1
|
Mishra S, Malhotra N, Laleu B, Chakraborti S, Yogavel M, Sharma A. ATP mimetics targeting prolyl-tRNA synthetases as a new avenue for antimalarial drug development. iScience 2024; 27:110049. [PMID: 39104570 PMCID: PMC11298890 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) is an essential enzyme for protein translation and a validated target against malaria parasite. We describe five ATP mimetics (L95, L96, L97, L35, and L36) against PRS, exhibiting enhanced thermal stabilities in co-operativity with L-proline. L35 displays the highest thermal stability akin to halofuginone, an established inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum PRS. Four compounds exhibit nanomolar inhibitory potency against PRS. L35 exhibits the highest potency of ∼1.6 nM against asexual-blood-stage (ABS) and ∼100-fold (effective concentration [EC50]) selectivity for the parasite. The macromolecular structures of PfPRS with L95 and L97 in complex with L-pro reveal their binding modes and catalytic site malleability. Arg401 of PfPRS oscillates between two rotameric configurations when in complex with L95, whereas it is locked in one of the configurations due to the larger size of L97. Harnessing such specific and selective chemical features holds significant promise for designing potential inhibitors and expediting drug development efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siddhartha Mishra
- Molecular Medicine – Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Dwarka, New Delhi 110077, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), UP, India
| | - Nipun Malhotra
- Molecular Medicine – Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Benoît Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), International Center Cointrin (ICC), Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Soumyananda Chakraborti
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Dwarka, New Delhi 110077, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), UP, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Molecular Medicine – Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine – Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Appetecchia F, Fabbrizi E, Fiorentino F, Consalvi S, Biava M, Poce G, Rotili D. Transmission-Blocking Strategies for Malaria Eradication: Recent Advances in Small-Molecule Drug Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:962. [PMID: 39065810 PMCID: PMC11279868 DOI: 10.3390/ph17070962] [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: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria drug research and development efforts have resurged in the last decade following the decelerating rate of mortality and malaria cases in endemic regions. The inefficiency of malaria interventions is largely driven by the spreading resistance of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite to current drug regimens and that of the malaria vector, the Anopheles mosquito, to insecticides. In response to the new eradication agenda, drugs that act by breaking the malaria transmission cycle (transmission-blocking drugs), which has been recognized as an important and additional target for intervention, are being developed. These drugs take advantage of the susceptibility of Plasmodium during population bottlenecks before transmission (gametocytes) and in the mosquito vector (gametes, zygotes, ookinetes, oocysts, sporozoites). To date, compounds targeting stage V gametocytes predominate in the chemical library of transmission-blocking drugs, and some of them have entered clinical trials. The targeting of Plasmodium mosquito stages has recently renewed interest in the development of innovative malaria control tools, which hold promise for the application of compounds effective at these stages. In this review, we highlight the major achievements and provide an update on the research of transmission-blocking drugs, with a particular focus on their chemical scaffolds, antiplasmodial activity, and transmission-blocking potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Giovanna Poce
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.A.); (E.F.); (F.F.); (S.C.); (M.B.)
| | - Dante Rotili
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.A.); (E.F.); (F.F.); (S.C.); (M.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang G, Liang Y, Li X, Li Z, Qin Y, Weng Q, Yan Y, Cheng Y, Qian Y, Sun L. Competitive Inhibition of Okanin against Plasmodium falciparum Tyrosyl-tRNA Synthetase. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4751. [PMID: 38731970 PMCID: PMC11084299 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094751] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a severe disease that presents a significant threat to human health. As resistance to current drugs continues to increase, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial medications. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) represent promising targets for drug development. In this study, we identified Plasmodium falciparum tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (PfTyrRS) as a potential target for antimalarial drug development through a comparative analysis of the amino acid sequences and three-dimensional structures of human and plasmodium TyrRS, with particular emphasis on differences in key amino acids at the aminoacylation site. A total of 2141 bioactive compounds were screened using a high-throughput thermal shift assay (TSA). Okanin, known as an inhibitor of LPS-induced TLR4 expression, exhibited potent inhibitory activity against PfTyrRS, while showing limited inhibition of human TyrRS. Furthermore, bio-layer interferometry (BLI) confirmed the high affinity of okanin for PfTyrRS. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations highlighted the stable conformation of okanin within PfTyrRS and its sustained binding to the enzyme. A molecular docking analysis revealed that okanin binds to both the tyrosine and partial ATP binding sites of the enzyme, preventing substrate binding. In addition, the compound inhibited the production of Plasmodium falciparum in the blood stage and had little cytotoxicity. Thus, okanin is a promising lead compound for the treatment of malaria caused by P. falciparum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangpu Yang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yali Liang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Zan Li
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yinying Qin
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Qilu Weng
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yujuan Yan
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yijun Cheng
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yunan Qian
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Litao Sun
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; (G.Y.); (Y.L.); (X.L.); (Z.L.); (Y.Q.); (Q.W.); (Y.Y.); (Y.C.)
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbes and Biosafety, Shenzhen 518107, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
McLellan JL, Sausman W, Reers AB, Bunnik EM, Hanson KK. Single-cell quantitative bioimaging of P. berghei liver stage translation. mSphere 2023; 8:e0054423. [PMID: 37909773 PMCID: PMC10732057 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00544-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Plasmodium parasites cause malaria in humans. New multistage active antimalarial drugs are needed, and a promising class of drugs targets the core cellular process of translation, which has many potential molecular targets. During the obligate liver stage, Plasmodium parasites grow in metabolically active hepatocytes, making it challenging to study core cellular processes common to both host cells and parasites, as the signal from the host typically overwhelms that of the parasite. Here, we present and validate a flexible assay to quantify Plasmodium liver stage translation using a technique to fluorescently label the newly synthesized proteins of both host and parasite followed by computational separation of their respective nascent proteomes in confocal image sets. We use the assay to determine whether a test set of known compounds are direct or indirect liver stage translation inhibitors and show that the assay can also predict the mode of action for novel antimalarial compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James L. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - William Sausman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Ashley B. Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Evelien M. Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kirsten K. Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Luo AP, Giannangelo C, Siddiqui G, Creek DJ. Promising antimalarial hits from phenotypic screens: a review of recently-described multi-stage actives and their modes of action. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1308193. [PMID: 38162576 PMCID: PMC10757594 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1308193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last two decades, global malaria cases caused by Plasmodium falciparum have declined due to the implementation of effective treatments and the use of insecticides. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruption in the timely delivery of medical goods and diverted public health resources, impairing malaria control. The emergence of resistance to all existing frontline antimalarials underpins an urgent need for new antimalarials with novel mechanisms of action. Furthermore, the need to reduce malaria transmission and/or prevent malaria infection has shifted the focus of antimalarial research towards the discovery of compounds that act beyond the symptomatic blood stage and also impact other parasite life cycle stages. Phenotypic screening has been responsible for the majority of new antimalarial lead compounds discovered over the past 10 years. This review describes recently reported novel antimalarial hits that target multiple parasite stages and were discovered by phenotypic screening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their modes of action and targets in blood stage parasites are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ghizal Siddiqui
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Darren J. Creek
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xie SC, Griffin MDW, Winzeler EA, Ribas de Pouplana L, Tilley L. Targeting Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetases for Antimalarial Drug Development. Annu Rev Microbiol 2023; 77:111-129. [PMID: 37018842 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032421-121210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Infections caused by malaria parasites place an enormous burden on the world's poorest communities. Breakthrough drugs with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. As an organism that undergoes rapid growth and division, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is highly reliant on protein synthesis, which in turn requires aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) to charge tRNAs with their corresponding amino acid. Protein translation is required at all stages of the parasite life cycle; thus, aaRS inhibitors have the potential for whole-of-life-cycle antimalarial activity. This review focuses on efforts to identify potent plasmodium-specific aaRS inhibitors using phenotypic screening, target validation, and structure-guided drug design. Recent work reveals that aaRSs are susceptible targets for a class of AMP-mimicking nucleoside sulfamates that target the enzymes via a novel reaction hijacking mechanism. This finding opens up the possibility of generating bespoke inhibitors of different aaRSs, providing new drug leads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stanley C Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; , ,
| | - Michael D W Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; , ,
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA;
| | - Lluis Ribas de Pouplana
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain;
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; , ,
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
McLellan JL, Sausman W, Reers AB, Bunnik EM, Hanson KK. Single-cell quantitative bioimaging of P. berghei liver stage translation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.05.547872. [PMID: 37461595 PMCID: PMC10350035 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.05.547872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasite resistance to existing antimalarial drugs poses a devastating threat to the lives of many who depend on their efficacy. New antimalarial drugs and novel drug targets are in critical need, along with novel assays to accelerate their identification. Given the essentiality of protein synthesis throughout the complex parasite lifecycle, translation inhibitors are a promising drug class, capable of targeting the disease-causing blood stage of infection, as well as the asymptomatic liver stage, a crucial target for prophylaxis. To identify compounds capable of inhibiting liver stage parasite translation, we developed an assay to visualize and quantify translation in the P. berghei-HepG2 infection model. After labeling infected monolayers with o-propargyl puromycin (OPP), a functionalized analog of puromycin permitting subsequent bioorthogonal addition of a fluorophore to each OPP-terminated nascent polypetide, we use automated confocal feedback microscopy followed by batch image segmentation and feature extraction to visualize and quantify the nascent proteome in individual P. berghei liver stage parasites and host cells simultaneously. After validation, we demonstrate specific, concentration-dependent liver stage translation inhibition by both parasite-selective and pan-eukaryotic active compounds, and further show that acute pre-treatment and competition modes of the OPP assay can distinguish between direct and indirect translation inhibitors. We identify a Malaria Box compound, MMV019266, as a direct translation inhibitor in P. berghei liver stages and confirm this potential mode of action in P. falciparum asexual blood stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James L McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William Sausman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ashley B Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Evelien M Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kirsten K Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tripathi H, Bhalerao P, Singh S, Arya H, Alotaibi BS, Rashid S, Hasan MR, Bhatt TK. Malaria therapeutics: are we close enough? Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:130. [PMID: 37060004 PMCID: PMC10103679 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05755-8] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasite Plasmodium. Malaria is a significant health problem and the leading cause of socioeconomic losses in developing countries. WHO approved several antimalarials in the last 2 decades, but the growing resistance against the available drugs has worsened the scenario. Drug resistance and diversity among Plasmodium strains hinder the path of eradicating malaria leading to the use of new technologies and strategies to develop effective vaccines and drugs. A timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for any disease, including malaria. The available diagnostic methods for malaria include microscopy, RDT, PCR, and non-invasive diagnosis. Recently, there have been several developments in detecting malaria, with improvements leading to achieving an accurate, quick, cost-effective, and non-invasive diagnostic tool for malaria. Several vaccine candidates with new methods and antigens are under investigation and moving forward to be considered for clinical trials. This article concisely reviews basic malaria biology, the parasite's life cycle, approved drugs, vaccine candidates, and available diagnostic approaches. It emphasizes new avenues of therapeutics for malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Himani Tripathi
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, 305817, Rajasthan, India
| | - Preshita Bhalerao
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, 305817, Rajasthan, India
| | - Sujeet Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, 305817, Rajasthan, India
| | - Hemant Arya
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, 305817, Rajasthan, India.
