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Ding T, Guseinov AA, Milligan G, Plouffe B, Tikhonova IG. Exploring an Intracellular Allosteric Site of CC-Chemokine Receptor 4 from 3D Models, Probe Simulations, and Mutagenesis. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:2516-2526. [PMID: 39144548 PMCID: PMC11320731 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
We applied our previously developed probe confined dynamic mapping protocol, which combines enhanced sampling molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and fragment-based approaches, to identify the binding site of GSK2239633A (N-[[3-[[3-[(5-chlorothiophen-2-yl)sulfonylamino]-4-methoxyindazol-1-yl]methyl]phenyl]methyl]-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanamide), a selective CC-chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4) negative allosteric modulator, using CCR4 homology and AlphaFold models. By comparing the performance across five computational models, we identified conserved (K3108.49 and Y3047.53) and non-conserved (M2436.36) residue hotspots for GSK2239633A binding, which were validated by mutagenesis and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay. Further analysis of 3D models and MD simulations highlighted the pair of residues 6.36 and 7.56 that might account for antagonist selectivity among chemokine receptors. Our in silico protocol provides a promising approach for characterizing ligand binding sites in membrane proteins, considering receptor dynamics and adaptability and guiding protein template selection for ligand design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Ding
- School
of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast Bt9 7BL, Northern Ireland, U.K.
| | - Abdul-Akim Guseinov
- School
of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast Bt9 7BL, Northern Ireland, U.K.
| | - Graeme Milligan
- Centre
for Translational Pharmacology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College
of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8QQ, U.K.
| | - Bianca Plouffe
- Wellcome-Wolfson
Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry
and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s
University Belfast, Belfast Bt9 7BL, Northern Ireland, U.K.
| | - Irina G. Tikhonova
- School
of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast Bt9 7BL, Northern Ireland, U.K.
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2
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Hribar-Lee B, Lukšič M. Biophysical Principles Emerging from Experiments on Protein-Protein Association and Aggregation. Annu Rev Biophys 2024; 53:1-18. [PMID: 37906740 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-030722-111729] [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] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Protein-protein association and aggregation are fundamental processes that play critical roles in various biological phenomena, from cellular signaling to disease progression. Understanding the underlying biophysical principles governing these processes is crucial for elucidating their mechanisms and developing strategies for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we provide an overview of recent experimental studies focused on protein-protein association and aggregation. We explore the key biophysical factors that influence these processes, including protein structure, conformational dynamics, and intermolecular interactions. We discuss the effects of environmental conditions such as temperature, pH and related buffer-specific effects, and ionic strength and related ion-specific effects on protein aggregation. The effects of polymer crowders and sugars are also addressed. We list the techniques used to study aggregation. We analyze emerging trends and challenges in the field, including the development of computational models and the integration of multidisciplinary approaches for a comprehensive understanding of protein-protein association and aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Hribar-Lee
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Miha Lukšič
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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3
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Lefèbre J, Falk T, Ning Y, Rademacher C. Secondary Sites of the C-type Lectin-Like Fold. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202400660. [PMID: 38527187 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
C-type lectins are a large superfamily of proteins involved in a multitude of biological processes. In particular, their involvement in immunity and homeostasis has rendered them attractive targets for diverse therapeutic interventions. They share a characteristic C-type lectin-like domain whose adaptability enables them to bind a broad spectrum of ligands beyond the originally defined canonical Ca2+-dependent carbohydrate binding. Together with variable domain architecture and high-level conformational plasticity, this enables C-type lectins to meet diverse functional demands. Secondary sites provide another layer of regulation and are often intricately linked to functional diversity. Located remote from the canonical primary binding site, secondary sites can accommodate ligands with other physicochemical properties and alter protein dynamics, thus enhancing selectivity and enabling fine-tuning of the biological response. In this review, we outline the structural determinants allowing C-type lectins to perform a large variety of tasks and to accommodate the ligands associated with it. Using the six well-characterized Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent C-type lectin receptors DC-SIGN, langerin, MGL, dectin-1, CLEC-2 and NKG2D as examples, we focus on the characteristics of non-canonical interactions and secondary sites and their potential use in drug discovery endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lefèbre
