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Malik AJ, Langer D, Verma CS, Poole AM, Allison JR. Structome: a tool for the rapid assembly of datasets for structural phylogenetics. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2023; 3:vbad134. [PMID: 38046099 PMCID: PMC10692761 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbad134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Summary Protein structures carry signal of common ancestry and can therefore aid in reconstructing their evolutionary histories. To expedite the structure-informed inference process, a web server, Structome, has been developed that allows users to rapidly identify protein structures similar to a query protein and to assemble datasets useful for structure-based phylogenetics. Structome was created by clustering ∼ 94 % of the structures in RCSB PDB using 90% sequence identity and representing each cluster by a centroid structure. Structure similarity between centroid proteins was calculated, and annotations from PDB, SCOP, and CATH were integrated. To illustrate utility, an H3 histone was used as a query, and results show that the protein structures returned by Structome span both sequence and structural diversity of the histone fold. Additionally, the pre-computed nexus-formatted distance matrix, provided by Structome, enables analysis of evolutionary relationships between proteins not identifiable using searches based on sequence similarity alone. Our results demonstrate that, beginning with a single structure, Structome can be used to rapidly generate a dataset of structural neighbours and allows deep evolutionary history of proteins to be studied. Availability and Implementation Structome is available at: https://structome.bii.a-star.edu.sg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashar J Malik
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671 Singapore
| | - Desiree Langer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Chandra S Verma
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 138671 Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117543 Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551 Singapore
| | - Anthony M Poole
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand
- Digital Life Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jane R Allison
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand
- Digital Life Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, University of Canterbury, 8041 Christchurch, New Zealand
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2
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Hua Y, Song X, Feng Z, Wu XJ, Kittler J, Yu DJ. CPInformer for Efficient and Robust Compound-Protein Interaction Prediction. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 20:285-296. [PMID: 35044921 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2022.3144008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Recently, deep learning has become the mainstream methodology for Compound-Protein Interaction (CPI) prediction. However, the existing compound-protein feature extraction methods have some issues that limit their performance. First, graph networks are widely used for structural compound feature extraction, but the chemical properties of a compound depend on functional groups rather than graphic structure. Besides, the existing methods lack capabilities in extracting rich and discriminative protein features. Last, the compound-protein features are usually simply combined for CPI prediction, without considering information redundancy and effective feature mining. To address the above issues, we propose a novel CPInformer method. Specifically, we extract heterogeneous compound features, including structural graph features and functional class fingerprints, to reduce prediction errors caused by similar structural compounds. Then, we combine local and global features using dense connections to obtain multi-scale protein features. Last, we apply ProbSparse self-attention to protein features, under the guidance of compound features, to eliminate information redundancy, and to improve the accuracy of CPInformer. More importantly, the proposed method identifies the activated local regions that link a CPI, providing a good visualisation for the CPI state. The results obtained on five benchmarks demonstrate the merits and superiority of CPInformer over the state-of-the-art approaches.
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3
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Kidera A, Moritsugu K, Ekimoto T, Ikeguchi M. Allosteric Regulation of 3CL Protease of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV Observed in the Crystal Structure Ensemble. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167324. [PMID: 34717972 PMCID: PMC8550881 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The 3C-like protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19. Importantly, it has an abundance of structural information solved as a complex with various drug candidate compounds. Collecting these crystal structures (83 Protein Data Bank (PDB) entries) together with those of the highly homologous 3CLpro of SARS-CoV (101 PDB entries), we constructed the crystal structure ensemble of 3CLpro to analyze the dynamic regulation of its catalytic function. The structural dynamics of the 3CLpro dimer observed in the ensemble were characterized by the motions of four separate loops (the C-loop, E-loop, H-loop, and Linker) and the C-terminal domain III on the rigid core of the chymotrypsin fold. Among the four moving loops, the C-loop (also known as the oxyanion binding loop) causes the order (active)-disorder (collapsed) transition, which is regulated cooperatively by five hydrogen bonds made with the surrounding residues. The C-loop, E-loop, and Linker constitute the major ligand binding sites, which consist of a limited variety of binding residues including the substrate binding subsites. Ligand binding causes a ligand size dependent conformational change to the E-loop and Linker, which further stabilize the C-loop via the hydrogen bond between the C-loop and E-loop. The T285A mutation from SARS-CoV 3CLpro to SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro significantly closes the interface of the domain III dimer and allosterically stabilizes the active conformation of the C-loop via hydrogen bonds with Ser1 and Gly2; thus, SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro seems to have increased activity relative to that of SARS-CoV 3CLpro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Kidera
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.
