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Bhaduri S, Braza MKE, Stanchev S, Bach K, Tauber M, Al-Bawab R, Liu LJ, Trujillo DF, Solorio-Kirpichyan K, Srivastava A, Sanlley-Hernandez J, O'Donoghue AJ, Lemberg MK, Amario R, Strisovsky K, Neal SE. An in vitro platform for the enzymatic characterization of the rhomboid protease RHBDL4. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.10.13.618094. [PMID: 39415989 PMCID: PMC11483055 DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.13.618094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2024]
Abstract
Rhomboid proteases are ubiquitous intramembrane serine proteases that can cleave transmembrane substrates within lipid bilayers. They exhibit many and diverse functions, such as but not limited to, growth factor signaling, immune and inflammatory response, protein quality control, and parasitic invasion. Human rhomboid protease RHBDL4 has been demonstrated to play a critical role in removing misfolded proteins from the Endoplasmic Reticulum and is implicated in severe diseases such as various cancers and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, RHBDL4 is expected to constitute an important therapeutic target for such devastating diseases. Despite its critical role in many biological processes, the enzymatic properties of RHBDL4 remain largely unknown. To enable a comprehensive characterization of RHBDL4's kinetics, catalytic parameters, substrate specificity, and binding modality we expressed and purified recombinant RHBDL4, and employed it in a Förster Resonance Energy Transfer-based cleavage assay. Until now, kinetic studies have been limited mostly to bacterial rhomboid proteases. Our in vitro platform offers a new method for studying RHBDL4's enzymatic function and substrate preferences. Furthermore, we developed and tested potential inhibitors using our assay and successfully identifying peptidyl α-ketoamide inhibitors of RHBDL4 that are highly effective against recombinant RHBDL4. We utilize ensemble docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the binding modality of substrate-derived peptides bound to RHBDL4. Our analysis focused on key interactions and dynamic movements within RHBDL4's active site that contributed to binding stability, offering valuable insights for optimizing the non-prime side of RHBDL4 ketoamide inhibitors. In summary, our study offers fundamental insights into RHBDL4's catalytic activities and substrate preferences, laying the foundation for downstream applications such as drug inhibitor screenings and structure-function studies, which will enable the identification of lead drug compounds for RHBDL4.
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2
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Bach K, Dohnálek J, Škerlová J, Kuzmík J, Poláchová E, Stanchev S, Majer P, Fanfrlík J, Pecina A, Řezáč J, Lepšík M, Borshchevskiy V, Polovinkin V, Strisovsky K. Extensive targeting of chemical space at the prime side of ketoamide inhibitors of rhomboid proteases by branched substituents empowers their selectivity and potency. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 275:116606. [PMID: 38901105 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Rhomboid intramembrane serine proteases have been implicated in several pathologies, and emerge as attractive pharmacological target candidates. The most potent and selective rhomboid inhibitors available to date are peptidyl α-ketoamides, but their selectivity for diverse rhomboid proteases and strategies to modulate it in relevant contexts are poorly understood. This gap, together with the lack of suitable in vitro models, hinders ketoamide development for relevant eukaryotic rhomboid enzymes. Here we explore the structure-activity relationship principles of rhomboid inhibiting ketoamides by medicinal chemistry and enzymatic in vitro and in-cell assays with recombinant rhomboid proteases GlpG, human mitochondrial rhomboid PARL and human RHBDL2. We use X-ray crystallography in lipidic cubic phase to understand the binding mode of one of the best ketoamide inhibitors synthesized here containing a branched terminal substituent bound to GlpG. In addition, to extend the interpretation of the co-crystal structure, we use quantum mechanical calculations and quantify the relative importance of interactions along the inhibitor molecule. These combined experimental analyses implicates that more extensive exploration of chemical space at the prime side is unexpectedly powerful for the selectivity of rhomboid inhibiting ketoamides. Together with variations in the peptide sequence at the non-prime side, or its non-peptidic alternatives, this strategy enables targeted tailoring of potent and selective ketoamides towards diverse rhomboid proteases including disease-relevant ones such as PARL and RHBDL2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Bach
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic; Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, Prague, 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dohnálek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic; University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, Prague, 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Škerlová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Kuzmík
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Edita Poláchová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Kateřinská 32, Prague, 121 08, Czech Republic
| | - Stancho Stanchev
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jindřich Fanfrlík
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Pecina
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Řezáč
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Lepšík
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Valentin Borshchevskiy
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 7, IBI-7 (Structural Biochemistry) Forschungszentrum Jülich 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Vitaly Polovinkin
- ELI Beamlines Centre, ELI ERIC, Za Radnicí 835, 252 41, Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic
| | - Kvido Strisovsky
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague, 160 00, Czech Republic.
