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| 2. |
- Al-Amin, Rasel A., Researcher, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Monitoring drug–target interactions through target engagement-mediated amplification on arrays and in situ
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press. - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 50:22, s. e129-e129
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Drugs are designed to bind their target proteins in physiologically relevant tissues and organs to modulate biological functions and elicit desirable clinical outcomes. Information about target engagement at cellular and subcellular resolution is therefore critical for guiding compound optimization in drug discovery, and for probing resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies in clinical samples. We describe a target engagement-mediated amplification (TEMA) technology, where oligonucleotide-conjugated drugs are used to visualize and measure target engagement in situ, amplified via rolling-circle replication of circularized oligonucleotide probes. We illustrate the TEMA technique using dasatinib and gefitinib, two kinase inhibitors with distinct selectivity profiles. In vitro binding by the dasatinib probe to arrays of displayed proteins accurately reproduced known selectivity profiles, while their differential binding to fixed adherent cells agreed with expectations from expression profiles of the cells. We also introduce a proximity ligation variant of TEMA to selectively investigate binding to specific target proteins of interest. This form of the assay serves to improve resolution of binding to on- and off-target proteins. In conclusion, TEMA has the potential to aid in drug development and clinical routine by conferring valuable insights in drug–target interactions at spatial resolution in protein arrays, cells and in tissues.
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| 3. |
- Al-Amin, Rasel Abdullah, Researcher, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Sensitive protein detection using site-specifically oligonucleotide-conjugated nanobody reagents
- 2022
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Ingår i: Analytical Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0003-2700 .- 1520-6882. ; 98:28, s. 10054-10061
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-quality affinity probes are critical for sensitive and specific protein detection, in particular for detection of protein biomarkers in the early phases of disease development. Proximity extension assays (PEAs) have been used for high-throughput multiplexed protein detection of up to a few thousand different proteins in one or a few microliters of plasma. Clonal affinity reagents can offer advantages over the commonly used polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) in terms of reproducibility and standardization of such assays. Here, we explore nanobodies (Nbs) as an alternative to pAbs as affinity reagents for PEA. We describe an efficient site-specific approach for preparing high-quality oligo-conjugated Nb probes via enzyme coupling using Sortase A (SrtA). The procedure allows convenient removal of unconjugated affinity reagents after conjugation. The purified high-grade Nb probes were used in PEA, and the reactions provided an efficient means to select optimal pairs of binding reagents from a group of affinity reagents. We demonstrate that Nb-based PEA (nano-PEA) for interleukin-6 (IL6) detection can augment assay performance, compared to the use of pAb probes. We identify and validate Nb combinations capable of binding in pairs without competition for IL6 antigen detection by PEA.
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| 4. |
- Cederfelt, Daniela
(författare)
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Structural studies of drug targets and a drug metabolizing enzyme
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The work presented in this thesis describes how structural information about a protein can be acquired, and how it can be used to answer scientific questions about proteins’ function, their dynamic behaviour and their interactions with other proteins or ligands.The catalytic function of the pyrimidine-degrading, drug metabolizing enzyme β-ureidopropionase (βUP) is dependent on the shift between oligomeric states. Substitution of amino acids H173 and H307 in the dimer-dimer interface and E207Q in the active site revealed that these are crucial for βUP activation. Inhibition studies of substrate-and product analogues allowed for a hypothesis that the ability to interact with F205 might distinguish activators from inhibitors. The first structure of the activated higher oligomer state of human βUP was determined using cryogenic electron microscopy, and confirmed that the closed entrance loop conformations and dimer-dimer interfaces are conserved between HsβUP and DmβUP. Interactions between the epigenetic drug target SET and MYND domain containing protein 3 (SMYD3) and possible inhibitors were investigated. A crystal structure confirmed the covalent bond of a rationally designed, targeted inhibitor to C186 in the active site of SMYD3. A new allosteric binding site was discovered using a biosensor screen with a blocked active site. Crystal structures revealed the location of the new binding site, and the binding mode of the (S)-and (R) enantiomers of the allosteric inhibitor. Lastly, a fragment based drug discovery approach was taken, co-crystallizing and soaking SMYD3 with hits from a fragment screen. This resulted in four crystal structures with weak electron density of fragments at several locations in the enzyme. The dynamic acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) is a homologue of a Cys-loop type ligand gated ion channel. Hits from various biosensor screens, of which some indicated conformational changes, were co-crystallized with AChBP. Seven crystal structures of AChBP in complex with hit compounds from the biophysical screens were determined. Small conformational changes in the Cys-loop were detected in several of the crystal structures, coinciding with the results from the biosensor screens.In these studies, we explore new strategies for the investigation of the function and regulation of proteins relevant in drug discovery and optimization.