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional and Sport, Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Max F. Perutz Labs, Vienna, Austria
| | - Torben Falk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional and Sport, Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Max F. Perutz Labs, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yunzhan Ning
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional and Sport, Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Max F. Perutz Labs, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Rademacher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of Vienna, Max F. Perutz Labs, Vienna, Austria
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4
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Borsatto A, Gianquinto E, Rizzi V, Gervasio FL. SWISH-X, an Expanded Approach to Detect Cryptic Pockets in Proteins and at Protein-Protein Interfaces. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:3335-3348. [PMID: 38563746 PMCID: PMC11044271 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions mediate most molecular processes in the cell, offering a significant opportunity to expand the set of known druggable targets. Unfortunately, targeting these interactions can be challenging due to their typically flat and featureless interaction surfaces, which often change as the complex forms. Such surface changes may reveal hidden (cryptic) druggable pockets. Here, we analyze a set of well-characterized protein-protein interactions harboring cryptic pockets and investigate the predictive power of current computational methods. Based on our observations, we developed a new computational strategy, SWISH-X (SWISH Expanded), which combines the established cryptic pocket identification capabilities of SWISH with the rapid temperature range exploration of OPES MultiThermal. SWISH-X is able to reliably identify cryptic pockets at protein-protein interfaces while retaining its predictive power for revealing cryptic pockets in isolated proteins, such as TEM-1 β-lactamase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Borsatto
- School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss
Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eleonora Gianquinto
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Valerio Rizzi
- School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss
Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Luigi Gervasio
- School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss
Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, WC1 H0AJ London, United Kingdom
- Institute
of Structural and Molecular Biology, University
College London, WC1E7JE London, United Kingdom
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5
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Khan O, Jones G, Lazou M, Joseph-McCarthy D, Kozakov D, Beglov D, Vajda S. Expanding FTMap for Fragment-Based Identification of Pharmacophore Regions in Ligand Binding Sites. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:2084-2100. [PMID: 38456842 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The knowledge of ligand binding hot spots and of the important interactions within such hot spots is crucial for the design of lead compounds in the early stages of structure-based drug discovery. The computational solvent mapping server FTMap can reliably identify binding hot spots as consensus clusters, free energy minima that bind a variety of organic probe molecules. However, in its current implementation, FTMap provides limited information on regions within the hot spots that tend to interact with specific pharmacophoric features of potential ligands. E-FTMap is a new server that expands on the original FTMap protocol. E-FTMap uses 119 organic probes, rather than the 16 in the original FTMap, to exhaustively map binding sites, and identifies pharmacophore features as atomic consensus sites where similar chemical groups bind. We validate E-FTMap against a set of 109 experimentally derived structures of fragment-lead pairs, finding that highly ranked pharmacophore features overlap with the corresponding atoms in both fragments and lead compounds. Additionally, comparisons of mapping results to ensembles of bound ligands reveal that pharmacophores generated with E-FTMap tend to sample highly conserved protein-ligand interactions. E-FTMap is available as a web server at https://eftmap.bu.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omeir Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - George Jones
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Maria Lazou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Diane Joseph-McCarthy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Dima Kozakov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Dmitri Beglov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Acpharis Inc., Holliston, Massachusetts 01746, United States
| | - Sandor Vajda
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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6
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Woodhead AJ, Erlanson DA, de Esch IJP, Holvey RS, Jahnke W, Pathuri P. Fragment-to-Lead Medicinal Chemistry Publications in 2022. J Med Chem 2024; 67:2287-2304. [PMID: 38289623 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02070] [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: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
This Perspective is the eighth in an annual series that summarizes successful fragment-to-lead (F2L) case studies published each year. A tabulated summary of relevant articles published in 2022 is provided, and features such as target class, screening methods, and ligand efficiency are discussed both for the 2022 examples and for the combined examples over the years 2015-2022. In addition, trends and new developments in the field are summarized. In 2022, 18 publications described successful fragment-to-lead studies, including the development of three clinical compounds (MTRX1719, MK-8189, and BI-823911).