| | - Kei Moritsugu
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Toru Ekimoto
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Mitsunori Ikeguchi
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
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4
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Wright ND, Collins P, Koekemoer L, Krojer T, Talon R, Nelson E, Ye M, Nowak R, Newman J, Ng JT, Mitrovich N, Wiggers H, von Delft F. The low-cost Shifter microscope stage transforms the speed and robustness of protein crystal harvesting. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2021; 77:62-74. [PMID: 33404526 PMCID: PMC7787106 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798320014114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the tremendous success of X-ray cryo-crystallography in recent decades, the transfer of crystals from the drops in which they are grown to diffractometer sample mounts remains a manual process in almost all laboratories. Here, the Shifter, a motorized, interactive microscope stage that transforms the entire crystal-mounting workflow from a rate-limiting manual activity to a controllable, high-throughput semi-automated process, is described. By combining the visual acuity and fine motor skills of humans with targeted hardware and software automation, it was possible to transform the speed and robustness of crystal mounting. Control software, triggered by the operator, manoeuvres crystallization plates beneath a clear protective cover, allowing the complete removal of film seals and thereby eliminating the tedium of repetitive seal cutting. The software, either upon request or working from an imported list, controls motors to position crystal drops under a hole in the cover for human mounting at a microscope. The software automatically captures experimental annotations for uploading to the user's data repository, removing the need for manual documentation. The Shifter facilitates mounting rates of 100-240 crystals per hour in a more controlled process than manual mounting, which greatly extends the lifetime of the drops and thus allows a dramatic increase in the number of crystals retrievable from any given drop without loss of X-ray diffraction quality. In 2015, the first in a series of three Shifter devices was deployed as part of the XChem fragment-screening facility at Diamond Light Source, where they have since facilitated the mounting of over 120 000 crystals. The Shifter was engineered to have a simple design, providing a device that could be readily commercialized and widely adopted owing to its low cost. The versatile hardware design allows use beyond fragment screening and protein crystallography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan David Wright
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Collins
- I04-1, Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Lizbé Koekemoer
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Tobias Krojer
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Romain Talon
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
- I04-1, Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Elliot Nelson
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Mingda Ye
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Radosław Nowak
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Newman
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Jia Tsing Ng
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Nick Mitrovich
- Oxford Lab Technologies Ltd, Kemp House, 160 City Road, London EC1V 2N, United Kingdom
| | - Helton Wiggers
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Frank von Delft
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, ORCRB, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
- I04-1, Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Science, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
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5
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Wienen-Schmidt B, Oebbeke M, Ngo K, Heine A, Klebe G. Two Methods, One Goal: Structural Differences between Cocrystallization and Crystal Soaking to Discover Ligand Binding Poses. ChemMedChem 2020; 16:292-300. [PMID: 33029876 PMCID: PMC7821316 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In lead optimization, protein crystallography is an indispensable tool to analyze drug binding. Binding modes and non-covalent interaction inventories are essential to design follow-up synthesis candidates. Two protocols are commonly applied to produce protein-ligand complexes: cocrystallization and soaking. Because of its time and cost effectiveness, soaking is the more popular method. Taking eight ligand hinge binders of protein kinase A, we demonstrate that cocrystallization is superior. Particularly for flexible proteins, such as kinases, and larger ligands cocrystallization captures more reliable the correct binding pose and induced protein adaptations. The geometrical discrepancies between soaking and cocrystallization appear smaller for fragment-sized ligands. For larger flexible ligands that trigger conformational changes of the protein, soaking can be misleading and underestimates the number of possible polar interactions due to inadequate, highly impaired positions of protein amino-acid side and main chain atoms. Thus, if applicable cocrystallization should be the gold standard to study protein-ligand complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Wienen-Schmidt
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Oebbeke
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Khang Ngo
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Heine
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Klebe
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
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6
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Martynowycz MW, Gonen T. Ligand Incorporation into Protein Microcrystals for MicroED by On-Grid Soaking. Structure 2020; 29:88-95.e2. [PMID: 33007196 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A high throughout method for soaking ligands into protein microcrystals on TEM grids is presented. Every crystal on the grid is soaked simultaneously using only standard cryoelectron microscopy vitrification equipment. The method is demonstrated using proteinase K microcrystals soaked with the 5-amino-2,4,6-triodoisophthalic acid (I3C) magic triangle. A soaked microcrystal is milled to a thickness of approximately 200 nm using a focused ion beam, and MicroED data are collected. A high-resolution structure of the protein with four ligands at high occupancy is determined. Both the number of ligands bound and their occupancy is higher using on-grid soaking of microcrystals compared with much larger crystals treated similarly and investigated by X-ray crystallography. These results indicate that on-grid soaking ligands into microcrystals results in efficient uptake of ligands into protein microcrystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Martynowycz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Los Angeles, 615 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 615 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA90095, USA
| | - Tamir Gonen
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Los Angeles, 615 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 615 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA90095, USA.
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7
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Clabbers MTB, Fisher SZ, Coinçon M, Zou X, Xu H. Visualizing drug binding interactions using microcrystal electron diffraction. Commun Biol 2020; 3:417. [PMID: 32737395 PMCID: PMC7395157 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01155-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Visualizing ligand binding interactions is important for structure-based drug design and fragment-based screening methods. Rapid and uniform soaking with potentially reduced lattice defects make small macromolecular crystals attractive targets for studying drug binding using microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED). However, so far no drug binding interactions could unambiguously be resolved by electron diffraction alone. Here, we use MicroED to study the binding of a sulfonamide inhibitor to human carbonic anhydrase isoform II (HCA II). We show that MicroED data can efficiently be collected on a conventional transmission electron microscope from thin hydrated microcrystals soaked with the clinical drug acetazolamide (AZM). The data are of high enough quality to unequivocally fit and resolve the bound inhibitor. We anticipate MicroED can play an important role in facilitating in-house fragment screening for drug discovery, complementing existing methods in structural biology such as X-ray and neutron diffraction. Clabbers et al. utilize MicroED to present the structure of both apo and inhibitor-bound human carbonic anhydrase II at a high resolution to clearly identify the interaction of the inhibitor, acetazolamide. This method eases the difficulty of both crystallizing the protein and soaking the inhibitor in a smaller protein crystal.