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| 5. |
- Cederfelt, Daniela, et al.
(författare)
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The Allosteric Regulation of Β-Ureidopropionase Depends on Fine-Tuned Stability of Active-Site Loops and Subunit Interfaces
- 2023
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Ingår i: Biomolecules. - : MDPI. - 2218-273X. ; 13:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The activity of β-ureidopropionase, which catalyses the last step in the degradation of uracil, thymine, and analogous antimetabolites, is cooperatively regulated by the substrate and product of the reaction. This involves shifts in the equilibrium of the oligomeric states of the enzyme, but how these are achieved and result in changes in enzyme catalytic competence has yet to be determined. Here, the regulation of human β-ureidopropionase was further explored via site-directed mutagenesis, inhibition studies, and cryo-electron microscopy. The active-site residue E207, as well as H173 and H307 located at the dimer-dimer interface, are shown to play crucial roles in enzyme activation. Dimer association to larger assemblies requires closure of active-site loops, which positions the catalytically crucial E207 stably in the active site. H173 and H307 likely respond to ligand-induced changes in their environment with changes in their protonation states, which fine-tunes the active-site loop stability and the strength of dimer-dimer interfaces and explains the previously observed pH influence on the oligomer equilibrium. The correlation between substrate analogue structure and effect on enzyme assembly suggests that the ability to favourably interact with F205 may distinguish activators from inhibitors. The cryo-EM structure of human β-ureidopropionase assembly obtained at low pH provides first insights into the architecture of its activated state. and validates our current model of the allosteric regulation mechanism. Closed entrance loop conformations and dimer-dimer interfaces are highly conserved between human and fruit fly enzymes.
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| 6. |
- Encarnacao, Joao Crispim, Master, 1990-, et al.
(författare)
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A real-time cell-binding assay reveals dynamic features of STxB-Gb3 cointernalization and STxB-mediated cargo delivery into cancer cells
- 2020
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Ingår i: FEBS Letters. - : WILEY. - 0014-5793 .- 1873-3468. ; 594:15, s. 2406-2420
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The interaction between the Shiga toxin B-subunit (STxB) and its globotriaosylceramide receptor (Gb3) has a high potential for being exploited for targeted cancer therapy. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the capacity of STxB to carry small molecules and proteins as cargo into cells. For this purpose, an assay was designed to provide real-time information about the StxB-Gb3 interaction as well as the dynamics and mechanism of the internalization process. The assay revealed the ability to distinguish the process of binding to the cell surface from internalization and presented the importance of receptor and STxB clustering for internalization. The overall setup demonstrated that the binding mechanism is complex, and the concept of affinity is difficult to apply. Hence, time-resolved methods, providing detailed information about the interaction of STxB with cells, are critical for the optimization of intracellular delivery.
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| 7. |
- Fekry, Mostafa, et al.
(författare)
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The Crystal Structure of Tyrosinase from Verrucomicrobium spinosum Reveals It to Be an Atypical Bacterial Tyrosinase
- 2023
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Ingår i: Biomolecules. - : MDPI. - 2218-273X. ; 13:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tyrosinases belong to the type-III copper enzyme family, which is involved in melanin production in a wide range of organisms. Despite similar overall characteristics and functions, their structures, activities, substrate specificities and regulation vary. The tyrosinase from the bacterium Verrucomicrobium spinosum (vsTyr) is produced as a pre-pro-enzyme in which a C-terminal extension serves as an inactivation domain. It does not require a caddie protein for copper ion incorporation, which makes it similar to eukaryotic tyrosinases. To gain an understanding of the catalytic machinery and regulation of vsTyr activity, we determined the structure of the catalytically active "core domain" of vsTyr by X-ray crystallography. The analysis showed that vsTyr is an atypical bacterial tyrosinase not only because it is independent of a caddie protein but also because it shows the highest structural (and sequence) similarity to plant-derived members of the type-III copper enzyme family and is more closely related to fungal tyrosinases regarding active site features. By modelling the structure of the pre-pro-enzyme using AlphaFold, we observed that Phe453, located in the C-terminal extension, is appropriately positioned to function as a "gatekeeper" residue. Our findings raise questions concerning the evolutionary origin of vsTyr.
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| 8. |
- FitzGerald, Edward A., et al.