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Woodhead
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel A Erlanson
- Frontier Medicines, 151 Oyster Point Blvd., South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Iwan J P de Esch
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rhian S Holvey
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, United Kingdom
| | - Wolfgang Jahnke
- Novartis Biomedical Research, Discovery Sciences, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Puja Pathuri
- Astex Pharmaceuticals, 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0QA, United Kingdom
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Jaradat NJ, Hatmal M, Alqudah D, Taha MO. Computational workflow for discovering small molecular binders for shallow binding sites by integrating molecular dynamics simulation, pharmacophore modeling, and machine learning: STAT3 as case study. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:659-678. [PMID: 37597062 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00528-y] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
STAT3 belongs to a family of seven transcription factors. It plays an important role in activating the transcription of various genes involved in a variety of cellular processes. High levels of STAT3 are detected in several types of cancer. Hence, STAT3 inhibition is considered a promising therapeutic anti-cancer strategy. However, since STAT3 inhibitors bind to the shallow SH2 domain of the protein, it is expected that hydration water molecules play significant role in ligand-binding complicating the discovery of potent binders. To remedy this issue, we herein propose to extract pharmacophores from molecular dynamics (MD) frames of a potent co-crystallized ligand complexed within STAT3 SH2 domain. Subsequently, we employ genetic function algorithm coupled with machine learning (GFA-ML) to explore the optimal combination of MD-derived pharmacophores that can account for the variations in bioactivity among a list of inhibitors. To enhance the dataset, the training and testing lists were augmented nearly a 100-fold by considering multiple conformers of the ligands. A single significant pharmacophore emerged after 188 ns of MD simulation to represent STAT3-ligand binding. Screening the National Cancer Institute (NCI) database with this model identified one low micromolar inhibitor most likely binds to the SH2 domain of STAT3 and inhibits this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Jamal Jaradat
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan
| | - Mamon Hatmal
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan
| | - Dana Alqudah
- Cell Therapy Center, the University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan
| | - Mutasem Omar Taha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
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8
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Barrera-Téllez FJ, Prieto-Martínez FD, Hernández-Campos A, Martínez-Mayorga K, Castillo-Bocanegra R. In Silico Exploration of the Trypanothione Reductase (TryR) of L. mexicana. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16046. [PMID: 38003236 PMCID: PMC10671491 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Human leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease which affects nearly 1.5 million people every year, with Mexico being an important endemic region. One of the major defense mechanisms of these parasites is based in the polyamine metabolic pathway, as it provides the necessary compounds for its survival. Among the enzymes in this route, trypanothione reductase (TryR), an oxidoreductase enzyme, is crucial for the Leishmania genus' survival against oxidative stress. Thus, it poses as an attractive drug target, yet due to the size and features of its catalytic pocket, modeling techniques such as molecular docking focusing on that region is not convenient. Herein, we present a computational study using several structure-based approaches to assess the druggability of TryR from L. mexicana, the predominant Leishmania species in Mexico, beyond its catalytic site. Using this consensus methodology, three relevant pockets were found, of which the one we call σ-site promises to be the most favorable one. These findings may help the design of new drugs of trypanothione-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Barrera-Téllez
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Fernando D. Prieto-Martínez
- Instituto de Química, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Carretera Mérida-Tetiz, Km. 4.5, Ucú 97357, Mexico
| | - Alicia Hernández-Campos
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Karina Martínez-Mayorga
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sierra Papacal, Mérida 97302, Mexico
| | - Rafael Castillo-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
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Li H, Ma T, Remsberg JR, Won SJ, DeMeester KE, Njomen E, Ogasawara D, Zhao KT, Huang TP, Lu B, Simon GM, Melillo B, Schreiber SL, Lykke-Andersen J, Liu DR, Cravatt BF. Assigning functionality to cysteines by base editing of cancer dependency genes. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1320-1330. [PMID: 37783940 PMCID: PMC10698195 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01428-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Covalent chemistry represents an attractive strategy for expanding the ligandability of the proteome, and chemical proteomics has revealed numerous electrophile-reactive cysteines on diverse human proteins. Determining which of these covalent binding events affect protein function, however, remains challenging. Here we describe a base-editing strategy to infer the functionality of cysteines by quantifying the impact of their missense mutation on cancer cell proliferation. The resulting atlas, which covers more than 13,800 cysteines on more than 1,750 cancer dependency proteins, confirms the essentiality of cysteines targeted by covalent drugs and, when integrated with chemical proteomic data, identifies essential, ligandable cysteines in more than 160 cancer dependency proteins. We further show that a stereoselective and site-specific ligand targeting an essential cysteine in TOE1 inhibits the nuclease activity of this protein through an apparent allosteric mechanism. Our findings thus describe a versatile method and valuable resource to prioritize the pursuit of small-molecule probes with high function-perturbing potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxin Li
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Tiantai Ma
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Sang Joon Won
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Evert Njomen
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Kevin T Zhao
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tony P Huang
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bingwen Lu
- Vividion Therapeutics, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Bruno Melillo
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Stuart L Schreiber
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jens Lykke-Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
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