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3
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Skorenski M, Ji S, Verhelst SHL. Covalent activity-based probes for imaging of serine proteases. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:923-935. [PMID: 38629725 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231450] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Serine proteases are one of the largest mechanistic classes of proteases. They regulate a plethora of biochemical pathways inside and outside the cell. Aberrant serine protease activity leads to a wide variety of human diseases. Reagents to visualize these activities can be used to gain insight into the biological roles of serine proteases. Moreover, they may find future use for the detection of serine proteases as biomarkers. In this review, we discuss small molecule tools to image serine protease activity. Specifically, we outline different covalent activity-based probes and their selectivity against various serine protease targets. We also describe their application in several imaging methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Skorenski
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shanping Ji
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven H L Verhelst
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49 Box 901b, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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4
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Yang J, Carvalho LAR, Ji S, Chen S, Moreira R, Verhelst SHL. 4-Oxo-β-Lactams as Novel Inhibitors for Rhomboid Proteases. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300418. [PMID: 37671979 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300418] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Intramembrane serine proteases (rhomboid proteases) are involved in a variety of biological processes and are implicated in several diseases. Here, we report 4-oxo-β-lactams as a novel scaffold for inhibition of rhomboids. We show that they covalently react with the active site and that the covalent bond is sufficiently stable for detection of the covalent rhomboid-lactam complex. 4-Oxo-β-lactams may therefore find future use as both inhibitors and activity-based probes for rhomboid proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Yang
- Laboratory of, Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 901b, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luís A R Carvalho
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Shanping Ji
- Laboratory of, Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 901b, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Suyuan Chen
- Leibniz Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V, Otto-Hahn Strasse 6b, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Rui Moreira
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Steven H L Verhelst
- Laboratory of, Chemical Biology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Herestraat 49, box 901b, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Leibniz Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften - ISAS - e.V, Otto-Hahn Strasse 6b, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
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5
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Florin-Christensen M, Sojka D, Ganzinelli S, Šnebergerová P, Suarez CE, Schnittger L. Degrade to survive: the intricate world of piroplasmid proteases. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:532-546. [PMID: 37271664 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.04.010] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Piroplasmids of the genera Babesia, Theileria, and Cytauxzoon are tick-transmitted parasites with a high impact on animals and humans. They have complex life cycles in their definitive arthropod and intermediate vertebrate hosts involving numerous processes, including invasion of, and egress from, host cells, parasite growth, transformation, and migration. Like other parasitic protozoa, piroplasmids are equipped with different types of protease to fulfill many of such essential processes. Blockade of some key proteases, using inhibitors or antibodies, hinders piroplasmid growth, highlighting their potential usefulness in drug therapies and vaccine development. A better understanding of the functional significance of these enzymes will contribute to the development of improved control measures for the devastating animal and human diseases caused by these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Florin-Christensen
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas (CICVyA), INTA-Castelar, Los Reseros y Nicolas Repetto s/n, Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina.
| | - Daniel Sojka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 1160/31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sabrina Ganzinelli
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas (CICVyA), INTA-Castelar, Los Reseros y Nicolas Repetto s/n, Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Pavla Šnebergerová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 1160/31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, CZ-370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Carlos E Suarez
- Washington State University/Animal Disease Research Unit USDA, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Leonhard Schnittger
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas (CICVyA), INTA-Castelar, Los Reseros y Nicolas Repetto s/n, Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
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6
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Comparative Degradome Analysis of the Bovine Piroplasmid Pathogens Babesia bovis and Theileria annulata. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020237. [PMID: 36839509 PMCID: PMC9965338 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis and Theileria annulata are tick-borne hemoprotozoans that impact bovine health and are responsible for considerable fatalities in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Both pathogens infect the same vertebrate host, are closely related, and contain similar-sized genomes; however, they differ in invertebrate host specificity, absence vs. presence of a schizont stage, erythrocyte invasion mechanism, and transovarial vs. transstadial transmission. Phylogenetic analysis and bidirectional best hit (BBH) identified a similar number of aspartic, metallo, and threonine proteinases and nonproteinase homologs. In contrast, a considerably increased number of S54 serine rhomboid proteinases and S9 nonproteinase homologs were identified in B. bovis, whereas C1A cysteine proteinases and A1 aspartic nonproteinase homologs were found to be expanded in T. annulata. Furthermore, a single proteinase of families S8 (subtilisin-like protein) and C12 (ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase), as well as four nonproteinase homologs, one with dual domains M23-M23 and three with S9-S9, were exclusively present in B. bovis. Finally, a pronounced difference in species-specific ancillary domains was observed between both species. We hypothesize that the observed degradome differences represent functional correlates of the dissimilar life history features of B. bovis and T. annulata. The presented improved classification of piroplasmid proteinases will facilitate an informed choice for future in-depth functional studies.