(författare)
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Discovery of fragments inducing conformational effects in dynamic proteins using a second-harmonic generation biosensor
- 2021
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2046-2069. ; 11:13, s. 7527-7537
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biophysical screening of compound libraries for the identification of ligands that interact with a protein is efficient, but does typically not reveal if (or how) ligands may interfere with its functional properties. For this a biochemical/functional assay is required. But for proteins whose function is dependent on a conformational change, such assays are typically complex or have low throughput. Here we have explored a high-throughput second-harmonic generation (SHG) biosensor to detect fragments that induce conformational changes upon binding to a protein in real time and identify dynamic regions. Multiwell plate format SHG assays were developed for wild-type and six engineered single-cysteine mutants of acetyl choline binding protein (AChBP), a homologue to ligand gated ion channels (LGICs). They were conjugated with second harmonic-active labels via amine or maleimide coupling. To validate the assay, it was confirmed that the conformational changes induced in AChBP by nicotinic acetyl choline receptor (nAChR) agonists and antagonists were qualitatively different. A 1056 fragment library was subsequently screened against all variants and conformational modulators of AChBP were successfully identified, with hit rates from 9–22%, depending on the AChBP variant. A subset of four hits was selected for orthogonal validation and structural analysis. A time-resolved grating-coupled interferometry-based biosensor assay confirmed the interaction to be a reversible 1-step 1 : 1 interaction, and provided estimates of affinities and interaction kinetic rate constants (KD = 0.28–63 μM, ka = 0.1–6 μM−1 s−1, kd = 1 s−1). X-ray crystallography of two of the fragments confirmed their binding at a previously described conformationally dynamic site, corresponding to the regulatory site of LGICs. These results reveal that SHG has the sensitivity to identify fragments that induce conformational changes in a protein. A selection of fragment hits with a response profile different to known LGIC regulators was characterized and confirmed to bind to dynamic regions of the protein.
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| 9. |
- FitzGerald, Edward A., et al.
(författare)
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Multiplexed experimental strategies for fragment library screening using SPR biosensors
- 2020
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Surface plasmon resonance biosensor technology (SPR) is ideally suited for fragment-based lead discovery. However, generally suitable experimental procedures or detailed protocols are lacking, especially for structurally or physico-chemically challenging targets or when tool compounds are lacking. Success depends on accounting for the features of both the target and the chemical library, purposely designing screening experiments for identification and validation of hits with desired specificity and mode-of-action, and availability of orthogonal methods capable of confirming fragment hits. By adopting a multiplexed strategy, the range of targets and libraries amenable to an SPR biosensor-based approach for identifying hits is considerably expanded. We here illustrate innovative strategies using five challenging targets and variants thereof. Two libraries of 90 and 1056 fragments were screened using two different flow-based SPR biosensor systems, allowing different experimental approaches. Practical considerations and procedures accounting for the characteristics of the proteins and libraries, and that increase robustness, sensitivity, throughput and versatility are highlighted.Competing Interest StatementAnna Moberg, Maria T. Lindgren and Claes Holmgren work for Cytiva, which produce Biacore systems.
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| 10. |
- FitzGerald, Edward, et al.
(författare)
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Multiplexed experimental strategies for fragment library screening against challenging drug targets using SPR biosensors
- 2024
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Ingår i: SLAS Discovery. - : Elsevier. - 2472-5552 .- 2472-5560. ; :1, s. 40-51
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor methods are ideally suited for fragment-based lead discovery. However, generally applicable experimental procedures and detailed protocols are lacking, especially for structurally or physico-chemically challenging targets or when tool compounds are not available. Success depends on accounting for the features of both the target and the chemical library, purposely designing screening experiments for identification and validation of hits with desired specificity and mode-of-action, and availability of orthogonal methods capable of confirming fragment hits. The range of targets and libraries amenable to an SPR biosensor-based approach for identifying hits is considerably expanded by adopting multiplexed strategies, using multiple complementary surfaces or experimental conditions. Here we illustrate principles and multiplexed approaches for using flow-based SPR biosensor systems for screening fragment libraries of different sizes (90 and 1056 compounds) against a selection of challenging targets. It shows strategies for the identification of fragments interacting with 1) large and structurally dynamic targets, represented by acetyl choline binding protein (AChBP), a Cys-loop receptor ligand gated ion channel homologue, 2) targets in multi protein complexes, represented by lysine demethylase 1 and a corepressor (LSD1/CoREST), 3) structurally variable or unstable targets, represented by farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS), 4) targets containing intrinsically disordered regions, represented by protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), and 5) aggregation-prone proteins, represented by an engineered form of human tau (tau K18M). Practical considerations and procedures accounting for the characteristics of the proteins and libraries, and that increase robustness, sensitivity, throughput and versatility are highlighted. The study shows that the challenges for addressing these types of targets is not identification of potentially useful fragments per se, but establishing methods for their validation and evolution into leads.
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