| | - Bader Saud Alotaibi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Alquwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, 11971, Saudi Arabia
| | - Summya Rashid
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Raghibul Hasan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Alquwayiyah, Shaqra University, Riyadh, 11971, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Tarun Kumar Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, 305817, Rajasthan, India.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sharma VK, Chhibber-Goel J, Yogavel M, Sharma A. Structural characterization of glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) from Plasmodium falciparum. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2023; 253:111530. [PMID: 36370911 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are essential enzymes in protein translation machinery that provide the charged tRNAs needed for protein synthesis. Over the past decades, aaRSs have been studied as anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal drug targets. This study focused on the cytoplasmic glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) from Plasmodium falciparum, which belongs to class Ib in aaRSs. GluRS unlike most other aaRSs requires tRNA to activate its cognate amino acid substrate L-Glutamate (L-Glu), and fails to form an intermediate adenylate complex in the absence of tRNA. The crystal structures of the Apo, ATP, and ADP-bound forms of Plasmodium falciparum glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (PfGluRS) were solved at 2.1 Å, 2.2 Å, and 2.8 Å respectively. The structural comparison of the Apo- and ATP-bound holo-forms of PfGluRS showed considerable conformational changes in the loop regions around the ATP-binding pocket of the enzyme. Biophysical characterization of the PfGluRS showed binding of the enzyme substrates L-Gluand ATP.. The sequence and structural conservation were evident across GluRS compared to other species. The structural dissection of the PfGluRS gives insight into the critical residues involved in the binding of ATP substrate, which can be harvested to develop new antimalarial drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Kumar Sharma
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Jyoti Chhibber-Goel
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yogavel M, Bougdour A, Mishra S, Malhotra N, Chhibber-Goel J, Bellini V, Harlos K, Laleu B, Hakimi MA, Sharma A. Targeting prolyl-tRNA synthetase via a series of ATP-mimetics to accelerate drug discovery against toxoplasmosis. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011124. [PMID: 36854028 PMCID: PMC9974123 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) is a validated drug target for febrifugine and its synthetic analog halofuginone (HFG) against multiple apicomplexan parasites including Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. Here, a novel ATP-mimetic centered on 1-(pyridin-4-yl) pyrrolidin-2-one (PPL) scaffold has been validated to bind to Toxoplasma gondii PRS and kill toxoplasma parasites. PPL series exhibited potent inhibition at the cellular (T. gondii parasites) and enzymatic (TgPRS) levels compared to the human counterparts. Cell-based chemical mutagenesis was employed to determine the mechanism of action via a forward genetic screen. Tg-resistant parasites were analyzed with wild-type strain by RNA-seq to identify mutations in the coding sequence conferring drug resistance by computational analysis of variants. DNA sequencing established two mutations, T477A and T592S, proximal to terminals of the PPL scaffold and not directly in the ATP, tRNA, or L-pro sites, as supported by the structural data from high-resolution crystal structures of drug-bound enzyme complexes. These data provide an avenue for structure-based activity enhancement of this chemical series as anti-infectives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manickam Yogavel
- Molecular Medicine–Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India
| | - Alexandre Bougdour
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Siddhartha Mishra
- Molecular Medicine–Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
| | - Nipun Malhotra
- Molecular Medicine–Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India
| | - Jyoti Chhibber-Goel
- Molecular Medicine–Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India
| | - Valeria Bellini
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Karl Harlos
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benoît Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), International Center Cointrin (ICC), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Team Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine–Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Gill J, Sharma A. Exploration of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from eukaryotic parasites for drug development. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102860. [PMID: 36596362 PMCID: PMC9978631 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases result in considerable human morbidity and mortality. The continuous emergence and spread of new drug-resistant parasite strains is an obstacle to controlling and eliminating many parasitic diseases. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are ubiquitous enzymes essential for protein synthesis. The design and development of diverse small molecule, drug-like inhibitors against parasite-encoded and expressed aaRSs have validated this enzyme family as druggable. In this work, we have compiled the progress to date towards establishing the druggability of aaRSs in terms of their biochemical characterization, validation as targets, inhibitor development, and structural interpretation from parasites responsible for malaria (Plasmodium), lymphatic filariasis (Brugia,Wuchereria bancrofti), giardiasis (Giardia), toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), leishmaniasis (Leishmania), cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium), and trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma). This work thus provides a robust framework for the systematic dissection of aaRSs from these pathogens and will facilitate the cross-usage of potential inhibitors to jump-start anti-parasite drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmita Gill
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Guerra F, Winzeler EA. New targets for antimalarial drug discovery. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 70:102220. [PMID: 36228458 PMCID: PMC9934905 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic screening methods have placed numerous preclinical candidates into the antimalarial drug-discovery pipeline. As more chemically validated targets become available, efforts are shifting to target-based drug discovery. Here, we briefly review some of the most attractive targets that have been identified in recent years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Guerra
- Department of Pediatrics MC 0760, School of Medicine, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics MC 0760, School of Medicine, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gill J, Sharma A. Genomic analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in malaria parasite drug targets. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:309. [PMID: 36042490 PMCID: PMC9425944 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05422-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by members of the genus Plasmodium. The development and spread of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium parasites represent a major challenge to malaria control and elimination programmes. Evaluating genetic polymorphism in a drug target improves our understanding of drug resistance and facilitates drug design. Approximately 450 and 19 whole-genome assemblies of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, respectively, are currently available, and numerous sequence variations have been found due to the presence of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). In the study reported here, we analysed global SNPs in the malaria parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs). Our analysis revealed 3182 unique SNPs in the 20 cytoplasmic P. falciparum aaRSs. Structural mapping of SNPs onto the three-dimensional inhibitor-bound complexes of the three advanced drug targets within aaRSs revealed a remarkably low mutation frequency in the crucial aminoacylation domains, low overall occurrence of mutations across samples and high conservation in drug/substrate binding regions. In contrast to aaRSs, dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), also a malaria drug target, showed high occurrences of drug resistance-causing mutations. Our results show that it is pivotal to screen potent malaria drug targets against global SNP profiles to assess genetic variances to ensure success in designing drugs against validated targets and tackle drug resistance early on.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmita Gill
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, 110077, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, Sector 8, Dwarka, 110077, New Delhi, India. .,International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sharma VK, Gupta S, Chhibber-Goel J, Yogavel M, Sharma A. A single amino acid substitution alters activity and specificity in Plasmodium falciparum aspartyl & asparaginyl-tRNA synthetases. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 250:111488. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
15
|
Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum phenylalanine tRNA synthetase provides opportunity for antimalarial drug development. Structure 2022; 30:962-972.e3. [PMID: 35460612 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Bicyclic azetidine compounds possess antimalarial activity via targeting of the cytoplasmic Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) protein translation enzyme phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase (cFRS). These drugs kill parasites both in vitro and in vivo, including the blood, liver, and transmission developmental stages. Here we present the co-crystal structure of PfcFRS with a potent inhibitor, the bicyclic azetidine BRD7929. Our studies reveal high-affinity binding of BRD7929 with PfcFRS along with exquisite specificity compared with the human enzyme, leading in turn to potent and selective inhibition of the parasite enzyme. Our co-crystal structure shows that BRD7929 binds in the active site in the α subunit of PfcFRS, where it occupies the amino acid site, an auxiliary site, and partially the ATP site. This structural snapshot of inhibitor-bound PfcFRS thus provides a platform for the structure-guided optimization of novel antimalarial compounds.