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7
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Poláchová E, Bach K, Heuten E, Stanchev S, Tichá A, Lampe P, Majer P, Langer T, Lemberg MK, Stříšovský K. Chemical Blockage of the Mitochondrial Rhomboid Protease PARL by Novel Ketoamide Inhibitors Reveals Its Role in PINK1/Parkin-Dependent Mitophagy. J Med Chem 2022; 66:251-265. [PMID: 36540942 PMCID: PMC9841525 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The mitochondrial rhomboid protease PARL regulates mitophagy by balancing intramembrane proteolysis of PINK1 and PGAM5. It has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, but its investigation as a possible therapeutic target is challenging in this context because genetic deficiency of PARL may result in compensatory mechanisms. To address this problem, we undertook a hitherto unavailable chemical biology strategy. We developed potent PARL-targeting ketoamide inhibitors and investigated the effects of acute PARL suppression on the processing status of PINK1 intermediates and on Parkin activation. This approach revealed that PARL inhibition leads to a robust activation of the PINK1/Parkin pathway without major secondary effects on mitochondrial properties, which demonstrates that the pharmacological blockage of PARL to boost PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy is a feasible approach to examine novel therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease. More generally, this study showcases the power of ketoamide inhibitors for cell biological studies of rhomboid proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edita Poláchová
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic,First
Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Kateřinská 32, Prague 121 08, Czech Republic
| | - Kathrin Bach
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic,Department
of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Elena Heuten
- Center
for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer
Feld 282, Heidelberg 69120, Germany,Center
for Biochemistry and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress
Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 52, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Stancho Stanchev
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Anežka Tichá
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Philipp Lampe
- Institute
for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses
in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 52, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas Langer
- Institute
for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses
in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 52, Cologne 50931, Germany,Center
for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 52, Cologne 50931, Germany,Max-Planck-Institute
for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9b, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Marius K. Lemberg
- Center
for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Im Neuenheimer
Feld 282, Heidelberg 69120, Germany,Center
for Biochemistry and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress
Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 52, Cologne 50931, Germany,
| | - Kvido Stříšovský
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Science, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic,
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8
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Ferguson TEG, Reihill JA, Martin SL, Walker B. Novel inhibitors and activity-based probes targeting serine proteases. Front Chem 2022; 10:1006618. [PMID: 36247662 PMCID: PMC9555310 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1006618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine proteases play varied and manifold roles in important biological, physiological, and pathological processes. These include viral, bacterial, and parasitic infection, allergic sensitization, tumor invasion, and metastasis. The use of activity-based profiling has been foundational in pinpointing the precise roles of serine proteases across this myriad of processes. A broad range of serine protease-targeted activity-based probe (ABP) chemotypes have been developed and we have recently introduced biotinylated and "clickable" peptides containing P1 N-alkyl glycine arginine N-hydroxy succinimidyl (NHS) carbamates as ABPs for detection/profiling of trypsin-like serine proteases. This present study provides synthetic details for the preparation of additional examples of this ABP chemotype, which function as potent irreversible inhibitors of their respective target serine protease. We describe their use for the activity-based profiling of a broad range of serine proteases including trypsin, the trypsin-like protease plasmin, chymotrypsin, cathepsin G, and neutrophil elastase (NE), including the profiling of the latter protease in clinical samples obtained from patients with cystic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Brian Walker
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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9
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Abugri J, Ayariga J, Sunwiale SS, Wezena CA, Gyamfi JA, Adu-Frimpong M, Agongo G, Dongdem JT, Abugri D, Dinko B. Targeting the Plasmodium falciparum proteome and organelles for potential antimalarial drug candidates. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10390. [PMID: 36033316 PMCID: PMC9398786 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an unmet need to unearth alternative treatment options for malaria, wherein this quest is more pressing in recent times due to high morbidity and mortality data arising mostly from the endemic countries coupled with partial diversion of attention from the disease in view of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. Available therapeutic options for malaria have been severely threatened with the emergence of resistance to almost all the antimalarial drugs by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite in humans, which is a worrying situation. Artemisinin combination therapies (ACT) that have so far been the mainstay of malaria have encountered resistance by malaria parasite in South East Asia, which is regarded as a notorious ground zero for the emergence of resistance to antimalarial drugs. This review analyzes a few key druggable targets for the parasite and the potential of specific inhibitors to mitigate the emerging antimalarial drug resistance problem by providing a concise assessment of the essential proteins of the malaria parasite that could serve as targets. Moreover, this work provides a summary of the advances made in malaria parasite biology and the potential to leverage these findings for antimalarial drug production.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Abugri
