/negatives. In addition, technical improvements at synchrotron beamlines have dramatically increased data collection rates thus enabling screening on a timescale comparable to other techniques. The combination of available resources and efficient experimental design has resulted in many successful crystallographic screening campaigns. The three-dimensional crystal structure of the bound fragment complexed to its target, a direct result of the screening effort, enables structure-based drug design while revealing insights regarding protein dynamics and function not readily obtained through other experimental approaches. Furthermore, this "chemical interrogation" of the target protein crystals can lead to the identification of useful reagents for improving diffraction resolution or compound solubility.
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