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8
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Reinecke M, Heinzlmeir S, Wilhelm M, Médard G, Klaeger S, Kuster B. Kinobeads: A Chemical Proteomic Approach for Kinase Inhibitor Selectivity Profiling and Target Discovery. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527818242.ch4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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9
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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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10
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Effect of an External Electric Field on the Kinetics of Dislocation-Free Growth of Tetragonal Hen Egg White Lysozyme Crystals. CRYSTALS 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst7060170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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11
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Spyrakis F, Ahmed MH, Bayden AS, Cozzini P, Mozzarelli A, Kellogg GE. The Roles of Water in the Protein Matrix: A Largely Untapped Resource for Drug Discovery. J Med Chem 2017; 60:6781-6827. [PMID: 28475332 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The value of thoroughly understanding the thermodynamics specific to a drug discovery/design study is well known. Over the past decade, the crucial roles of water molecules in protein structure, function, and dynamics have also become increasingly appreciated. This Perspective explores water in the biological environment by adopting its point of view in such phenomena. The prevailing thermodynamic models of the past, where water was seen largely in terms of an entropic gain after its displacement by a ligand, are now known to be much too simplistic. We adopt a set of terminology that describes water molecules as being "hot" and "cold", which we have defined as being easy and difficult to displace, respectively. The basis of these designations, which involve both enthalpic and entropic water contributions, are explored in several classes of biomolecules and structural motifs. The hallmarks for characterizing water molecules are examined, and computational tools for evaluating water-centric thermodynamics are reviewed. This Perspective's summary features guidelines for exploiting water molecules in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Spyrakis
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Torino , Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Mostafa H Ahmed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry & Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia 23298-0540, United States
| | - Alexander S Bayden
- CMD Bioscience , 5 Science Park, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Pietro Cozzini
- Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Laboratorio di Modellistica Molecolare, Università degli Studi di Parma , Parco Area delle Scienze 59/A, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Mozzarelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Laboratorio di Biochimica, Università degli Studi di Parma , Parco Area delle Scienze 23/A, 43121 Parma, Italy.,Istituto di Biofisica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Glen E Kellogg
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry & Institute for Structural Biology, Drug Discovery and Development, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia 23298-0540, United States
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12
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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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13
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Fusco D, Charbonneau P. Soft matter perspective on protein crystal assembly. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2016; 137:22-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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14
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Venkatesh R, Kasaboina S, Gaikwad HK, Janardhan S, Bantu R, Nagarapu L, Sastry GN, Banerjee SK. Design and synthesis of 3-(3-((9H-carbazol-4-yl)oxy)-2-hydroxypropyl)-2-phenylquinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives to induce ACE inhibitory activity. Eur J Med Chem 2015; 96:22-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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15
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Somaweera H, Ibragimov A, Pappas D. Generation of a chemical gradient across an array of 256 cell cultures in a single chip. Analyst 2014; 138:5566-71. [PMID: 23939026 DOI: 10.1039/c3an00946g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A microfluidic diffusion diluter to create stable chemical gradients across an array of cell cultures was demonstrated. The device enabled concentration based studies to be conducted at 256 different concentrations across individual, low shear cell cultures. A gradient of staurosporine on cells stained with Mitotracker Deep Red (MTDR) showed a concentration-based effect on cell apoptosis across the cell culture array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himali Somaweera
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
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16
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Halogen-enriched fragment libraries as chemical probes for harnessing halogen bonding in fragment-based lead discovery. Future Med Chem 2014; 6:617-39. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc.14.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Halogen bonding has recently experienced a renaissance, gaining increased recognition as a useful molecular interaction in the life sciences. Halogen bonds are favorable, fairly directional interactions between an electropositive region on the halogen (the σ-hole) and a number of different nucleophilic interaction partners. Some aspects of halogen bonding are not yet understood well enough to take full advantage of its potential in drug discovery. We describe and present the concept of halogen-enriched fragment libraries. These libraries consist of unique chemical probes, facilitating the identification of favorable halogen bonds by sharing the advantages of classical fragment-based screening. Besides providing insights into the nature and applicability of halogen bonding, halogen-enriched fragment libraries provide smart starting points for hit-to-lead evolution.
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17
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Fusco D, Headd JJ, De Simone A, Wang J, Charbonneau P. Characterizing protein crystal contacts and their role in crystallization: rubredoxin as a case study. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:290-302. [PMID: 24489597 PMCID: PMC3907588 DOI: 10.1039/c3sm52175c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The fields of structural biology and soft matter have independently sought out fundamental principles to rationalize protein crystallization. Yet the conceptual differences and the limited overlap between the two disciplines have thus far prevented a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon to emerge. We conduct a computational study of proteins from the rubredoxin family that bridges the two fields. Using atomistic simulations, we characterize the protein crystal contacts, and accordingly parameterize patchy particle models. Comparing the phase diagrams of these schematic models with experimental results enables us to critically examine the assumptions behind the two approaches. The study also reveals features of protein–protein interactions that can be leveraged to crystallize proteins more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Fusco
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Headd
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Alfonso De Simone
- Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Patrick Charbonneau
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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18
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Abstract
High-throughput, automated or semiautomated methodologies implemented by companies and structural genomics initiatives have accelerated the process of acquiring structural information for proteins via x-ray crystallography. This has enabled the application of structure-based drug design technologies to a variety of new structures that have potential pharmacologic relevance. Although there remain major challenges to applying these approaches more broadly to all classes of drug discovery targets, clearly the continued development and implementation of these structure-based drug design methodologies by the scientific community at large will help to address and provide solutions to these hurdles. The result will be a growing number of protein structures of important pharmacologic targets that will help to streamline the process of identification and optimization of lead compounds for drug development. These lead agonist and antagonist pharmacophores should, in turn, help to alleviate one of the current critical bottlenecks in the drug discovery process; that is, defining the functional relevance of potential novel targets to disease modification. The prospect of generating an increasing number of potential drug candidates will serve to highlight perhaps the most significant future bottleneck for drug development, the cost and complexity of the drug approval process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie W Tari
- ActiveSight, 4045 Sorrento Valley Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
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19
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Honarparvar B, Govender T, Maguire GEM, Soliman MES, Kruger HG. Integrated Approach to Structure-Based Enzymatic Drug Design: Molecular Modeling, Spectroscopy, and Experimental Bioactivity. Chem Rev 2013; 114:493-537. [DOI: 10.1021/cr300314q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Honarparvar
- Catalysis
and Peptide Research Unit and ‡School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Thavendran Govender
- Catalysis
and Peptide Research Unit and ‡School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Glenn E. M. Maguire
- Catalysis
and Peptide Research Unit and ‡School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Mahmoud E. S. Soliman
- Catalysis
and Peptide Research Unit and ‡School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Hendrik G. Kruger
- Catalysis
and Peptide Research Unit and ‡School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4001, South Africa
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Ferrer JL, Larive NA, Bowler MW, Nurizzo D. Recent progress in robot-based systems for crystallography and their contribution to drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2013; 8:835-47. [PMID: 23656378 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2013.793666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION X-ray crystallography is the main tool for macromolecular structure solution at atomic resolution. It provides key information for the understanding of protein function, opening opportunities for the modulation of enzymatic mechanisms, and protein-ligand interactions. As a consequence, macromolecular crystallography plays an essential role in drug design, as well as in the a posteriori validation of drug mechanisms. AREAS COVERED The demand for method developments and also tools for macromolecular crystallography has significantly increased over the past 10 years. As a consequence, access to the facilities required for these investigations, such as synchrotron beamlines, became more difficult and significant efforts were dedicated to the automation of the experimental setup in laboratories. In this article, the authors describe how this was accomplished and how robot-based systems contribute to the enhancement of the macromolecular structure solution pipeline. EXPERT OPINION The evolution in robot technology, together with progress in X-ray beam performance and software developments, contributes to a new era in macromolecular X-ray crystallography. Highly integrated experimental environments open new possibilities for crystallography experiments. It is likely that it will also change the way this technique will be used in the future, opening the field to a larger community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Ferrer
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Joseph Fourier (UJF), Institut de Biologie Structurale Jean-Pierre Ebel (IBS), F-38027 Grenoble Cedex 1, France.