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Joseph Ayariga
- The Biomedical Engineering Programme, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, 36104, USA
| | - Samuel Sunyazi Sunwiale
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Cletus Adiyaga Wezena
- Department of Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala Campus, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Julien Agyemang Gyamfi
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Michael Adu-Frimpong
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Godfred Agongo
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Julius Tieroyaare Dongdem
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. School of Medicine. University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale-Campus, Ghana
| | - Daniel Abugri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Microbiology PhD Programme, Laboratory of Ethnomedicine, Parasitology, and Drug Discovery, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, USA
| | - Bismarck Dinko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho. Ghana
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10
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Gallenti R, Hussein HE, Alzan HF, Suarez CE, Ueti M, Asurmendi S, Benitez D, Araujo FR, Rolls P, Sibeko-Matjila K, Schnittger L, Florin-Christensen M. Unraveling the Complexity of the Rhomboid Serine Protease 4 Family of Babesia bovis Using Bioinformatics and Experimental Studies. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030344. [PMID: 35335668 PMCID: PMC8956091 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesia bovis, a tick-transmitted apicomplexan protozoon, infects cattle in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. In the apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, rhomboid serine protease 4 (ROM4) fulfills an essential role in host cell invasion. We thus investigated B. bovis ROM4 coding genes; their genomic organization; their expression in in vitro cultured asexual (AS) and sexual stages (SS); and strain polymorphisms. B. bovis contains five rom4 paralogous genes in chromosome 2, which we have named rom4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 4.5. There are moderate degrees of sequence identity between them, except for rom4.3 and 4.4, which are almost identical. RT-qPCR analysis showed that rom4.1 and rom4.3/4.4, respectively, display 18-fold and 218-fold significantly higher (p < 0.01) levels of transcription in SS than in AS, suggesting a role in gametogenesis-related processes. In contrast, transcription of rom4.4 and 4.5 differed non-significantly between the stages. ROM4 polymorphisms among geographic isolates were essentially restricted to the number of tandem repeats of a 29-amino acid sequence in ROM4.5. This sequence repeat is highly conserved and predicted as antigenic. B. bovis ROMs likely participate in relevant host−pathogen interactions and are possibly useful targets for the development of new control strategies against this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romina Gallenti
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; (R.G.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Hala E. Hussein
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Heba F. Alzan
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Research Unit, National Research Center, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Carlos E. Suarez
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Disease Research Unit, (USDA-ARS), Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Massaro Ueti
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; (H.E.H.); (H.F.A.); (C.E.S.); (M.U.)
- US Department of Agriculture, Animal Disease Research Unit, (USDA-ARS), Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Sebastián Asurmendi
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABiMo), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina;
| | - Daniel Benitez
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria (EEA)-Mercedes, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Mercedes 3470, Argentina;
| | | | - Peter Rolls
- Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Tick Fever Centre, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia;
| | - Kgomotso Sibeko-Matjila
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa;
| | - Leonhard Schnittger
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; (R.G.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Mónica Florin-Christensen
- Instituto de Patobiología Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INTA-CONICET), Hurlingham 1686, Argentina; (R.G.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
- Correspondence:
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Florin-Christensen M, Wieser SN, Suarez CE, Schnittger L. In Silico Survey and Characterization of Babesia microti Functional and Non-Functional Proteases. Pathogens 2021; 10:1457. [PMID: 34832610 PMCID: PMC8621943 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human babesiosis caused by the intraerythrocytic apicomplexan Babesia microti is an expanding tick-borne zoonotic disease that may cause severe symptoms and death in elderly or immunocompromised individuals. In light of an increasing resistance of B. microti to drugs, there is a lack of therapeutic alternatives. Species-specific proteases are essential for parasite survival and possible chemotherapeutic targets. However, the repertoire of proteases in B. microti remains poorly investigated. Herein, we employed several combined bioinformatics tools and strategies to organize and identify genes encoding for the full repertoire of proteases in the B. microti genome. We identified 64 active proteases and 25 nonactive protease homologs. These proteases can be classified into cysteine (n = 28), serine (n = 21), threonine (n = 14), asparagine (n = 7), and metallopeptidases (n = 19), which, in turn, are assigned to a total of 38 peptidase families. Comparative studies between the repertoire of B. bovis and B. microti proteases revealed differences among sensu stricto and sensu lato Babesia parasites that reflect their distinct evolutionary history. Overall, this data may help direct future research towards our understanding of the biology and pathogenicity of Babesia parasites and to explore proteases as targets for developing novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Florin-Christensen