Collapse
|
16
|
Chakraborti S, Chhibber-Goel J, Sharma A. Drug targeting of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in Anopheles species and Aedes aegypti that cause malaria and dengue. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:605. [PMID: 34895309 PMCID: PMC8665550 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05106-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquito-borne diseases have a devastating impact on human civilization. A few species of Anopheles mosquitoes are responsible for malaria transmission, and while there has been a reduction in malaria-related deaths worldwide, growing insecticide resistance is a cause for concern. Aedes mosquitoes are known vectors of viral infections, including dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are key players in protein synthesis and are potent anti-infective drug targets. The structure-function activity relationship of aaRSs in mosquitoes (in particular, Anopheles and Aedes spp.) remains unexplored. METHODS We employed computational techniques to identify aaRSs from five different mosquito species (Anopheles culicifacies, Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles minimus, and Aedes aegypti). The VectorBase database ( https://vectorbase.org/vectorbase/app ) and web-based tools were utilized to predict the subcellular localizations (TargetP-2.0, UniProt, DeepLoc-1.0), physicochemical characteristics (ProtParam), and domain arrangements (PfAM, InterPro) of the aaRSs. Structural models for prolyl (PRS)-, and phenylalanyl (FRS)-tRNA synthetases-were generated using the I-TASSER and Phyre protein modeling servers. RESULTS Among the vector species, a total of 37 (An. gambiae), 37 (An. culicifacies), 37 (An. stephensi), 37 (An. minimus), and 35 (Ae. aegypti) different aaRSs were characterized within their respective mosquito genomes. Sequence identity amongst the aaRSs from the four Anopheles spp. was > 80% and in Ae. aegypti was > 50%. CONCLUSIONS Structural analysis of two important aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases [prolyl (PRS) and phenylanalyl (FRS)] of Anopheles spp. suggests structural and sequence similarity with potential antimalarial inhibitor [halofuginone (HF) and bicyclic azetidine (BRD1369)] binding sites. This suggests the potential for repurposing of these inhibitors against the studied Anopheles spp. and Ae. aegypti.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jyoti Chhibber-Goel
- Molecular Medicine, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine Group, National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
- Molecular Medicine, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Chhibber-Goel J, Yogavel M, Sharma A. Structural analyses of the malaria parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases provide new avenues for antimalarial drug discovery. Protein Sci 2021; 30:1793-1803. [PMID: 34184352 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a parasitic illness caused by the genus Plasmodium from the apicomplexan phylum. Five plasmodial species of P. falciparum (Pf), P. knowlesi, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax (Pv) are responsible for causing malaria in humans. According to the World Malaria Report 2020, there were 229 million cases and ~ 0.04 million deaths of which 67% were in children below 5 years of age. While more than 3 billion people are at risk of malaria infection globally, antimalarial drugs are their only option for treatment. Antimalarial drug resistance keeps arising periodically and thus threatens the main line of malaria treatment, emphasizing the need to find new alternatives. The availability of whole genomes of P. falciparum and P. vivax has allowed targeting their unexplored plasmodial enzymes for inhibitor development with a focus on multistage targets that are crucial for parasite viability in both the blood and liver stages. Over the past decades, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) have been explored as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal drug targets, and more recently (since 2009) aaRSs are also the focus of antimalarial drug targeting. Here, we dissect the structure-based knowledge of the most advanced three aaRSs-lysyl- (KRS), prolyl- (PRS), and phenylalanyl- (FRS) synthetases in terms of development of antimalarial drugs. These examples showcase the promising potential of this family of enzymes to provide druggable targets that stall protein synthesis upon inhibition and thereby kill malaria parasites selectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Chhibber-Goel
- Structural Parasitology Group, Molecular Medicine, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Structural Parasitology Group, Molecular Medicine, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural Parasitology Group, Molecular Medicine, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India.,ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Babbar P, Sato M, Manickam Y, Mishra S, Harlos K, Gupta S, Parvez S, Kikuchi H, Sharma A. Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum Lysyl-tRNA Synthetase via a Piperidine-Ring Scaffold Inspired Cladosporin Analogues. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2468-2477. [PMID: 33969584 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum lysyl-tRNA synthetase (PfKRS) represents a promising therapeutic anti-malarial target. Cladosporin was identified as a selective and potent PfKRS inhibitor but lacks metabolic stability. Here, we report chemical synthesis, biological evaluation and structural characterization of analogues where the tetrahydropyran (THP) frame of cladosporin is replaced with the piperidine ring bearing functional group variations. Thermal binding, enzymatic, kinetic and parasitic assays complemented with X-ray crystallography reveal compounds that are moderate in potency. Co-crystals of Cla-B and Cla-C with PfKRS reveal key atomic configurations that allow drug binding to and inhibition of the enzyme. Collectively these piperidine ring scaffold inhibitors lay a framework for further structural editing and functional modifications of the cladosporin scaffold to obtain a potent lead.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Palak Babbar
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Mizuki Sato
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3, Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Yogavel Manickam
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Siddhartha Mishra
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Karl Harlos
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, The Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Swati Gupta
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Haruhisa Kikuchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3, Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
- Present affiliation: Division of Natural Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, Japan
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine - Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), Sector 8, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Vinogradova ES, Nikonov OS, Nikonova EY. Associations between Neurological Diseases and Mutations in the Human Glycyl-tRNA Synthetase. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 86:S12-S23. [PMID: 33827397 PMCID: PMC7905983 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921140029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-RNA synthetases (aaRSs) are among the key enzymes of protein biosynthesis. They are responsible for conducting the first step in the protein biosynthesis, namely attaching amino acids to the corresponding tRNA molecules both in cytoplasm and mitochondria. More and more research demonstrates that mutations in the genes encoding aaRSs lead to the development of various neurodegenerative diseases, such as incurable Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) and distal spinal muscular atrophy. Some mutations result in the loss of tRNA aminoacylation activity, while other mutants retain their classical enzyme activity. In the latter case, disease manifestations are associated with additional neuron-specific functions of aaRSs. At present, seven aaRSs (GlyRS, TyrRS, AlaRS, HisRS, TrpRS, MetRS, and LysRS) are known to be involved in the CMT etiology with glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) being the most studied of them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Oleg S Nikonov
- Institute of Protein Research, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zhou J, Huang Z, Zheng L, Hei Z, Wang Z, Yu B, Jiang L, Wang J, Fang P. Inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum Lysyl-tRNA synthetase via an anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 48:11566-11576. [PMID: 33053158 PMCID: PMC7672456 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are attractive targets for the development of antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic agents and for the treatment of other human diseases. Lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) from this family has been validated as a promising target for the development of antimalarial drugs. Here, we developed a high-throughput compatible assay and screened 1215 bioactive compounds to identify Plasmodium falciparum cytoplasmic LysRS (PfLysRS) inhibitor. ASP3026, an anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor that was used in clinical trials for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma and solid tumors, was identified as a novel PfLysRS inhibitor. ASP3026 suppresses the enzymatic activity of PfLysRS at nanomolar potency, which is >380-fold more effective than inhibition of the human counterpart. In addition, the compound suppressed blood-stage P. falciparum growth. To understand the molecular mechanism of inhibition by ASP3026, we further solved the cocrystal structure of PfLysRS-ASP3026 at a resolution of 2.49 Å, providing clues for further optimization of the compound. Finally, primary structure-activity relationship analyses indicated that the inhibition of PfLysRS by ASP3026 is highly structure specific. This work not only provides a new chemical scaffold with good druggability for antimalarial development but also highlights the potential for repurposing kinase-inhibiting drugs to tRNA synthetase inhibitors to treat human diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jintong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhenghui Huang
- Unit of Human Parasite Molecular and Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Li Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhoufei Hei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Biao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China.,School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Sub-lane Xiangshan, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Lubin Jiang
