Binding of the Anti-FIV Peptide C8 to Differently Charged Membrane Models: From First Docking to Membrane Tubulation

Control of the eIF4E activity: structural insights and pharmacological implications

The central role of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) in controlling mRNA translation has been clearly assessed in the last decades. eIF4E function is essential for numerous physiological processes, such as protein synthesis, cellular growth and differentiation; dysregulation of its activity has been linked to ageing, cancer onset and progression and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). The interaction between eIF4E and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4G (eIF4G) is crucial for the assembly of the translational machinery, the initial step of mRNA translation. A well-characterized group of proteins, named 4E-binding proteins (4E-BPs), inhibits the eIF4E–eIF4G interaction by competing for the same binding site on the eIF4E surface. 4E-BPs and eIF4G share a single canonical motif for the interaction with a conserved hydrophobic patch of eIF4E. However, a second non-canonical and not conserved binding motif was recently detected for eIF4G and several 4E-BPs. Here, we review the structural features of the interaction between eIF4E and its molecular partners eIF4G and 4E-BPs, focusing on the implications of the recent structural and biochemical evidence for the development of new therapeutic strategies. The design of novel eIF4E-targeting molecules that inhibit translation might provide new avenues for the treatment of several conditions.

1,2,3-Triazoles as Biomimetics in Peptide Science

Natural peptides are an important class of chemical mediators, essential for most vital processes. What limits the potential of the use of peptides as drugs is their low bioavailability and enzymatic degradation in vivo. To overcome this limitation, the development of new molecules mimicking peptides is of great importance for the development of new biologically active molecules. Therefore, replacing the amide bond in a peptide with a heterocyclic bioisostere, such as the 1,2,3-triazole ring, can be considered an effective solution for the synthesis of biologically relevant peptidomimetics. These 1,2,3-triazoles may have an interesting biological activity, because they behave as rigid link units, which can mimic the electronic properties of amide bonds and show bioisosteric effects. Additionally, triazole can be used as a linker moiety to link peptides to other functional groups.