- Instituto de Patobiologia Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Hurlingham C1033AAE, Argentina; (S.N.W.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Sarah N. Wieser
- Instituto de Patobiologia Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Hurlingham C1033AAE, Argentina; (S.N.W.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
| | - Carlos E. Suarez
- Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA 99163, USA;
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Leonhard Schnittger
- Instituto de Patobiologia Veterinaria (IPVET), Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronomicas, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Hurlingham C1033AAE, Argentina; (S.N.W.); (L.S.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
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12
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Parsons WH, Rutland NT, Crainic JA, Cardozo JM, Chow AS, Andrews CL, Sheehan BK. Development of succinimide-based inhibitors for the mitochondrial rhomboid protease PARL. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 49:128290. [PMID: 34311087 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
While the biochemistry of rhomboid proteases has been extensively studied since their discovery two decades ago, efforts to define the physiological roles of these enzymes are ongoing and would benefit from chemical probes that can be used to manipulate the functions of these proteins in their native settings. Here, we describe the use of activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) technology to conduct a targeted screen for small-molecule inhibitors of the mitochondrial rhomboid protease PARL, which plays a critical role in regulating mitophagy and cell death. We synthesized a series of succinimide-containing sulfonyl esters and sulfonamides and discovered that these compounds serve as inhibitors of PARL with the most potent sulfonamides having submicromolar affinity for the enzyme. A counterscreen against the bacterial rhomboid protease GlpG demonstrates that several of these compounds display selectivity for PARL over GlpG by as much as two orders of magnitude. Both the sulfonyl ester and sulfonamide scaffolds exhibit reversible binding and are able to engage PARL in mammalian cells. Collectively, our findings provide encouraging precedent for the development of PARL-selective inhibitors and establish N-[(arylsulfonyl)oxy]succinimides and N-arylsulfonylsuccinimides as new molecular scaffolds for inhibiting members of the rhomboid protease family.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Parsons
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States.
| | - Nicholas T Rutland
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States
| | - Jennifer A Crainic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States
| | - Joaquin M Cardozo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States
| | - Alyssa S Chow
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States
| | - Charlotte L Andrews
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States
| | - Brendan K Sheehan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Oberlin College, Room A263, Science Center, 119 Woodland St., Oberlin, OH 44074, United States
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The repertoire of serine rhomboid proteases of piroplasmids of importance to animal and human health. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:455-462. [PMID: 33610524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Babesia, Theileria and Cytauxzoon are tick-borne apicomplexan protozoans of the order Piroplasmida, notorious for the diseases they cause in livestock, pets and humans. Host cell invasion is their Achilles heel, allowing for the development of drug or vaccine-based therapies. In other apicomplexans, cleavage of the transmembrane domain of adhesins by the serine rhomboid proteinase ROM4 is required for successful completion of invasion. In this study, we record and classify the rhomboid repertoire encoded in the genomes of 10 piroplasmid species pertaining to the lineages Babesia sensu stricto (s.s., Clade VI), Theileria sensu stricto (Clade IV), Theileria equi (Clade IV), Cytauxzoon felis (Clade IIIb) and Babesia microti (Clade I), as defined by Schnittger et al. (2012). Fifty-six piroplasmid rhomboid-like proteins were assigned by phylogenetic analysis and bidirectional best hit to the ROM4, ROM6, ROM7 or ROM8 groups, and their crucial motifs for conformation and function were identified. Forty-four of these rhomboids had either been incorrectly classified or misannotated. Babesia s.s. encode five or three ROM4 proteinase paralogs, whereas the remaining piroplasmids encode two ROM4 paralogs. All piroplasmids encode a single ROM6, ROM7 and ROM8. Thus, an increased paralog number of ROM4 is the only feature distinguishing Babesia s.s. from other piroplasmid lineages. Piroplasmid ROM6 is related to the mammalian mitochondrial rhomboid and, accordingly, N-terminal mitochondrial targeting signal sequences was found in some cases. ROM6 is the only rhomboid encoded by piroplasmids that is ubiquitous in other organisms. ROM8 represents a pseudoproteinase that is highly conserved between studied piroplasmids, suggesting that it is important in regulatory functions. ROM4, ROM6, ROM7 and ROM8 are exclusively present in Aconoidasida, which comprises piroplasmids and Plasmodium, suggesting a relevant functional role in erythrocyte invasion. The correct classification and designation of piroplasmid rhomboids presented in this study facilitates an informed choice for future in-depth study of their functions.
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