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Tang JQ, Marchand MM, Veggiani G. Ubiquitin Engineering for Interrogating the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Novel Therapeutic Strategies. Cells 2023; 12:2117. [PMID: 37626927 PMCID: PMC10453149 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein turnover, a highly regulated process governed by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of the UPS has been implicated in various diseases, including viral infections and cancer, making the proteins in the UPS attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. However, the functional and structural redundancies of UPS enzymes present challenges in identifying precise drug targets and achieving target selectivity. Consequently, only 26S proteasome inhibitors have successfully advanced to clinical use thus far. To overcome these obstacles, engineered peptides and proteins, particularly engineered ubiquitin, have emerged as promising alternatives. In this review, we examine the impact of engineered ubiquitin on UPS and non-UPS proteins, as well as on viral enzymes. Furthermore, we explore their potential to guide the development of small molecules targeting novel surfaces, thereby expanding the range of druggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Q. Tang
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S3E1, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S3E1, Canada
| | - Mary M. Marchand
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Gianluca Veggiani
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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2
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On the Study of Deubiquitinases: Using the Right Tools for the Job. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12050703. [PMID: 35625630 PMCID: PMC9139131 DOI: 10.3390/biom12050703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Deubiquitinases (DUBs) have been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent years. Many of their diverse enzymatic mechanisms are well characterized in vitro; however, our understanding of these enzymes at the cellular level lags due to the lack of quality tool reagents. DUBs play a role in seemingly every biological process and are central to many human pathologies, thus rendering them very desirable and challenging therapeutic targets. This review aims to provide researchers entering the field of ubiquitination with knowledge of the pharmacological modulators and tool molecules available to study DUBs. A focus is placed on small molecule inhibitors, ubiquitin variants (UbVs), and activity-based probes (ABPs). Leveraging these tools to uncover DUB biology at the cellular level is of particular importance and may lead to significant breakthroughs. Despite significant drug discovery efforts, only approximately 15 chemical probe-quality small molecule inhibitors have been reported, hitting just 6 of about 100 DUB targets. UbV technology is a promising approach to rapidly expand the library of known DUB inhibitors and may be used as a combinatorial platform for structure-guided drug design.
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Veggiani G, Yates BP, Martyn GD, Manczyk N, Singer AU, Kurinov I, Sicheri F, Sidhu SS. Panel of Engineered Ubiquitin Variants Targeting the Family of Human Ubiquitin Interacting Motifs. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:941-956. [PMID: 35385646 PMCID: PMC9305627 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ubiquitin (Ub)-binding domains embedded in intracellular proteins act as readers of the complex Ub code and contribute to regulation of numerous eukaryotic processes. Ub-interacting motifs (UIMs) are short α-helical modular recognition elements whose role in controlling proteostasis and signal transduction has been poorly investigated. Moreover, impaired or aberrant activity of UIM-containing proteins has been implicated in numerous diseases, but targeting modular recognition elements in proteins remains a major challenge. To overcome this limitation, we developed Ub variants (UbVs) that bind to 42 UIMs in the human proteome with high affinity and specificity. Structural analysis of a UbV:UIM complex revealed the molecular determinants of enhanced affinity and specificity. Furthermore, we showed that a UbV targeting a UIM in the cancer-associated Ub-specific protease 28 potently inhibited catalytic activity. Our work demonstrates the versatility of UbVs to target short α-helical Ub receptors with high affinity and specificity. Moreover, the UbVs provide a toolkit to investigate the role of UIMs in regulating and transducing Ub signals and establish a general strategy for the systematic development of probes for Ub-binding domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Veggiani
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S3E1, Canada
| | - Bradley P. Yates
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S3E1, Canada
| | - Gregory D. Martyn
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S3E1, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Noah Manczyk
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Alex U. Singer
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S3E1, Canada
| | - Igor Kurinov
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, NE-CAT, Cornell University, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Frank Sicheri
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Sachdev S. Sidhu
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, 160 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S3E1, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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A Panel of Engineered Ubiquitin Variants Targeting the Family of Domains Found in Ubiquitin Specific Proteases (DUSPs). J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167300. [PMID: 34666042 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Domains found in ubiquitin specific proteases (DUSPs) occur in seven members of the ubiquitin specific protease (USP) family. DUSPs are defined by a distinct structural fold but their functions remain largely unknown, although studies with USP4 suggest that its DUSP enhances deubiquitination activity. We used phage-displayed libraries of ubiquitin variants (UbVs) to derive protein-based tools to target DUSP family members with high affinity and specificity. We designed a UbV library based on insights from the structure of a previously identified UbV bound to the DUSP of USP15. The new library yielded 33 unique UbVs that bound to DUSPs from five different USPs (USP4, USP11, USP15, USP20 and USP33). For each USP, we were able to identify at least one DUSP that bound with high affinity and absolute specificity relative to the other DUSPs. We showed that UbVs targeting the DUSPs of USP15, USP11 and USP20 inhibited the catalytic activity of the enzyme, despite the fact that the DUSP is located outside of the catalytic domain. These findings provide an alternative means of inhibiting USP activity by targeting DUSPs, and this mechanism could be potentially extended other DUSP-containing USPs.