- Unit of Human Parasite Molecular and Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China.,School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Sub-lane Xiangshan, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Pengfei Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China.,School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Sub-lane Xiangshan, Hangzhou 310024, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kuzmishin Nagy AB, Bakhtina M, Musier-Forsyth K. Trans-editing by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-like editing domains. Enzymes 2020; 48:69-115. [PMID: 33837712 DOI: 10.1016/bs.enz.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) are ubiquitous enzymes responsible for aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) synthesis. Correctly formed aa-tRNAs are necessary for proper decoding of mRNA and accurate protein synthesis. tRNAs possess specific nucleobases that promote selective recognition by cognate aaRSs. Selecting the cognate amino acid can be more challenging because all amino acids share the same peptide backbone and several are isosteric or have similar side chains. Thus, aaRSs can misactivate non-cognate amino acids and produce mischarged aa-tRNAs. If left uncorrected, mischarged aa-tRNAs deliver their non-cognate amino acid to the ribosome resulting in misincorporation into the nascent polypeptide chain. This changes the primary protein sequence and potentially causes misfolding or formation of non-functional proteins that impair cell survival. A variety of proofreading or editing pathways exist to prevent and correct mistakes in aa-tRNA formation. Editing may occur before the amino acid transfer step of aminoacylation via hydrolysis of the aminoacyl-adenylate. Alternatively, post-transfer editing, which occurs after the mischarged aa-tRNA is formed, may be carried out via a distinct editing site on the aaRS where the mischarged aa-tRNA is deacylated. In recent years, it has become clear that most organisms also encode factors that lack aminoacylation activity but resemble aaRS editing domains and function to clear mischarged aa-tRNAs in trans. This review focuses on these trans-editing factors, which are encoded in all three domains of life and function together with editing domains present within aaRSs to ensure that the accuracy of protein synthesis is sufficient for cell survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra B Kuzmishin Nagy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Marina Bakhtina
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Karin Musier-Forsyth
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Nyamai DW, Tastan Bishop Ö. Identification of Selective Novel Hits against Plasmodium falciparum Prolyl tRNA Synthetase Active Site and a Predicted Allosteric Site Using in silico Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3803. [PMID: 32471245 PMCID: PMC7312540 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, there has been increased interest in aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) as potential malarial drug targets. These enzymes play a key role in protein translation by the addition of amino acids to their cognate tRNA. The aaRSs are present in all Plasmodium life cycle stages, and thus present an attractive malarial drug target. Prolyl tRNA synthetase is a class II aaRS that functions in charging tRNA with proline. Various inhibitors against Plasmodium falciparum ProRS (PfProRS) active site have been designed. However, none have gone through clinical trials as they have been found to be highly toxic to human cells. Recently, a possible allosteric site was reported in PfProRS with two possible allosteric modulators: glyburide and TCMDC-124506. In this study, we sought to identify novel selective inhibitors targeting PfProRS active site and possible novel allosteric modulators of this enzyme. To achieve this, virtual screening of South African natural compounds against PfProRS and the human homologue was carried out using AutoDock Vina. The modulation of protein motions by ligand binding was studied by molecular dynamics (MD) using the GROningen MAchine for Chemical Simulations (GROMACS) tool. To further analyse the protein global motions and energetic changes upon ligand binding, principal component analysis (PCA), and free energy landscape (FEL) calculations were performed. Further, to understand the effect of ligand binding on the protein communication, dynamic residue network (DRN) analysis of the MD trajectories was carried out using the MD-TASK tool. A total of ten potential natural hit compounds were identified with strong binding energy scores. Binding of ligands to the protein caused observable global and residue level changes. Dynamic residue network calculations showed increase in betweenness centrality (BC) metric of residues at the allosteric site implying these residues are important in protein communication. A loop region at the catalytic domain between residues 300 and 350 and the anticodon binding domain showed significant contributions to both PC1 and PC2. Large motions were observed at a loop in the Z-domain between residues 697 and 710 which was also in agreement with RMSF calculations that showed increase in flexibility of residues in this region. Residues in this loop region are implicated in ATP binding and thus a change in dynamics may affect ATP binding affinity. Free energy landscape (FEL) calculations showed that the holo protein (protein-ADN complex) and PfProRS-SANC184 complexes were stable, as shown by the low energy with very few intermediates and hardly distinguishable low energy barriers. In addition, FEL results agreed with backbone RMSD distribution plots where stable complexes showed a normal RMSD distribution while unstable complexes had multimodal RMSD distribution. The betweenness centrality metric showed a loss of functional importance of key ATP binding site residues upon allosteric ligand binding. The deep basins in average L observed at the allosteric region imply that there is high accessibility of residues at this region. To further analyse BC and average L metrics data, we calculated the ΔBC and ΔL values by taking each value in the holo protein BC or L matrix less the corresponding value in the ligand-bound complex BC or L matrix. Interestingly, in allosteric complexes, residues located in a loop region implicated in ATP binding had negative ΔL values while in orthosteric complexes these residues had positive ΔL values. An increase in contact frequency between residues Ser263, Thr267, Tyr285, and Leu707 at the allosteric site and residues Thr397, Pro398, Thr402, and Gln395 at the ATP binding TXE loop was observed. In summary, this study identified five potential orthosteric inhibitors and five allosteric modulators against PfProRS. Allosteric modulators changed ATP binding site dynamics, as shown by RMSF, PCA, and DRN calculations. Changes in dynamics of the ATP binding site and increased contact frequency between residues at the proposed allosteric site and the ATP binding site may explain how allosteric modulators distort the ATP binding site and thus might inhibit PfProRS. The scaffolds of the identified hits in the study can be used as a starting point for antimalarial inhibitor development with low human cytotoxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Özlem Tastan Bishop
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa;
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Mishra S, Malhotra N, Kumari S, Sato M, Kikuchi H, Yogavel M, Sharma A. Conformational heterogeneity in apo and drug-bound structures of Toxoplasma gondii prolyl-tRNA synthetase. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2019; 75:714-724. [PMID: 31702585 PMCID: PMC6839821 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x19014808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) is a member of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family that drives protein translation in cells. The apicomplexan PRSs are validated targets of febrifugine (FF) and its halogenated derivative halofuginone (HF). PRSs are of great interest for drug development against Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. In this study, structures of apo and FF-bound T. gondii (TgPRS) are revealed and the dynamic nature of the conformational changes that occur upon FF binding is unraveled. In addition, this study highlights significant conformational plasticity within two different crystal structures of apo PRSs but not within drug-bound PRSs. The apo PRSs exist in multi-conformational states and manifest pseudo-dimeric structures. In contrast, when FF is bound the PRS dimer adopts a highly symmetrical architecture. It is shown that TgPRS does not display extant fold switching, in contrast to P. falciparum PRS, despite having over 65% sequence identity. Finally, structure-comparison analyses suggest the utility of r.m.s.d. per residue (r.m.s.d./res) as a robust tool to detect structural alterations even when the r.m.s.d. is low. Apo TgPRS reveals FF/HF-induced rigidity and this work has implications for drug-design studies that rely on the apo structures of target proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siddhartha Mishra
- Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110067, India
| | - Nipun Malhotra
- Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110067, India
| | - Shreya Kumari
- Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110067, India
| | - Mizuki Sato
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Kikuchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110067, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural Parasitology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, Delhi 110067, India
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Goel P, Parvez S, Sharma A. Genomic analyses of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases from human-infecting helminths. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:333. [PMID: 31046663 PMCID: PMC6498573 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5679-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Helminth infections affect ~ 60% of the human population that lives in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. These infections result in diseases like schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness and echinococcosis. Here we provide a comprehensive computational analysis of the aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (aaRS) enzyme family from 27 human-infecting helminths. Our analyses support the idea that several helminth aaRSs can be targeted for drug repurposing or for development of new drugs. For experimental validation, we focused on Onchocerciasis (also known as "river blindness"), a filarial vector-borne disease that is prevalent in Africa and Latin America. We show that halofuginone (HF) can act as a potent inhibitor of Onchocerca volvulus prolyl tRNA synthetase (OvPRS). RESULTS The conserved enzyme family of aaRSs has been validated as druggable targets in numerous eukaryotic parasites. We thus embarked on assessing aaRSs from the genomes of 27 helminths that cause infections in humans. In order to delineate the distribution of aaRSs per genome we utilized Hidden Markov Models of aaRS catalytic domains to identify all orthologues. We note that Fasciola hepatica genome encodes the highest number of aaRS-like proteins (69) whereas Taenia asiatica has the lowest count (32). The number of genes for any particular aaRS-like protein varies from 1 to 8 in these 27 studied helminths. Sequence alignments of helminth-encoded lysyl, prolyl, leucyl and threonyl tRNA synthetases suggest that various known aaRS inhibitors like Cladosporin, Halofuginone, Benzoborale and Borrelidin may be of utility against helminths. The recombinantly expressed Onchocerca volvulus PRS was used as proof of concept for targeting aaRS with drug-like molecules like HF. CONCLUSIONS Systematic analysis of unique subdomains within helminth aaRSs reveals the presence of a number of non-canonical domains like PAC3, Utp-14, Pex2_Pex12 fused to catalytic domains in the predicted helminth aaRSs. We have established a platform for biochemical validation of a large number of helminth aaRSs that can be targeted using available inhibitors to jump-start drug repurposing against human helminths.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Goel