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Chung BG, Kang L, Khademhosseini A. Micro- and nanoscale technologies for tissue engineering and drug discovery applications. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2013; 2:1653-68. [PMID: 23488907 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2.12.1653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Micro- and nanoscale technologies are emerging as powerful enabling tools for tissue engineering and drug discovery. In tissue engineering, micro- and nanotechnologies can be used to fabricate biomimetic scaffolds with increased complexity and vascularization. Furthermore, these technologies can be used to control the cellular microenvironment (i.e., cell-cell, cell-matrix and cell-soluble factor interactions) in a reproducible manner and with high temporal and spatial resolution. In drug discovery, miniaturized platforms based on micro- and nanotechnology can be used to precisely control the fluid flow, enable high-throughput screening, and minimize sample or reagent volumes. In addition, these systems enhance reproducibility and significantly reduce reaction times. This paper reviews the recent developments in the field of micro- and nanoscale technology and gives examples of their tissue engineering and drug discovery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bong Geun Chung
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, 65 Landsdowne Street, Room 252, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA +1 617 768 8395 ; +1 617 768 8477 ;
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Salon JA, Lodowski DT, Palczewski K. The significance of G protein-coupled receptor crystallography for drug discovery. Pharmacol Rev 2012; 63:901-37. [PMID: 21969326 DOI: 10.1124/pr.110.003350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Crucial as molecular sensors for many vital physiological processes, seven-transmembrane domain G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest family of proteins targeted by drug discovery. Together with structures of the prototypical GPCR rhodopsin, solved structures of other liganded GPCRs promise to provide insights into the structural basis of the superfamily's biochemical functions and assist in the development of new therapeutic modalities and drugs. One of the greatest technical and theoretical challenges to elucidating and exploiting structure-function relationships in these systems is the emerging concept of GPCR conformational flexibility and its cause-effect relationship for receptor-receptor and receptor-effector interactions. Such conformational changes can be subtle and triggered by relatively small binding energy effects, leading to full or partial efficacy in the activation or inactivation of the receptor system at large. Pharmacological dogma generally dictates that these changes manifest themselves through kinetic modulation of the receptor's G protein partners. Atomic resolution information derived from increasingly available receptor structures provides an entrée to the understanding of these events and practically applying it to drug design. Supported by structure-activity relationship information arising from empirical screening, a unified structural model of GPCR activation/inactivation promises to both accelerate drug discovery in this field and improve our fundamental understanding of structure-based drug design in general. This review discusses fundamental problems that persist in drug design and GPCR structural determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Salon
- Department of Molecular Structure, Amgen Incorporated, Thousand Oaks, California, USA
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MIFTAHOF R. NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE ROLE OF CO-TRANSMISSION BY ACETYLCHOLINE AND SEROTONIN ON MOTILITY OF THE GUT. J MECH MED BIOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219519406002035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Electrophysiological mechanisms of co-transmission by serotonin (5-HT) and acetylcholine (ACh), co-expression of their receptor types, i.e., 5-HT type 3 and 4, nicotinic cholinerginc (nACh) and muscarinic cholinergic (μACh), and effects of selective and non-selective 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor agonists/antagonists, on electromechanical activity of the gut were studied numerically. Two series of numerical experiments were performed. First, the dynamics of the generation and propagation of electrical signals interconnected with the primary sensory (AH) neurons, motor (S) neurons and smooth muscle cells were studied in a one-dimensional model. Simulations showed that stimulation of the 5-HT3 receptors reduced the threshold of activation of the mechanoreceptors by 17.6%. Conjoint excitation of the 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors by endogenous serotonin converted the regular firing pattern of electrical discharges of the AH and S neurons to a beating mode. Activation confined to 5-HT3 receptors, located on the somas of the adjacent AH and S type neurons, could not sustain normal signal transduction between them. It required ACh as a co-transmitter and co-activation of the nACh receptors. Application of selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonists inhibited dose-dependently the production of action potentials at the level of mechanoreceptors and the soma of the primary sensory neuron and increased the threshold activation of the mechanoreceptors. Normal mechanical contractile activity depended on co-stimulation of the 5-HT4 and μACh receptors on the membrane of smooth muscle cells. In the second series of simulations, which involved a spatio-temporal model of the functional unit, effects of co-transmission by ACh and 5-HT on the electromechanical response in a segment of the gut were analyzed. Results indicated that propagation of the wave of excitation between the AH and S neurons within the myenteric nervous plexus in the presence of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists was supported by co-release of ACh. Co-stimulation of 5-HT3, nACh and μACh receptors impaired propulsive activity of the gut. The bolus showed uncoordinated movements. In an ACh-free environment Lotronex (GlaxoSmithKline), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, significantly increased the transit time of the pellet along the gut. In the presence of ACh, Lotronex produced intensive tonic-type contractions in the longitudinal and circular smooth muscle layers and eliminated propulsive activity. The 5HT4 receptor agonist, Zelnorm (Novartis), preserved the reciprocal electromechanical relationships between the longitudinal and circular smooth muscle layers. The drug changed the normal propulsive pattern of activity to an expulsive (non-mixing) type. Treatment of the gut with selective 5HT4 receptor antagonists increased the transit time by disrupting the migrating myoelectrical complex. Cisapride (Janssen), a mixed 5HT3 and 5HT4 receptor agonist, increased excitability of the AH and S neurons and the frequency of slow waves. Longitudinal and circular smooth muscle syncytia responded with the generation of long-lasting tonic contractions, resulting in a "squeezing" type of pellet movement. Comparison of the theoretical results obtained on one-dimensional and spatio-temporal models to in vivo and in vitro experimental data indicated satisfactory qualitative, and where available, quantitative agreement.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. MIFTAHOF
- Division of Applied Mathematics, KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Luft JR, Snell EH, Detitta GT. Lessons from high-throughput protein crystallization screening: 10 years of practical experience. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2011; 6:465-80. [PMID: 22646073 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2011.566857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION X-ray crystallography provides the majority of our structural biological knowledge at a molecular level and, in terms of pharmaceutical design, is a valuable tool to accelerate discovery. It is the premier technique in the field, but its usefulness is significantly limited by the need to grow well-diffracting crystals. It is for this reason that high-throughput crystallization has become a key technology that has matured over the past 10 years through the field of structural genomics. Areas covered : The authors describe their experiences in high-throughput crystallization screening in the context of structural genomics and the general biomedical community. They focus on the lessons learnt from the operation of a high-throughput crystallization-screening laboratory, which to date has screened over 12,500 biological macromolecules. They also describe the approaches taken to maximize the success while minimizing the effort. Through this, the authors hope that the reader will gain an insight into the efficient design of a laboratory and protocols to accomplish high-throughput crystallization on a single-, multiuser laboratory or industrial scale. Expert opinion : High-throughput crystallization screening is readily available but, despite the power of the crystallographic technique, getting crystals is still not a solved problem. High-throughput approaches can help when used skillfully; however, they still require human input in the detailed analysis and interpretation of results to be more successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Luft
- Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute , 700 Ellicott St., Buffalo, NY 14203 , USA +1 716 898 8623 ; +1 716 898 8660 ;
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25
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenon D Konteatis
- Ansaris, Four Valley Square, 512 East Township Line Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422, USA ;
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26
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Ishima R, Gong Q, Tie Y, Weber IT, Louis JM. Highly conserved glycine 86 and arginine 87 residues contribute differently to the structure and activity of the mature HIV-1 protease. Proteins 2010; 78:1015-25. [PMID: 19899162 DOI: 10.1002/prot.22625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The structural and functional role of conserved residue G86 in HIV-1 protease (PR) was investigated by NMR and crystallographic analyses of substitution mutations of glycine to alanine and serine (PR(G86A) and PR(G86S)). While PR(G86S) had undetectable catalytic activity, PR(G86A) exhibited approximately 6000-fold lower catalytic activity than PR. (1)H-(15)N NMR correlation spectra revealed that PR(G86A) and PR(G86S) are dimeric, exhibiting dimer dissociation constants (K(d)) of approximately 0.5 and approximately 3.2 muM, respectively, which are significantly lower than that seen for PR with R87K mutation (K(d) > 1 mM). Thus, the G86 mutants, despite being partially dimeric under the assay conditions, are defective in catalyzing substrate hydrolysis. NMR spectra revealed no changes in the chemical shifts even in the presence of excess substrate, indicating very poor binding of the substrate. Both NMR chemical shift data and crystal structures of PR(G86A) and PR(G86S) in the presence of active-site inhibitors indicated high structural similarity to previously described PR/inhibitor complexes, except for specific perturbations within the active site loop and around the mutation site. The crystal structures in the presence of the inhibitor showed that the region around residue 86 was connected to the active site by a conserved network of hydrogen bonds, and the two regions moved further apart in the mutants. Overall, in contrast to the role of R87 in contributing significantly to the dimer stability of PR, G86 is likely to play an important role in maintaining the correct geometry of the active site loop in the PR dimer for substrate binding and hydrolysis. Proteins 2010. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieko Ishima
- Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA.
