The potential of cryo-electron microscopy for structure-based drug design

Structure-based drug design plays a central role in therapeutic development. Until recently, protein crystallography and NMR have dominated experimental approaches to obtain structural information of biological molecules. However, in recent years rapid technical developments in single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have enabled the determination to near-atomic resolution of macromolecules ranging from large multi-subunit molecular machines to proteins as small as 64 kDa. These advances have revolutionized structural biology by hugely expanding both the range of macromolecules whose structures can be determined, and by providing a description of macromolecular dynamics. Cryo-EM is now poised to similarly transform the discipline of structure-based drug discovery. This article reviews the potential of cryo-EM for drug discovery with reference to protein ligand complex structures determined using this technique.

Constitutive activation of CaMKKα signaling is sufficient but not necessary for mTORC1 activation and growth in mouse skeletal muscle

Skeletal muscle loading/overload stimulates the Ca²⁺-activated, serine/threonine kinase Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase-α (CaMKKα); yet to date, no studies have examined whether CaMKKα regulates muscle growth. The purpose of this study was to determine if constitutive activation of CaMKKα signaling could stimulate muscle growth and if so whether CaMKKα is essential for this process. CaMKKα signaling was selectively activated in mouse muscle via expression of a constitutively active form of CaMKKα using in vivo electroporation. After 2 wk, constitutively active CaMKKα expression increased muscle weight (~10%) and protein content (~10%), demonstrating that activation of CaMKKα signaling can stimulate muscle growth. To determine if active CaMKKα expression stimulated muscle growth via increased mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and protein synthesis, [³H]phenylalanine incorporation into proteins was assessed with or without the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. Constitutively active CaMKKα increased protein synthesis ~60%, and this increase was prevented by rapamycin, demonstrating a critical role for mTORC1 in this process. To determine if CaMKKα is essential for growth, muscles from CaMKKα knockout mice were stimulated to hypertrophy via unilateral ablation of synergist muscles (overload). Surprisingly, compared with wild-type mice, muscles from CaMKKα knockout mice exhibited greater growth (~15%) and phosphorylation of the mTORC1 substrate 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (Thr³⁸⁹; ~50%), demonstrating that CaMKKα is not essential for overload-induced mTORC1 activation or muscle growth. Collectively, these results demonstrate that activation of CaMKKα signaling is sufficient but not necessary for activation of mTORC1 signaling and growth in mouse skeletal muscle.

Ursolic acid inhibits leucine-stimulated mTORC1 signaling by suppressing mTOR localization to lysosome

Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid widely found in medicinal herbs and fruits, has been reported to possess a wide range of beneficial properties including anti-hyperglycemia, anti-obesity, and anti-cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of UA remain largely unknown. Here we show that UA inhibits leucine-induced activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway in C2C12 myotubes. The UA-mediated inhibition of mTORC1 is independent of Akt, tuberous sclerosis complex 1/2 (TSC1/2), and Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb), suggesting that UA negatively regulates mTORC1 signaling by targeting at a site downstream of these mTOR regulators. UA treatment had no effect on the interaction between mTOR and its activator Raptor or inhibitor Deptor, but suppressed the binding of RagB to Raptor and inhibited leucine-induced mTOR lysosomal localization. Taken together, our study identifies UA as a direct negative regulator of the mTORC1 signaling pathway and suggests a novel mechanism by which UA exerts its beneficial function.

Glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor N-(3,5-dimethyl-Benzoyl)-N'-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)urea improves glucose tolerance under normoglycemic and diabetic conditions and rearranges hepatic metabolism

Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) catalyzes the breakdown of glycogen and largely contributes to hepatic glucose production making GP inhibition an attractive target to modulate glucose levels in diabetes. Hereby we present the metabolic effects of a novel, potent, glucose-based GP inhibitor (KB228) tested in vitro and in vivo under normoglycemic and diabetic conditions. KB228 administration enhanced glucose sensitivity in chow-fed and obese, diabetic mice that was a result of higher hepatic glucose uptake. Besides improved glucose sensitivity, we have observed further unexpected metabolic rearrangements. KB228 administration increased oxygen consumption that was probably due to the overexpression of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) that was observed in animal and cellular models. Furthermore, KB228 treatment induced mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) in mice. Our data demonstrate that glucose based GP inhibitors are capable of reducing glucose levels in mice under normo and hyperglycemic conditions. Moreover, these GP inhibitors induce accommodation in addition to GP inhibition - such as enhanced mitochondrial oxidation and mTORC2 signaling – to cope with the glucose influx and increased glycogen deposition in the cells, however the molecular mechanism of accommodation is unexplored.