- 0000 0004 0498 7682grid.425195.eStructural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, 110067 India ,0000 0004 0498 8167grid.411816.bDepartment of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110063 India
| | - Suhel Parvez
- 0000 0004 0498 8167grid.411816.bDepartment of Toxicology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110063 India
| | - Amit Sharma
- 0000 0004 0498 7682grid.425195.eStructural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, 110067 India
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Fagbami L, Deik AA, Singh K, Santos SA, Herman JD, Bopp SE, Lukens AK, Clish CB, Wirth DF, Mazitschek R. The Adaptive Proline Response in P. falciparum Is Independent of PfeIK1 and eIF2α Signaling. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:515-520. [PMID: 30773881 PMCID: PMC6747701 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We have previously identified the cytoplasmic prolyl tRNA synthetase in Plasmodium falciparum as the functional target of the natural product febrifugine and its synthetic analogue halofuginone (HFG), one of the most potent antimalarials discovered to date. However, our studies also discovered that short-term treatment of asexual blood stage P. falciparum with HFG analogues causes a 20-fold increase in intracellular proline, termed the adaptive proline response (APR), which renders parasites tolerant to HFG. This novel resistance phenotype lacks an apparent genetic basis but remains stable after drug withdrawal. On the basis of our findings that HFG treatment induces eIF2α phosphorylation, a sensitive marker and mediator of cellular stress, we here investigate if eIF2α-signaling is functionally linked to the APR. In our comparative studies using a parasite line lacking PfeIK1, the Plasmodium orthologue of the eIF2α-kinase GCN2 that mediates amino acid deprivation sensing, we show that HFG activity and the APR are independent from PfeIK1 and eIF2α signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lola Fagbami
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Boston, MA 02115
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Amy A. Deik
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Kritika Singh
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Boston, MA 02115
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Sofia A. Santos
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114
| | - Jonathan D. Herman
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Boston, MA 02115
| | - Selina E. Bopp
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Boston, MA 02115
| | - Amanda K. Lukens
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Clary B. Clish
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Dyann F. Wirth
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Boston, MA 02115
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Boston, MA 02115
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Malaria and cryptosporidiosis, caused by apicomplexan parasites, remain major drivers of global child mortality. New drugs for the treatment of malaria and cryptosporidiosis, in particular, are of high priority; however, there are few chemically validated targets. The natural product cladosporin is active against blood- and liver-stage Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptosporidium parvum in cell-culture studies. Target deconvolution in P. falciparum has shown that cladosporin inhibits lysyl-tRNA synthetase (PfKRS1). Here, we report the identification of a series of selective inhibitors of apicomplexan KRSs. Following a biochemical screen, a small-molecule hit was identified and then optimized by using a structure-based approach, supported by structures of both PfKRS1 and C. parvum KRS (CpKRS). In vivo proof of concept was established in an SCID mouse model of malaria, after oral administration (ED90 = 1.5 mg/kg, once a day for 4 d). Furthermore, we successfully identified an opportunity for pathogen hopping based on the structural homology between PfKRS1 and CpKRS. This series of compounds inhibit CpKRS and C. parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis in culture, and our lead compound shows oral efficacy in two cryptosporidiosis mouse models. X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulations have provided a model to rationalize the selectivity of our compounds for PfKRS1 and CpKRS vs. (human) HsKRS. Our work validates apicomplexan KRSs as promising targets for the development of drugs for malaria and cryptosporidiosis.
Collapse
|
27
|
Nyamai DW, Tastan Bishop Ö. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases as malarial drug targets: a comparative bioinformatics study. Malar J 2019; 18:34. [PMID: 30728021 PMCID: PMC6366043 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2665-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment of parasitic diseases has been challenging due to evolution of drug resistant parasites, and thus there is need to identify new class of drugs and drug targets. Protein translation is important for survival of malarial parasite, Plasmodium, and the pathway is present in all of its life cycle stages. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases are primary enzymes in protein translation as they catalyse amino acid addition to the cognate tRNA. This study sought to understand differences between Plasmodium and human aminoacyl tRNA synthetases through bioinformatics analysis. METHODS Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium fragile, Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium yoelii and human aminoacyl tRNA synthetase sequences were retrieved from UniProt database and grouped into 20 families based on amino acid specificity. These families were further divided into two classes. Both families and classes were analysed. Motif discovery was carried out using the MEME software, sequence identity calculation was done using an in-house Python script, multiple sequence alignments were performed using PROMALS3D and TCOFFEE tools, and phylogenetic tree calculations were performed using MEGA vs 7.0 tool. Possible alternative binding sites were predicted using FTMap webserver and SiteMap tool. RESULTS Motif discovery revealed Plasmodium-specific motifs while phylogenetic tree calculations showed that Plasmodium proteins have different evolutionary history to the human homologues. Human aaRSs sequences showed low sequence identity (below 40%) compared to Plasmodium sequences. Prediction of alternative binding sites revealed potential druggable sites in PfArgRS, PfMetRS and PfProRS at regions that are weakly conserved when compared to the human homologues. Multiple sequence analysis, motif discovery, pairwise sequence identity calculations and phylogenetic tree analysis showed significant differences between parasite and human aaRSs proteins despite functional and structural conservation. These differences may provide a basis for further exploration of Plasmodium aminoacyl tRNA synthetases as potential drug targets. CONCLUSION This study showed that, despite, functional and structural conservation, Plasmodium aaRSs have key differences from the human homologues. These differences in Plasmodium aaRSs can be targeted to develop anti-malarial drugs with less toxicity to the host.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy Wavinya Nyamai
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa
| | - Özlem Tastan Bishop
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Francklyn CS, Mullen P. Progress and challenges in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-based therapeutics. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:5365-5385. [PMID: 30670594 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev118.002956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are universal enzymes that catalyze the attachment of amino acids to the 3' ends of their cognate tRNAs. The resulting aminoacylated tRNAs are escorted to the ribosome where they enter protein synthesis. By specifically matching amino acids to defined anticodon sequences in tRNAs, ARSs are essential to the physical interpretation of the genetic code. In addition to their canonical role in protein synthesis, ARSs are also involved in RNA splicing, transcriptional regulation, translation, and other aspects of cellular homeostasis. Likewise, aminoacylated tRNAs serve as amino acid donors for biosynthetic processes distinct from protein synthesis, including lipid modification and antibiotic biosynthesis. Thanks to the wealth of details on ARS structures and functions and the growing appreciation of their additional roles regulating cellular homeostasis, opportunities for the development of clinically useful ARS inhibitors are emerging to manage microbial and parasite infections. Exploitation of these opportunities has been stimulated by the discovery of new inhibitor frameworks, the use of semi-synthetic approaches combining chemistry and genome engineering, and more powerful techniques for identifying leads from the screening of large chemical libraries. Here, we review the inhibition of ARSs by small molecules, including the various families of natural products, as well as inhibitors developed by either rational design or high-throughput screening as antibiotics and anti-parasitic therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S Francklyn
- From the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
| | - Patrick Mullen
- From the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Nachiappan M, Jain V, Sharma A, Yogavel M, Jeyakanthan J. Structural and functional analysis of Glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (TtGlnRS) from Thermus thermophilus HB8 and its complexes. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 120:1379-1386. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
30
|
Vemuri R, Shinde T, Gundamaraju R, Gondalia SV, Karpe AV, Beale DJ, Martoni CJ, Eri R. Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 Modulates the Gut Microbiota and Improves Metabolic Profiles in Aging Mice. Nutrients 2018; 10:E1255. [PMID: 30200669 PMCID: PMC6165029 DOI: 10.3390/nu10091255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that gut microbiota shifts can alter host metabolism even during healthy aging. Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1, a probiotic strain, has shown promising probiotic character in vitro, as well as in clinical studies. The present study was carried out to investigate whether DDS-1 can modulate the host metabolic phenotype under the condition of age-affected gut microbial shifts in young and aging C57BL/6J mice. Collected fecal samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing for identifying gut microbiota and untargeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics analysis. Gut microbial shifts were observed in the control groups (young and aging), leading to an alteration in metabolism. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) of microbiota indicated distinct separation in both the DDS-1-treated groups. L. acidophilus DDS-1 increased the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria, such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Lactobacillus spp., and reduced the relative levels of opportunistic bacteria such as Proteobacteria spp. Metabolic pathway analysis identified 10 key pathways involving amino acid metabolism, protein synthesis and metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and butanoate metabolism. These findings suggest that modulation of gut microbiota by DDS-1 results in improvement of metabolic phenotype in the aging mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ravichandra Vemuri
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.
| | - Tanvi Shinde
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.