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Torkamani A, Verkhivker G, Schork NJ. Cancer driver mutations in protein kinase genes. Cancer Lett 2008; 281:117-27. [PMID: 19081671 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2008.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2008] [Revised: 11/05/2008] [Accepted: 11/07/2008] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies investigating the genetic determinants of cancer suggest that some of the genetic alterations contributing to tumorigenesis may be inherited, but the vast majority is somatically acquired during the transition of a normal cell to a cancer cell. A systematic understanding of the genetic and molecular determinants of cancers has already begun to have a transformative effect on the study and treatment of cancer, particularly through the identification of a range of genetic alterations in protein kinase genes, which are highly associated with the disease. Since kinases are prominent therapeutic targets for intervention within the cancer cell, studying the impact that genomic alterations within them have on cancer initiation, progression, and treatment is both logical and timely. In fact, recent sequencing and resequencing (i.e., polymorphism identification) efforts have catalyzed the quest for protein kinase 'driver' mutations (i.e., those genetic alterations which contribute to the transformation of a normal cell to a proliferating cancerous cell) in distinction to kinase 'passenger' mutations which reflect mutations that merely build up in course of normal and unchecked (i.e., cancerous) somatic cell replication and proliferation. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in the discovery and functional characterization of protein kinase cancer driver mutations and the implications of this progress for understanding tumorigenesis as well as the design of 'personalized' cancer therapeutics that target an individual's unique mutational profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Torkamani
- The Scripps Translational Science Institute and Scripps Genomic Medicine, Scripps Health and The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Winkle RF, Nagy JM, Cass AEG, Sharma S. Towards microfluidic technology-based MALDI-MS platforms for drug discovery: a review. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2008; 3:1281-92. [DOI: 10.1517/17460441.3.11.1281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Protein crystallization in restricted geometry: advancing old ideas for modern times in structural proteomics. Methods Mol Biol 2008; 426:363-76. [PMID: 18542876 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-60327-058-8_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
In the structural genomics period traditional methods for protein crystallization have been eclipsed by automation using batch or vapor diffusion equilibration to find conditions conducive for protein crystal growth. Although many globular and soluble proteins predominantly from prokaryotes have been crystallized and their structures solved by high throughput approaches, the remaining difficult proteins require more systematic and reflective methods combining miniaturization and integration of modern and traditional crystallography techniques. One of these conventional methods is growing crystals in restricted geometry, which is a historically well-known concept and a practical technique under-used by today's crystallographers. This chapter presents practical guidelines to use capillaries for microbatch crystallization screening and counter-diffusion crystallization as valuable techniques to obtain protein crystals in confined volumes. The emphasis in the authors' application is to perform broad-based screening with a microgram amount of protein, optimize crystal growth in a supersaturation gradient, and undergo in situ x-ray data analysis for x-ray crystallography without invasive manipulation. Applications and concepts presented here bring to light future prerequisites for the next generation of automation for structural genomics.
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Huebner A, Sharma S, Srisa-Art M, Hollfelder F, Edel JB, Demello AJ. Microdroplets: a sea of applications? LAB ON A CHIP 2008; 8:1244-54. [PMID: 18651063 DOI: 10.1039/b806405a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 373] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The exploitation of microdroplets produced within microfluidic environments has recently emerged as a new and exciting technological platform for applications within the chemical and biological sciences. Interest in microfluidic systems has been stimulated by a range of fundamental features that accompany system miniaturization. Such features include the ability to process and handle small volumes of fluid, improved analytical performance when compared to macroscale analogues, reduced instrumental footprints, low unit cost, facile integration of functional components and the exploitation of atypical fluid dynamics to control molecules in both time and space. Moreover, microfluidic systems that generate and utilize a stream of sub-nanolitre droplets dispersed within an immiscible continuous phase have the added advantage of allowing ultra-high throughput experimentation and being able to mimic conditions similar to that of a single cell (in terms of volume, pH, and salt concentration) thereby compartmentalizing biological and chemical reactions. This review provides an overview of methods for generating, controlling and manipulating droplets. Furthermore, we discuss key fields of use in which such systems may make a significant impact, with particular emphasis on novel applications in the biological and physical sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansgar Huebner
- Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, UKCB2 1EW.
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31
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Zhang X, Fernández A. In Silico Drug Profiling of the Human Kinome Based on a Molecular Marker for Cross Reactivity. Mol Pharm 2008; 5:728-38. [DOI: 10.1021/mp800010p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zhang
- Division of Applied Physics and Rice Quantum Institute and Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005
| | - Ariel Fernández
- Division of Applied Physics and Rice Quantum Institute and Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005
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32
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CONFIRM: connecting fragments found in receptor molecules. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2008; 22:761-72. [DOI: 10.1007/s10822-008-9221-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2007] [Accepted: 05/17/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Contribution of structural biology to clinically validated target proteins. Drug Discov Today 2008; 13:469-72. [PMID: 18549971 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2008.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2008] [Revised: 03/10/2008] [Accepted: 03/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We identified six groups of diseases expected to cause serious future health issues on the basis of a WHO report. Approved drugs for these diseases were associated with 409 target proteins; however, the percentage of selected proteins with full-length structural information deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) was only 9.8%. The reason for the low percentage may be as a result of a disproportionate number of intractable proteins with multiple transmembrane regions and variable, or undefined glycosylation patterns, which impede protein preparation and crystallization, in such druggable proteins. We stress the importance of structural analysis of proteins, especially approved-drug target proteins, and the development of new methods to enable structural analyses of presently intractable proteins. In addition, we present an overview of large structural biology projects.