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Guo Y, Liu Q, Mallette E, Caba C, Hou F, Fux J, LaPlante G, Dong A, Zhang Q, Zheng H, Tong Y, Zhang W. Structural and functional characterization of ubiquitin variant inhibitors for the JAMM-family deubiquitinases STAMBP and STAMBPL1. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101107. [PMID: 34425109 PMCID: PMC8449267 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitination is a crucial posttranslational protein modification involved in a myriad of biological pathways. This modification is reversed by deubiquitinases (DUBs) that deconjugate the single ubiquitin (Ub) moiety or poly-Ub chains from substrates. In the past decade, tremendous efforts have been focused on targeting DUBs for drug discovery. However, most chemical compounds with inhibitory activity for DUBs suffer from mild potency and low selectivity. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a phage display-based protein engineering strategy for generating Ub variant (UbV) inhibitors, which was previously successfully applied to the Ub-specific protease (USP) family of cysteine proteases. In this work, we leveraged the UbV platform to selectively target STAMBP, a member of the JAB1/MPN/MOV34 (JAMM) metalloprotease family of DUB enzymes. We identified two UbVs (UbVSP.1 and UbVSP.3) that bind to STAMBP with high affinity but differ in their selectivity for the closely related paralog STAMBPL1. We determined the STAMBPL1-UbVSP.1 complex structure by X-ray crystallography, revealing hotspots of the JAMM-UbV interaction. Finally, we show that UbVSP.1 and UbVSP.3 are potent inhibitors of STAMBP isopeptidase activity, far exceeding the reported small-molecule inhibitor BC-1471. This work demonstrates that UbV technology is suitable to develop molecules as tools to target metalloproteases, which can be used to further understand the cellular function of JAMM family DUBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusong Guo
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong, China; Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Evan Mallette
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Cody Caba
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
| | - Feng Hou
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Julia Fux
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Gabriel LaPlante
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Aiping Dong
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Qi Zhang
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Hui Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, International Institute of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yufeng Tong
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada; CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada.
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Liang CT, Roscow OMA, Zhang W. Recent developments in engineering protein-protein interactions using phage display. Protein Eng Des Sel 2021; 34:6297171. [PMID: 34117768 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted inhibition of misregulated protein-protein interactions (PPIs) has been a promising area of investigation in drug discovery and development for human diseases. However, many constraints remain, including shallow binding surfaces and dynamic conformation changes upon interaction. A particularly challenging aspect is the undesirable off-target effects caused by inherent structural similarity among the protein families. To tackle this problem, phage display has been used to engineer PPIs for high-specificity binders with improved binding affinity and greatly reduced undesirable interactions with closely related proteins. Although general steps of phage display are standardized, library design is highly variable depending on experimental contexts. Here in this review, we examined recent advances in the structure-based combinatorial library design and the advantages and limitations of different approaches. The strategies described here can be explored for other protein-protein interactions and aid in designing new libraries or improving on previous libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen T Liang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Olivia M A Roscow
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada.,CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, MaRS Centre West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G1M1, Canada
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The 'dark matter' of ubiquitin-mediated processes: opportunities and challenges in the identification of ubiquitin-binding domains. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 47:1949-1962. [PMID: 31829417 DOI: 10.1042/bst20190869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Ubiquitin modifications of target proteins act to localise, direct and specify a diverse range of cellular processes, many of which are biomedically relevant. To allow this diversity, ubiquitin modifications exhibit remarkable complexity, determined by a combination of polyubiquitin chain length, linkage type, numbers of ubiquitin chains per target, and decoration of ubiquitin with other small modifiers. However, many questions remain about how different ubiquitin signals are specifically recognised and transduced by the decoding ubiquitin-binding domains (UBDs) within ubiquitin-binding proteins. This review briefly outlines our current knowledge surrounding the diversity of UBDs, identifies key challenges in their discovery and considers recent structural studies with implications for the increasing complexity of UBD function and identification. Given the comparatively low numbers of functionally characterised polyubiquitin-selective UBDs relative to the ever-expanding variety of polyubiquitin modifications, it is possible that many UBDs have been overlooked, in part due to limitations of current approaches used to predict their presence within the proteome. Potential experimental approaches for UBD discovery are considered; web-based informatic analyses, Next-Generation Phage Display, deubiquitinase-resistant diubiquitin, proximity-dependent biotinylation and Ubiquitin-Phototrap, including possible advantages and limitations. The concepts discussed here work towards identifying new UBDs which may represent the 'dark matter' of the ubiquitin system.
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Structural and Functional Analysis of Ubiquitin-based Inhibitors That Target the Backsides of E2 Enzymes. J Mol Biol 2019; 432:952-966. [PMID: 31634471 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Ubiquitin-conjugating E2 enzymes are central to the ubiquitination cascade and have been implicated in cancer and other diseases. Despite strong interest in developing specific E2 inhibitors, the shallow and exposed active site has proven recalcitrant to targeting with reversible small-molecule inhibitors. Here, we used phage display to generate highly potent and selective ubiquitin variants (UbVs) that target the E2 backside, which is located opposite to the active site. A UbV targeting Ube2D1 did not affect charging but greatly attenuated chain elongation. Likewise, a UbV targeting the E2 variant Ube2V1 did not interfere with the charging of its partner E2 enzyme but inhibited formation of diubiquitin. In contrast, a UbV that bound to the backside of Ube2G1 impeded the generation of thioester-linked ubiquitin to the active site cysteine of Ube2G1 by the E1 enzyme. Crystal structures of UbVs in complex with three E2 proteins revealed distinctive molecular interactions in each case, but they also highlighted a common backside pocket that the UbVs used for enhanced affinity and specificity. These findings validate the E2 backside as a target for inhibition and provide structural insights to aid inhibitor design and screening efforts.
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