- Centre for Food Safety and Innovation, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.
| | - Rohit Gundamaraju
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.
| | - Shakuntla V Gondalia
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia.
| | - Avinash V Karpe
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park 4102, Queensland 2601, Australia.
| | - David J Beale
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park 4102, Queensland 2601, Australia.
| | | | - Rajaraman Eri
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Luth MR, Gupta P, Ottilie S, Winzeler EA. Using in Vitro Evolution and Whole Genome Analysis To Discover Next Generation Targets for Antimalarial Drug Discovery. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:301-314. [PMID: 29451780 PMCID: PMC5848146 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Although
many new anti-infectives have been discovered and developed solely
using phenotypic cellular screening and assay optimization, most researchers
recognize that structure-guided drug design is more practical and
less costly. In addition, a greater chemical space can be interrogated
with structure-guided drug design. The practicality of structure-guided
drug design has launched a search for the targets of compounds discovered
in phenotypic screens. One method that has been used extensively in
malaria parasites for target discovery and chemical validation is in vitro evolution and whole genome analysis (IVIEWGA).
Here, small molecules from phenotypic screens with demonstrated antiparasitic
activity are used in genome-based target discovery methods. In this
Review, we discuss the newest, most promising druggable targets discovered
or further validated by evolution-based methods, as well as some exceptions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madeline R. Luth
- Division of Host Pathogen Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Purva Gupta
- Division of Host Pathogen Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Sabine Ottilie
- Division of Host Pathogen Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Elizabeth A. Winzeler
- Division of Host Pathogen Systems and Therapeutics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Skaggs School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Manickam Y, Chaturvedi R, Babbar P, Malhotra N, Jain V, Sharma A. Drug targeting of one or more aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1233-1240. [PMID: 29408369 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a major infectious disease and, despite incidence reduction, it threatens resurgence in drug-resistant forms. Antimalarial drugs remain the mainstay of therapeutic options and hence there is a constant need to identify and validate new druggable targets. Plasmodium falciparum aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (Pf-aaRSs) drive protein translation and are potent targets for development of next-generation antimalarials. Here, we detail advances made in structural-biology-based investigations in Pf-aaRSs and discuss their distribution of druggable pockets. This review establishes a platform for systematic experimental dissection of malarial parasite aaRSs as a new focus for sustained drug development efforts against malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yogavel Manickam
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Rini Chaturvedi
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Palak Babbar
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Nipun Malhotra
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Vitul Jain
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India; Present address: Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, The Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Targeting Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase to Accelerate Drug Discovery against Malaria, Leishmaniasis, Toxoplasmosis, Cryptosporidiosis, and Coccidiosis. Structure 2017; 25:1495-1505.e6. [PMID: 28867614 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2017.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Developing anti-parasitic lead compounds that act on key vulnerabilities are necessary for new anti-infectives. Malaria, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis and coccidiosis together kill >500,000 humans annually. Their causative parasites Plasmodium, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium and Eimeria display high conservation in many housekeeping genes, suggesting that these parasites can be attacked by targeting invariant essential proteins. Here, we describe selective and potent inhibition of prolyl-tRNA synthetases (PRSs) from the above parasites using a series of quinazolinone-scaffold compounds. Our PRS-drug co-crystal structures reveal remarkable active site plasticity that accommodates diversely substituted compounds, an enzymatic feature that can be leveraged for refining drug-like properties of quinazolinones on a per parasite basis. A compound we termed In-5 exhibited a unique double conformation, enhanced drug-like properties, and cleared malaria in mice. It thus represents a new lead for optimization. Collectively, our data offer insights into the structure-guided optimization of quinazolinone-based compounds for drug development against multiple human eukaryotic pathogens.
Collapse
|
34
|
Habib S, Vaishya S, Gupta K. Translation in Organelles of Apicomplexan Parasites. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:939-952. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
|
35
|
Sharma A, Sharma M, Yogavel M, Sharma A. Protein Translation Enzyme lysyl-tRNA Synthetase Presents a New Target for Drug Development against Causative Agents of Loiasis and Schistosomiasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0005084. [PMID: 27806050 PMCID: PMC5091859 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminth parasites are an assemblage of two major phyla of nematodes (also known as roundworms) and platyhelminths (also called flatworms). These parasites are a major human health burden, and infections caused by helminths are considered under neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). These infections are typified by limited clinical treatment options and threat of drug resistance. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are vital enzymes that decode genetic information and enable protein translation. The specific inhibition of pathogen aaRSs bores well for development of next generation anti-parasitics. Here, we have identified and annotated aaRSs and accessory proteins from Loa loa (nematode) and Schistosoma mansoni (flatworm) to provide a glimpse of these protein translation enzymes within these parasites. Using purified parasitic lysyl-tRNA synthetases (KRSs), we developed series of assays that address KRS enzymatic activity, oligomeric states, crystal structure and inhibition profiles. We show that L. loa and S. mansoni KRSs are potently inhibited by the fungal metabolite cladosporin. Our co-crystal structure of Loa loa KRS-cladosporin complex reveals key interacting residues and provides a platform for structure-based drug development. This work hence provides a new direction for both novel target discovery and inhibitor development against eukaryotic pathogens that include L. loa and S. mansoni.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arvind Sharma
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| | - Manmohan Sharma
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Diversity-oriented synthesis yields novel multistage antimalarial inhibitors. Nature 2016; 538:344-349. [PMID: 27602946 DOI: 10.1038/nature19804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimalarial drugs have thus far been chiefly derived from two sources-natural products and synthetic drug-like compounds. Here we investigate whether antimalarial agents with novel mechanisms of action could be discovered using a diverse collection of synthetic compounds that have three-dimensional features reminiscent of natural products and are underrepresented in typical screening collections. We report the identification of such compounds with both previously reported and undescribed mechanisms of action, including a series of bicyclic azetidines that inhibit a new antimalarial target, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. These molecules are curative in mice at a single, low dose and show activity against all parasite life stages in multiple in vivo efficacy models. Our findings identify bicyclic azetidines with the potential to both cure and prevent transmission of the disease as well as protect at-risk populations with a single oral dose, highlighting the strength of diversity-oriented synthesis in revealing promising therapeutic targets.
Collapse
|
37
|
Dimerization of Arginyl-tRNA Synthetase by Free Heme Drives Its Inactivation in Plasmodium falciparum. Structure 2016; 24:1476-87. [PMID: 27502052 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Excess cellular heme is toxic, and malaria parasites regulate its levels during hemoglobin digestion. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are ubiquitous enzymes, and of these, arginyl-tRNA synthetase (RRS) is unique as its enzymatic product of charged tRNA is required for protein synthesis and degradation. We show that Plasmodium falciparum arginyl-tRNA synthetase (PfRRS) is an active, cytosolic, and monomeric enzyme. Its high-resolution crystal structure highlights critical structural differences with the human enzyme. We further show that hemin binds to and inhibits the aminoacylation activity of PfRRS. Hemin induces a dimeric form of PfRRS that is thus rendered enzymatically dead as it is unable to recognize its cognate tRNA(arg). Excessive hemin in chloroquine-treated malaria parasites results in significantly reduced charged tRNA(arg) levels, thus suggesting deceleration of protein synthesis. These data together suggest that the inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum arginyl-tRNA synthetase can now be synergized with existing antimalarials for more potent drug cocktails against malaria parasites.