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Zhou JZ. Structure-directed combinatorial library design. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2008; 12:379-85. [PMID: 18328830 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2008] [Accepted: 02/11/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent years pharmaceutical companies have utilized structure-based drug design and combinatorial library design techniques to speed up their drug discovery efforts. Both approaches are routinely used in the lead discovery and lead optimization stages of the drug discovery process. Fragment-based drug design, a new power tool in the drug design toolbox, is also gaining acceptance across the pharmaceutical industry. This review will focus on the interplay between these three design techniques and recent developments in computational methodologies that enhance their integration. Examples of successful synergistic applications of these three techniques will be highlighted. Opinion regarding possible future directions of the field will be given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Zhongxiang Zhou
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Pfizer Global Research & Development, La Jolla Laboratories, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
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36
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Kang L, Chung BG, Langer R, Khademhosseini A. Microfluidics for drug discovery and development: from target selection to product lifecycle management. Drug Discov Today 2007; 13:1-13. [PMID: 18190858 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2007.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2007] [Revised: 10/01/2007] [Accepted: 10/05/2007] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic technologies' ability to miniaturize assays and increase experimental throughput have generated significant interest in the drug discovery and development domain. These characteristics make microfluidic systems a potentially valuable tool for many drug discovery and development applications. Here, we review the recent advances of microfluidic devices for drug discovery and development and highlight their applications in different stages of the process, including target selection, lead identification, preclinical tests, clinical trials, chemical synthesis, formulations studies and product management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifeng Kang
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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38
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Sawyer TK. Chemical biology and drug design: three-dimensional, dynamic, and mechanistic nature of two multidisciplinary fields. Chem Biol Drug Des 2007; 67:196-200. [PMID: 16611212 DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2006.00371.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomi K Sawyer
- Chemical Biology & Drug Design, Drug Discovery, ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
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Abstract
The main effort in the area of crystallization for structural genomics is currently being invested in automation of high-throughput screening procedures to identify potential crystallization conditions. However, screening in itself, even in massive quantities, is not enough; it has to be complemented by an equally important procedure in crystal production, namely crystal optimization. This chapter describes optimization methods for turning low-quality crystals into useful diffracting ones and presents practical ways of automating such methods and adapting them to high throughput. The methods enable the control of the crystallization environment as the trial takes place. They include the use of oils, gels, and the uncoupling of the nucleation and growth phases of crystallization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E Chayen
- Biological Structure and Function Section, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
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41
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Li L, Mustafi D, Fu Q, Tereshko V, Chen DL, Tice JD, Ismagilov RF. Nanoliter microfluidic hybrid method for simultaneous screening and optimization validated with crystallization of membrane proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:19243-8. [PMID: 17159147 PMCID: PMC1748211 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0607502103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput screening and optimization experiments are critical to a number of fields, including chemistry and structural and molecular biology. The separation of these two steps may introduce false negatives and a time delay between initial screening and subsequent optimization. Although a hybrid method combining both steps may address these problems, miniaturization is required to minimize sample consumption. This article reports a "hybrid" droplet-based microfluidic approach that combines the steps of screening and optimization into one simple experiment and uses nanoliter-sized plugs to minimize sample consumption. Many distinct reagents were sequentially introduced as approximately 140-nl plugs into a microfluidic device and combined with a substrate and a diluting buffer. Tests were conducted in approximately 10-nl plugs containing different concentrations of a reagent. Methods were developed to form plugs of controlled concentrations, index concentrations, and incubate thousands of plugs inexpensively and without evaporation. To validate the hybrid method and demonstrate its applicability to challenging problems, crystallization of model membrane proteins and handling of solutions of detergents and viscous precipitants were demonstrated. By using 10 microl of protein solution, approximately 1,300 crystallization trials were set up within 20 min by one researcher. This method was compatible with growth, manipulation, and extraction of high-quality crystals of membrane proteins, demonstrated by obtaining high-resolution diffraction images and solving a crystal structure. This robust method requires inexpensive equipment and supplies, should be especially suitable for use in individual laboratories, and could find applications in a number of areas that require chemical, biochemical, and biological screening and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Li
- *Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and
| | - Debarshi Mustafi
- *Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and
| | - Qiang Fu
- *Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and
| | - Valentina Tereshko
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, 929 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Delai L. Chen
- *Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and
| | - Joshua D. Tice
- *Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and
| | - Rustem F. Ismagilov
- *Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics and
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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Brooun A, Foster SA, Chrencik JE, Chien EYT, Kolatkar AR, Streiff M, Ramage P, Widmer H, Weckbecker G, Kuhn P. Remedial strategies in structural proteomics: expression, purification, and crystallization of the Vav1/Rac1 complex. Protein Expr Purif 2006; 53:51-62. [PMID: 17275330 PMCID: PMC1892187 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2006.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2006] [Revised: 10/24/2006] [Accepted: 10/25/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The signal transduction pathway involving the Vav1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and the Rac1 GTPase plays several key roles in the immune response mediated by the T cell receptor. Vav1 is also a unique member of the GEF family in that it contains a cysteine-rich domain (CRD) that is critical for Rac1 binding and maximal guanine nucleotide exchange activity, and thus may provide a unique protein-protein interface compared to other GEF/GTPase pairs. Here, we have applied a number of remedial structural proteomics strategies, such as construct and expression optimization, surface mutagenesis, limited proteolysis, and protein formulation to successfully express, purify, and crystallize the Vav1-DH-PH-CRD/Rac1 complex in an active conformation. We have also systematically characterized various Vav1 domains in a GEF assay and Rac1 in vitro binding experiments. In the context of Vav1-DH-PH-CRD, the zinc finger motif of the CRD is required for the expression of stable Vav1, as well as for activity in both a GEF assay and in vitro formation of a Vav1/Rac1 complex suitable for biophysical and structural characterization. Our data also indicate that the isolated CRD maintains a low level of specific binding to Rac1, appears to be folded based on 1D NMR analysis and coordinates two zinc ions based on ICP-MS analysis. The protein reagents generated here are essential tools for the determination of a three dimensional Vav1/Rac1 complex crystal structure and possibly for the identification of inhibitors of the Vav1/Rac1 protein-protein interaction with potential to inhibit lymphocyte activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Brooun
