| 1. |
- Fabini, Edoardo, et al.
(author)
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Unveiling the Biochemistry of the Epigenetic Regulator SMYD3
- 2019
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In: Biochemistry. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 58:35, s. 3634-3645
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- SET and MYND domain-containing protein 3 (SMYD3) is a lysine methyltransferase that plays a central role in a variety of cancer diseases, exerting its pro-oncogenic activity by methylation of key proteins, of both nuclear and cytoplasmic nature. However, the role of SMYD3 in the initiation and progression of cancer is not yet fully understood and further biochemical characterization is required to support the discovery of therapeutics targeting this enzyme. We have therefore developed robust protocols for production, handling, and crystallization of SMYD3 and biophysical and biochemical assays for clarification of SMYD3 biochemistry and identification of useful lead compounds. Specifically, a time-resolved biosensor assay was developed for kinetic characterization of SMYD3 interactions. Functional differences in SMYD3 interactions with its natural small molecule ligands SAM and SAH were revealed, with SAM forming a very stable complex. A variety of peptides mimicking putative substrates of SMYD3 were explored in order to expose structural features important for recognition. The interaction between SMYD3 and some peptides was influenced by SAM. A nonradioactive SMYD3 activity assay using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis explored substrate features of importance also for methylation. Methylation was notable only toward MAP kinase kinase kinase 2 (MAP3K2_K-260)-mimicking peptides, although binary and tertiary complexes were detected also with other peptides. The analysis supported a random bi-bi mechanistic model for SMYD3 methyltransferase catalysis. Our work unveiled complexities in SMYD3 biochemistry and resulted in procedures suitable for further studies and identification of novel starting points for design of effective and specific leads for this potential oncology target.
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| 2. |
- FitzGerald, Edward A., et al.
(author)
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Multiplexed experimental strategies for fragment library screening using SPR biosensors
- 2020
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)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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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- FitzGerald, Edward, et al.
(author)
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Multiplexed experimental strategies for fragment library screening against challenging drug targets using SPR biosensors
- 2024
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In: SLAS Discovery. - : Elsevier. - 2472-5560 .- 2472-5552. ; :1, s. 40-51
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 5. |
- Koos, Björn, et al.
(author)
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Proximity-dependent initiation of hybridization chain reaction
- 2015
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sensitive detection of protein interactions and post-translational modifications of native proteins is a challenge for research and diagnostic purposes. A method for this, which could be used in point-of-care devices and high-throughput screening, should be reliable, cost effective and robust. To achieve this, here we design a method (proxHCR) that combines the need for proximal binding with hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for signal amplification. When two oligonucleotide hairpins conjugated to antibodies bind in close proximity, they can be activated to reveal an initiator sequence. This starts a chain reaction of hybridization events between a pair of fluorophore-labelled oligonucleotide hairpins, generating a fluorescent product. In conclusion, we show the applicability of the proxHCR method for the detection of protein interactions and posttranslational modifications in microscopy and flow cytometry. As no enzymes are needed, proxHCR may be an inexpensive and robust alternative to proximity ligation assays.
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| 6. |
- Kozielski, Frank, et al.
(author)
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Identification of fragments binding to SARS-CoV-2 nsp10 reveals ligand-binding sites in conserved interfaces between nsp10 and nsp14/nsp16
- 2021
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In: RSC Chemical Biology. - 2633-0679. ; 3:1, s. 44-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019, Covid-19 has developed into a serious threat to our health, social and economic systems. Although vaccines have been developed in a tour-de-force and are now increasingly available, repurposing of existing drugs has been less successful. There is a clear need to develop new drugs against SARS-CoV-2 that can also be used against future coronavirus infections. Non-structural protein 10 (nsp10) is a conserved stimulator of two enzymes crucial for viral replication, nsp14 and nsp16, exhibiting exoribonuclease and methyltransferase activities. Interfering with RNA proofreading or RNA cap formation represents intervention strategies to inhibit replication. We applied fragment-based screening using nano differential scanning fluorometry and X-ray crystallography to identify ligands targeting SARS-CoV-2 nsp10. We identified four fragments located in two distinct sites: one can be modelled to where it would be located in the nsp14–nsp10 complex interface and the other in the nsp16–nsp10 complex interface. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) experiments were used to quantify fragment affinities for nsp10. Additionally, we showed by MST that the interaction by nsp14 and 10 is weak and thereby that complex formation could be disrupted by small molecules. The fragments will serve as starting points for the development of more potent analogues using fragment growing techniques and structure-based drug design.
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| 7. |
- Lima, Gustavo M A, et al.
(author)
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FragMAX : the fragment-screening platform at the MAX IV Laboratory
- 2020
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In: Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology. - 2059-7983. ; 76:Pt 8, s. 771-777
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Advances in synchrotron storage rings and beamline automation have pushed data-collection rates to thousands of data sets per week. With this increase in throughput, massive projects such as in-crystal fragment screening have become accessible to a larger number of research groups. The quality of support offered at large-scale facilities allows medicinal chemistry-focused or biochemistry-focused groups to supplement their research with structural biology. Preparing the experiment, analysing multiple data sets and prospecting for interesting complexes of protein and fragments require, for both newcomers and experienced users, efficient management of the project and extensive computational power for data processing and structure refinement. Here, FragMAX, a new complete platform for fragment screening at the BioMAX beamline of the MAX IV Laboratory, is described. The ways in which users are assisted in X-ray-based fragment screenings and in which the fourth-generation storage ring available at the facility is best exploited are also described.
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| 8. |
- Lima, Gustavo M.A., et al.
(author)
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FragMAXapp : Crystallographic fragment-screening data-analysis and project-management system
- 2021
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In: Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology. - 2059-7983. ; 77, s. 799-808
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Crystallographic fragment screening (CFS) has become one of the major techniques for screening compounds in the early stages of drug-discovery projects. Following the advances in automation and throughput at modern macromolecular crystallography beamlines, the bottleneck for CFS has shifted from collecting data to organizing and handling the analysis of such projects. The complexity that emerges from the use of multiple methods for processing and refinement and to search for ligands requires an equally sophisticated solution to summarize the output, allowing researchers to focus on the scientific questions instead of on software technicalities. FragMAXapp is the fragment-screening project-management tool designed to handle CFS projects at MAX IV Laboratory. It benefits from the powerful computing infrastructure of large-scale facilities and, as a web application, it is accessible from everywhere.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Linkuviene, Vaida, et al.
(author)
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Introduction of Intrinsic Kinetics of Protein-Ligand Interactions and Their Implications for Drug Design
- 2018
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In: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0022-2623 .- 1520-4804. ; 61:6, s. 2292-2302
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Structure kinetic relationship analyses and identification of dominating interactions for optimization of lead compounds should ideally be based on intrinsic rate constants instead of the more easily accessible observed kinetic constants, which also account for binding linked reactions. The intrinsic rate constants for sulfonamide inhibitors and pharmacologically relevant isoforms of carbonic anhydrase were determined by a novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor-based approach, using chemodynamic analysis of binding-linked pH-dependent effects. The observed association rates (k(a)(obs)) were pH-dependent and correlated with the fraction of deprotonated inhibitor and protonated zinc-bound water molecule. The intrinsic association rate constants (k(a)(intr)) were pH independent and higher than k(a)(obs). By contrast, the observed and intrinsic dissociation rate constants were identical and pH-independent, demonstrating that the observed association and dissociation mechanisms are inherently different. A model accounting for the differences between intrinsic and observed rate constants was developed, useful also for other interactions with binding-linked protonation reactions.
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