Collapse
|
38
|
Pasaje CFA, Cheung V, Kennedy K, Lim EE, Baell JB, Griffin MDW, Ralph SA. Selective inhibition of apicoplast tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase causes delayed death in Plasmodium falciparum. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27531. [PMID: 27277538 PMCID: PMC4899734 DOI: 10.1038/srep27531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum relies on efficient protein translation. An essential component of translation is the tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TrpRS) that charges tRNAtrp. Here we characterise two isoforms of TrpRS in Plasmodium; one eukaryotic type localises to the cytosol and a bacterial type localises to the remnant plastid (apicoplast). We show that the apicoplast TrpRS aminoacylates bacterial tRNAtrp while the cytosolic TrpRS charges eukaryotic tRNAtrp. An inhibitor of bacterial TrpRSs, indolmycin, specifically inhibits aminoacylation by the apicoplast TrpRS in vitro, and inhibits ex vivo Plasmodium parasite growth, killing parasites with a delayed death effect characteristic of apicoplast inhibitors. Indolmycin treatment ablates apicoplast inheritance and is rescuable by addition of the apicoplast metabolite isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). These data establish that inhibition of an apicoplast housekeeping enzyme leads to loss of the apicoplast and this is sufficient for delayed death. Apicoplast TrpRS is essential for protein translation and is a promising, specific antimalarial target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charisse Flerida A Pasaje
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Vanessa Cheung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Kit Kennedy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Erin E Lim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Jonathan B Baell
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 399 Royal Parade, Parkville, 3052 Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael D W Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Stuart A Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Khan S. Recent advances in the biology and drug targeting of malaria parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Malar J 2016; 15:203. [PMID: 27068331 PMCID: PMC4828885 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1247-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Escalating drug resistance in malaria parasites and lack of vaccine entails the discovery of novel drug targets and inhibitor molecules. The multi-component protein translation machinery is a rich source of such drug targets. Malaria parasites contain three translational compartments: the cytoplasm, apicoplast and mitochondrion, of which the latter two are of the prokaryotic type. Recent explorations by many groups into the malaria parasite protein translation enzymes, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), have yielded many promising inhibitors. The understanding of the biology of this unique set of 36 enzymes has become much clearer in recent times. Current review discusses the advances made in understanding of crucial aaRSs from Plasmodium and also the specific inhibitors found against malaria aaRSs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sameena Khan
- Drug Discovery Research Centre, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, PO box #04, Faridabad, 121001, India.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Saint-Léger A, Sinadinos C, Ribas de Pouplana L. The growing pipeline of natural aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors for malaria treatment. Bioengineered 2016; 7:60-4. [PMID: 26963157 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2016.1149270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a major global health problem. Parasite resistance to existing drugs makes development of new antimalarials an urgency. The protein synthesis machinery is an excellent target for the development of new anti-infectives, and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) have been validated as antimalarial drug targets. However, avoiding the emergence of drug resistance and improving selectivity to target aaRS in apicomplexan parasites, such as Plasmodium falciparum, remain crucial challenges. Here we discuss such issues using examples of known inhibitors of P. falciparum aaRS, namely halofuginone, cladosporin and borrelidin (inhibitors of ProRS, LysRS and ThrRS, respectively). Encouraging recent results provide useful guidelines to facilitate the development of novel drug candidates which are more potent and selective against these essential enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lluís Ribas de Pouplana
- a Omnia Molecular S.L. , Barcelona , Spain.,b Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) , Barcelona , Spain.,c Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) , Barcelona , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Herman JD, Pepper LR, Cortese JF, Estiu G, Galinsky K, Zuzarte-Luis V, Derbyshire ER, Ribacke U, Lukens AK, Santos SA, Patel V, Clish CB, Sullivan WJ, Zhou H, Bopp SE, Schimmel P, Lindquist S, Clardy J, Mota MM, Keller TL, Whitman M, Wiest O, Wirth DF, Mazitschek R. The cytoplasmic prolyl-tRNA synthetase of the malaria parasite is a dual-stage target of febrifugine and its analogs. Sci Transl Med 2016; 7:288ra77. [PMID: 25995223 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaa3575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of drug resistance is a major limitation of current antimalarials. The discovery of new druggable targets and pathways including those that are critical for multiple life cycle stages of the malaria parasite is a major goal for developing next-generation antimalarial drugs. Using an integrated chemogenomics approach that combined drug resistance selection, whole-genome sequencing, and an orthogonal yeast model, we demonstrate that the cytoplasmic prolyl-tRNA (transfer RNA) synthetase (PfcPRS) of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a biochemical and functional target of febrifugine and its synthetic derivative halofuginone. Febrifugine is the active principle of a traditional Chinese herbal remedy for malaria. We show that treatment with febrifugine derivatives activated the amino acid starvation response in both P. falciparum and a transgenic yeast strain expressing PfcPRS. We further demonstrate in the Plasmodium berghei mouse model of malaria that halofuginol, a new halofuginone analog that we developed, is active against both liver and asexual blood stages of the malaria parasite. Halofuginol, unlike halofuginone and febrifugine, is well tolerated at efficacious doses and represents a promising lead for the development of dual-stage next-generation antimalarials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Herman
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Harvard/Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lauren R Pepper
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Joseph F Cortese
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Guillermina Estiu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kevin Galinsky
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Vanessa Zuzarte-Luis
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa,1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Emily R Derbyshire
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ulf Ribacke
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Amanda K Lukens
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sofia A Santos
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, Lisbon 1640-003, Portugal
| | - Vishal Patel
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Clary B Clish
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - William J Sullivan
- Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Huihao Zhou
- Department of Molecular Biology, Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Selina E Bopp
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Paul Schimmel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. The Scripps Research Institute, Florida, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Susan Lindquist
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jon Clardy
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa,1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tracy L Keller
- Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Malcolm Whitman
- Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Olaf Wiest
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Laboratory for Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dyann F Wirth
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Infectious Diseases Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Structural and functional attributes of malaria parasite diadenosine tetraphosphate hydrolase. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19981. [PMID: 26829485 PMCID: PMC4734340 DOI: 10.1038/srep19981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria symptoms are driven by periodic multiplication cycles of Plasmodium parasites in human red blood corpuscles (RBCs). Malaria infection still accounts for ~600,000 annual deaths, and hence discovery of both new drug targets and drugs remains vital. In the present study, we have investigated the malaria parasite enzyme diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) hydrolase that regulates levels of signalling molecules like Ap4A by hydrolyzing them to ATP and AMP. We have tracked the spatial distribution of parasitic Ap4A hydrolase in infected RBCs, and reveal its unusual localization on the infected RBC membrane in subpopulation of infected cells. Interestingly, enzyme activity assays reveal an interaction between Ap4A hydrolase and the parasite growth inhibitor suramin. We also present a high resolution crystal structure of Ap4A hydrolase in apo- and sulphate- bound state, where the sulphate resides in the enzyme active site by mimicking the phosphate of substrates like Ap4A. The unexpected infected erythrocyte localization of the parasitic Ap4A hydrolase hints at a possible role of this enzyme in purinerigic signaling. In addition, atomic structure of Ap4A hydrolase provides insights for selective drug targeting.
Collapse
|
43
|
Fang P, Guo M. Evolutionary Limitation and Opportunities for Developing tRNA Synthetase Inhibitors with 5-Binding-Mode Classification. Life (Basel) 2015; 5:1703-25. [PMID: 26670257 PMCID: PMC4695845 DOI: 10.3390/life5041703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are enzymes that catalyze the transfer of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs as building blocks for translation. Each of the aaRS families plays a pivotal role in protein biosynthesis and is indispensable for cell growth and survival. In addition, aaRSs in higher species have evolved important non-translational functions. These translational and non-translational functions of aaRS are attractive for developing antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic agents and for treating other human diseases. The interplay between amino acids, tRNA, ATP, EF-Tu and non-canonical binding partners, had shaped each family with distinct pattern of key sites for regulation, with characters varying among species across the path of evolution. These sporadic variations in the aaRSs offer great opportunity to target these essential enzymes for therapy. Up to this day, growing numbers of aaRS inhibitors have been discovered and developed. Here, we summarize the latest developments and structural studies of aaRS inhibitors, and classify them with distinct binding modes into five categories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
| | - Min Guo
- Department of Cancer Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Mailu BM, Li L, Arthur J, Nelson TM, Ramasamy G, Fritz-Wolf K, Becker K, Gardner MJ. Plasmodium Apicoplast Gln-tRNAGln Biosynthesis Utilizes a Unique GatAB Amidotransferase Essential for Erythrocytic Stage Parasites. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:29629-41. [PMID: 26318454 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.655100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast indirect aminoacylation pathway utilizes a non-discriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase to synthesize Glu-tRNA(Gln) and a glutaminyl-tRNA amidotransferase to convert Glu-tRNA(Gln) to Gln-tRNA(Gln). Here, we show that Plasmodium falciparum and other apicomplexans possess a unique heterodimeric glutamyl-tRNA amidotransferase consisting of GatA and GatB subunits (GatAB). We localized the P. falciparum GatA and GatB subunits to the apicoplast in blood stage parasites and demonstrated that recombinant GatAB converts Glu-tRNA(Gln) to Gln-tRNA(Gln) in vitro. We demonstrate that the apicoplast GatAB-catalyzed reaction is essential to the parasite blood stages because we could not delete the Plasmodium berghei gene encoding GatA in blood stage parasites in vivo. A phylogenetic analysis placed the split between Plasmodium GatB, archaeal GatE, and bacterial GatB prior to the phylogenetic divide between bacteria and archaea. Moreover, Plasmodium GatA also appears to have emerged prior to the bacterial-archaeal phylogenetic divide. Thus, although GatAB is found in Plasmodium, it emerged prior to the phylogenetic separation of archaea and bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boniface M Mailu
- From the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Ling Li
- From the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Jen Arthur
- From the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Todd M Nelson
- From the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Gowthaman Ramasamy
- From the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington 98109
| | - Karin Fritz-Wolf
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392 Germany, and the Max-Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Becker
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392 Germany, and
| | - Malcolm J Gardner
- From the Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington 98109, the Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195,
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Gile GH, Moog D, Slamovits CH, Maier UG, Archibald JM. Dual Organellar Targeting of Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases in Diatoms and Cryptophytes. Genome Biol Evol 2015; 7:1728-42. [PMID: 25994931 PMCID: PMC4494062 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evv095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The internal compartmentation of eukaryotic cells not only allows separation of biochemical processes but it also creates the requirement for systems that can selectively transport proteins across the membrane boundaries. Although most proteins function in a single subcellular compartment, many are able to enter two or more compartments, a phenomenon known as dual or multiple targeting. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), which catalyze the ligation of tRNAs to their cognate amino acids, are particularly prone to functioning in multiple subcellular compartments. They are essential for translation, so they are required in every compartment where translation takes place. In diatoms, there are three such compartments, the plastid, the mitochondrion, and the cytosol. In cryptophytes, translation also takes place in the periplastid compartment (PPC), which is the reduced cytoplasm of the plastid’s red algal ancestor and which retains a reduced red algal nucleus. We searched the organelle and nuclear genomes of the cryptophyte Guillardia theta and the diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Thalassiosira pseudonana for aaRS genes and found an insufficient number of genes to provide each compartment with a complete set of aaRSs. We therefore inferred, with support from localization predictions, that many aaRSs are dual targeted. We tested four of the predicted dual targeted aaRSs with green fluorescent protein fusion localizations in P. tricornutum and found evidence for dual targeting to the mitochondrion and plastid in P. tricornutum and G. theta, and indications for dual targeting to the PPC and cytosol in G. theta. This is the first report of dual targeting in diatoms or cryptophytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gillian H Gile
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Daniel Moog
- LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, Germany Present address: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Claudio H Slamovits
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Program in Integrated Microbial Biodiversity, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Uwe-G Maier
- LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, Germany Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
| | - John M Archibald
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Program in Integrated Microbial Biodiversity, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Plasmodium falciparum mitochondria import tRNAs along with an active phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. Biochem J 2015; 465:459-69. [PMID: 25391660 DOI: 10.1042/bj20140998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum protein translation enzymes aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are an emergent family of drug targets. The aaRS ensemble catalyses transfer of amino acids to cognate tRNAs, thus providing charged tRNAs for ribosomal consumption. P. falciparum proteome expression relies on a total of 36 aaRSs for the three translationally independent compartments of cytoplasm, apicoplast and mitochondria. In the present study, we show that, of this set of 36, a single genomic copy of mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (mFRS) is targeted to the parasite mitochondria, and that the mFRS gene is exclusive to malaria parasites within the apicomplexan phyla. Our protein cellular localization studies based on immunofluorescence data show that, along with mFRS, P. falciparum harbours two more phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (FRS) assemblies that are localized to its apicoplast and cytoplasm. The 'extra' mFRS is found in mitochondria of all asexual blood stage parasites and is competent in aminoacylation. We show further that the parasite mitochondria import tRNAs from the cytoplasmic tRNA pool. Hence drug targeting of FRSs presents a unique opportunity to potentially stall protein production in all three parasite translational compartments.