- Department of Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd., MB-201, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Puri M, Robin G, Cowieson N, Forwood JK, Listwan P, Hu SH, Guncar G, Huber T, Kellie S, Hume DA, Kobe B, Martin JL. Focusing in on structural genomics: The University of Queensland structural biology pipeline. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 23:281-9. [PMID: 17097918 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioeng.2006.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2006] [Revised: 09/22/2006] [Accepted: 09/25/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The flood of new genomic sequence information together with technological innovations in protein structure determination have led to worldwide structural genomics (SG) initiatives. The goals of SG initiatives are to accelerate the process of protein structure determination, to fill in protein fold space and to provide information about the function of uncharacterized proteins. In the long-term, these outcomes are likely to impact on medical biotechnology and drug discovery, leading to a better understanding of disease as well as the development of new therapeutics. Here we describe the high throughput pipeline established at the University of Queensland in Australia. In this focused pipeline, the targets for structure determination are proteins that are expressed in mouse macrophage cells and that are inferred to have a role in innate immunity. The aim is to characterize the molecular structure and the biochemical and cellular function of these targets by using a parallel processing pipeline. The pipeline is designed to work with tens to hundreds of target gene products and comprises target selection, cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and structure determination. The structures from this pipeline will provide insights into the function of previously uncharacterized macrophage proteins and could lead to the validation of new drug targets for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munish Puri
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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Kawate T, Gouaux E. Fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography for precrystallization screening of integral membrane proteins. Structure 2006; 14:673-81. [PMID: 16615909 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2006.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 519] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2005] [Revised: 12/27/2005] [Accepted: 01/05/2006] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Formation of well-ordered crystals of membrane proteins is a bottleneck for structure determination by X-ray crystallography. Nevertheless, one can increase the probability of successful crystallization by precrystallization screening, a process by which one analyzes the monodispersity and stability of the protein-detergent complex. Traditionally, this has required microgram to milligram quantities of purified protein and a concomitant investment of time and resources. Here, we describe a rapid and efficient precrystallization screening strategy in which the target protein is covalently fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the resulting unpurified protein is analyzed by fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography (FSEC). This strategy requires only nanogram quantities of unpurified protein and allows one to evaluate localization and expression level, the degree of monodispersity, and the approximate molecular mass. We show the application of this precrystallization screening to four membrane proteins derived from prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshimitsu Kawate
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, 650 West 168(th) Street, New York, New York 10032, USA
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Abstract
Miniaturization can expand the capability of existing bioassays, separation technologies and chemical synthesis techniques. Although a reduction in size to the micrometre scale will usually not change the nature of molecular reactions, laws of scale for surface per volume, molecular diffusion and heat transport enable dramatic increases in throughput. Besides the many microwell-plate- or bead-based methods, microfluidic chips have been widely used to provide small volumes and fluid connections and could eventually outperform conventionally used robotic fluid handling. Moreover, completely novel applications without a macroscopic equivalent have recently been developed. This article reviews current and future applications of microfluidics and highlights the potential of 'lab-on-a-chip' technology for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra S Dittrich
- ISAS - Institute for Analytical Sciences, Bunsen-Kirchhoff-Str. 11, D44139 Dortmund, Germany.
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46
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André N, Cherouati N, Prual C, Steffan T, Zeder-Lutz G, Magnin T, Pattus F, Michel H, Wagner R, Reinhart C. Enhancing functional production of G protein-coupled receptors in Pichia pastoris to levels required for structural studies via a single expression screen. Protein Sci 2006; 15:1115-26. [PMID: 16597836 PMCID: PMC2242496 DOI: 10.1110/ps.062098206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We have optimized the expression level of 20 mammalian G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. We found that altering expression parameters, including growth temperature, and supplementation of the culture medium with specific GPCR ligands, histidine, and DMSO increased the amount of functional receptor, as assessed by ligand binding, by more than eightfold over standard expression conditions. Unexpectedly, we found that the overall amount of GPCR proteins expressed, in most cases, varied only marginally between standard and optimized expression conditions. Accordingly, the optimized expression conditions resulted in a marked fractional increase in the ratio of ligand binding-competent receptor to total expressed receptor. The results of this study suggest a general approach for increasing yields of functional mammalian GPCRs severalfold over standard expression conditions by using a set of optimized expression condition parameters that we have characterized for the Pichia expression system. Overall, we have more than doubled the number of GPCR targets that can be produced in our laboratories in sufficient amounts for structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas André
- Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysics, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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47
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Zheng B, Gerdts CJ, Ismagilov RF. Using nanoliter plugs in microfluidics to facilitate and understand protein crystallization. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2006; 15:548-55. [PMID: 16154351 PMCID: PMC1764865 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2005.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2005] [Revised: 08/04/2005] [Accepted: 08/25/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Protein crystallization is important for determining protein structures by X-ray diffraction. Nanoliter-sized plugs--aqueous droplets surrounded by a fluorinated carrier fluid--have been applied to the screening of protein crystallization conditions. Preformed arrays of plugs in capillary cartridges enable sparse matrix screening. Crystals grown in plugs inside a microcapillary may be analyzed by in situ X-ray diffraction. Screening using plugs, which are easily formed in PDMS microfluidic channels, is simple and economical, and minimizes consumption of the protein. This approach also has the potential to improve our understanding of the fundamentals of protein crystallization, such as the effect of mixing on the nucleation of crystals.
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48
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Williams SP, Kuyper LF, Pearce KH. Recent applications of protein crystallography and structure-guided drug design. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2005; 9:371-80. [PMID: 16006182 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2005.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2005] [Accepted: 06/22/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Technological advances to increase the throughput of purified protein production and co-crystallization of target proteins with small molecules have helped to solidify the role that structure via crystallography has on drug discovery. Visualization of how drug-like molecules bind to the target protein is a key step in driving follow-up or preclinical chemistry to improve characteristics of the molecule. Using structural information to guide small-molecule design and generate new chemical ideas is now a mainstay in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn P Williams
- Department of Computational, Analytical and Structural Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline Discovery Research, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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49
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Zheng B, Ismagilov RF. A Microfluidic Approach for Screening Submicroliter Volumes against Multiple Reagents by Using Preformed Arrays of Nanoliter Plugs in a Three-Phase Liquid/Liquid/Gas Flow. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2005. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.200462857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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50
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Zheng B, Ismagilov RF. A microfluidic approach for screening submicroliter volumes against multiple reagents by using preformed arrays of nanoliter plugs in a three-phase liquid/liquid/gas flow. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2005; 44:2520-3. [PMID: 15786522 PMCID: PMC1766320 DOI: 10.1002/anie.200462857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plugging a gap in screening Arrays of nanoliter-sized plugs of different compositions can be preformed in a three-phase liquid/liquid/gas flow. The arrays can be transported into a microfluidic channel to test against a target (see schematic representation), as demonstrated in protein crystallization and an enzymatic assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5735 South Ellis
Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (USA)
| | - Rustem F. Ismagilov
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5735 South Ellis
Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (USA)
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