Collapse
|
47
|
Jain V, Yogavel M, Oshima Y, Kikuchi H, Touquet B, Hakimi MA, Sharma A. Structure of Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase-Halofuginone Complex Provides Basis for Development of Drugs against Malaria and Toxoplasmosis. Structure 2015; 23:819-829. [PMID: 25817387 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Revised: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Chinese herb Dichroa febrifuga has traditionally treated malaria-associated fever. Its active component febrifugine (FF) and derivatives such as halofuginone (HF) are potent anti-malarials. Here, we show that FF-based derivatives arrest parasite growth by direct interaction with and inhibition of the protein translation enzyme prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS). Dual administration of inhibitors that target different tRNA synthetases suggests high utility of these drug targets. We reveal the ternary complex structure of PRS-HF and adenosine 5'-(β,γ-imido)triphosphate where the latter facilitates HF integration into the PRS active site. Structural analyses also highlight spaces within the PRS architecture for HF derivatization of its quinazolinone, but not piperidine, moiety. We also show a remarkable ability of HF to kill the related human parasite Toxoplasma gondii, suggesting wider HF efficacy against parasitic PRSs. Hence, our cell-, enzyme-, and structure-based data on FF-based inhibitors strengthen the case for their inclusion in anti-malarial and anti-toxoplasmosis drug development efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vitul Jain
- Structural and Computational Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Manickam Yogavel
- Structural and Computational Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Yoshiteru Oshima
- Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba-yama Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Kikuchi
- Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba-yama Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Bastien Touquet
- CNRS, UMR5163, LAPM, 38041 Grenoble, France; Université Joseph Fourier, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- CNRS, UMR5163, LAPM, 38041 Grenoble, France; Université Joseph Fourier, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural and Computational Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Inhibition of protein synthesis and malaria parasite development by drug targeting of methionyl-tRNA synthetases. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:1856-67. [PMID: 25583729 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02220-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are housekeeping enzymes that couple cognate tRNAs with amino acids to transmit genomic information for protein translation. The Plasmodium falciparum nuclear genome encodes two P. falciparum methionyl-tRNA synthetases (PfMRS), termed PfMRS(cyt) and PfMRS(api). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the two proteins are of primitive origin and are related to heterokonts (PfMRS(cyt)) or proteobacteria/primitive bacteria (PfMRS(api)). We show that PfMRS(cyt) localizes in parasite cytoplasm, while PfMRS(api) localizes to apicoplasts in asexual stages of malaria parasites. Two known bacterial MRS inhibitors, REP3123 and REP8839, hampered Plasmodium growth very effectively in the early and late stages of parasite development. Small-molecule drug-like libraries were screened against modeled PfMRS structures, and several "hit" compounds showed significant effects on parasite growth. We then tested the effects of the hit compounds on protein translation by labeling nascent proteins with (35)S-labeled cysteine and methionine. Three of the tested compounds reduced protein synthesis and also blocked parasite growth progression from the ring stage to the trophozoite stage. Drug docking studies suggested distinct modes of binding for the three compounds, compared with the enzyme product methionyl adenylate. Therefore, this study provides new targets (PfMRSs) and hit compounds that can be explored for development as antimalarial drugs.
Collapse
|
49
|
Datt M, Sharma A. Novel and unique domains in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from human fungal pathogens Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:1069. [PMID: 25479903 PMCID: PMC4301749 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-1069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Some species of fungi can cause serious human diseases, particularly to immuno-compromised individuals. Opportunistic fungal infections are a leading cause of mortality, and present an emerging challenge that requires development of new and effective therapeutics. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are indispensable components of cellular protein translation machinery and can be targeted for discovery of novel anti-fungal agents. Results Validation of aaRSs as potential drug targets in pathogenic microbes prompted us to investigate the genomic distribution of aaRSs within three fungi that infect humans – A. niger, C. albicans and C. neoformans. Hidden Markov Models were built for aaRSs and related proteins to search for homologues in these fungal genomes. Here, we provide a detailed and comprehensive annotation for 3 fungal genome aaRSs and their associated proteins. We delineate predicted localizations, subdomain architectures and prevalence of unusual motifs within these aaRSs. Several fungal aaRSs have unique domain appendages of unknown function e.g. A. niger AsxRS and C. neoformans TyrRS have additional domains that are absent from human homologs. Conclusions Detailed comparisons of fungal aaRSs with human homologs suggest key differences that could be exploited for specific drug targeting. Our cataloging and structural analyses provide a comprehensive foundation for experimentally dissecting fungal aaRSs that may enable development of new anti-fungal agents. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1069) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural and Computational Biology group, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Datt M, Sharma A. Evolutionary and structural annotation of disease-associated mutations in human aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:1063. [PMID: 25476837 PMCID: PMC4298046 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-1063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mutation(s) in proteins are a natural byproduct of evolution but can also cause serious diseases. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are indispensable components of all cellular protein translational machineries, and in humans they drive translation in both cytoplasm and mitochondria. Mutations in aaRSs have been implicated in a plethora of diseases including neurological conditions, metabolic disorders and cancer. Results We have developed an algorithmic approach for genome-wide analyses of sequence substitutions that combines evolutionary, structural and functional information. This pipeline enabled us to super-annotate human aaRS mutations and analyze their linkage to health disorders. Our data suggest that in some but not all cases, aaRS mutations occur in functional and structural sectors where they can manifest their pathological effects by altering enzyme activity or causing structural instability. Further, mutations appear in both solvent exposed and buried regions of aaRSs indicating that these alterations could lead to dysfunctional enzymes resulting in abnormal protein translation routines by affecting inter-molecular interactions or by disruption of non-bonded interactions. Overall, the prevalence of mutations is much higher in mitochondrial aaRSs, and the two most often mutated aaRSs are mitochondrial glutamyl-tRNA synthetase and dual localized glycyl-tRNA synthetase. Out of 63 mutations annotated in this work, only 12 (~20%) were observed in regions that could directly affect aminoacylation activity via either binding to ATP/amino-acid, tRNA or by involvement in dimerization. Mutations in structural cores or at potential biomolecular interfaces account for ~55% mutations while remaining mutations (~25%) remain structurally un-annotated. Conclusion This work provides a comprehensive structural framework within which most defective human aaRSs have been structurally analyzed. The methodology described here could be employed to annotate mutations in other protein families in a high-throughput manner. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1063) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural and Computational Biology group, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India.
| |
Collapse
|