Covalent Docking in Drug Discovery: Scope and Limitations

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (44) ◽  
pp. 5684-5699
Author(s):  
Andrea Scarpino ◽  
György G. Ferenczy ◽  
György M. Keserű
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Covalent Bond ◽  
Binding Mode ◽  
Chemical Probes ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Covalent Inhibitors ◽  
Covalent Docking ◽  
Docking And Scoring ◽  
Covalent Ligands

Drug discovery efforts for new covalent inhibitors have drastically increased in the last few years. The binding mechanism of covalent compounds entails the formation of a chemical bond between their electrophilic warhead group and the protein of interest. The use of moderately reactive warheads targeting nonconserved nucleophilic residues can improve the affinity and selectivity profiles of covalent binders as compared to their non-covalent analogs. Recent advances have also enabled their use as chemical probes to disclose novel and also less tractable targets. Increasing interest in covalent drug discovery prompted the development of new computational tools, including covalent docking methods, that are available to predict the binding mode and affinity of covalent ligands. These tools integrate conventional non-covalent docking and scoring schemes by modeling the newly formed covalent bond and the interactions occurring at the reaction site. In this review, we provide a thorough analysis of state-of-the-art covalent docking programs by highlighting their main features and current limitations. Focusing on the implemented algorithms, we show the differences in handling the formation of the new covalent bond and their relative impact on the prediction. This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the current technology and suggests future improvements in computer-aided covalent drug design. Finally, discussing successful retrospective and prospective covalent docking-based virtual screening applications, we intend to identify best practices for the drug discovery community.

Isotopically Labeled Desthiobiotin Azide (isoDTB) Tags Enable Global Profiling of the Bacterial Cysteinome

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick R. A. Zanon ◽  
Lisa Lewald ◽  
Stephan M. Hacker
Keyword(s):  
Binding Sites ◽  
Bacterial Resistance ◽  
Mevalonate Pathway ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
High Reactivity ◽  
Functional Importance ◽  
Essential Proteins ◽  
Covalent Inhibitors ◽  
Druggable Targets ◽  
Covalent Ligands

Rapid development of bacterial resistance has led to an urgent need to find new druggable targets for antibiotics. In this context, residue-specific chemoproteomic approaches enable proteome-wide identification of binding sites for covalent inhibitors. Here, we describe isotopically labeled desthiobiotin azide (isoDTB) tags that are easily synthesized, shorten the chemoproteomic workflow and allow an increased coverage of cysteines in bacterial systems. We quantify 59% of all cysteines in essential proteins in <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and discover 88 cysteines with high reactivity, which correlates with functional importance. Furthermore, we identify 268 cysteines that are engaged by covalent ligands. We verify inhibition of HMG-CoA synthase, which will allow addressing the bacterial mevalonate pathway through a new target. Overall, a comprehensive map of the bacterial cysteinome is obtained, which will facilitate the development of antibiotics with novel modes-of-action.

Covalent-Fragment Screening of Brd4 Identifies a Ligandable Site Orthogonal to the Acetyl-Lysine Binding Sites

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Olp ◽  
Daniel Sprague ◽  
Stefan Kathman ◽  
Ziyang Xu ◽  
Alexandar Statsyuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Computational Prediction ◽  
Chemical Probes ◽  
Computational Docking ◽  
Fragment Screening ◽  
Covalent Inhibitors ◽  
Bet Protein ◽  
Proof Of Principle

<p>Brd4, a member of the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) family, has emerged as a promising epigenetic target in cancer and inflammatory disorders. All reported BET family ligands bind within the bromodomain acetyl-lysine binding sites and competitively inhibit BET protein interaction with acetylated chromatin. Alternative chemical probes that act orthogonally to the highly-conserved acetyl-lysine binding sites may exhibit selectivity within the BET family and avoid recently reported toxicity in clinical trials of BET bromodomain inhibitors. Here, we report the first identification of a ligandable site on a bromodomain outside the acetyl-lysine binding site. Inspired by our computational prediction of hotspots adjacent to non-homologous cysteine residues within the <i>C</i>-terminal Brd4 bromodomain (Brd4-BD2), we performed a mid-throughput mass spectrometry screen to identify cysteine-reactive fragments that covalently and selectively modify Brd4. Subsequent mass spectrometry, NMR and computational docking analyses of electrophilic fragment hits revealed a novel ligandable site near Cys356 that is unique to Brd4 among all human bromodomains. This site is orthogonal to the Brd4-BD2 acetyl-lysine binding site as Cys356 modification did not impact binding of the pan-BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 in fluorescence polarization assays. Finally, we tethered covalent fragments to JQ1 and performed NanoBRET assays to provide proof of principle that this orthogonal site can be covalently targeted in intact human cells. Overall, we demonstrate the potential of targeting sites orthogonal to bromodomain acetyl-lysine binding sites to develop bivalent and covalent inhibitors that displace Brd4 from chromatin.</p>

scholarly journals Identification of pyrogallol as a warhead in design of covalent inhibitors for the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haixia Su ◽  
Sheng Yao ◽  
Wenfeng Zhao ◽  
Yumin Zhang ◽  
Jia Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Calculations ◽  
Cysteine Proteinase ◽  
Covalent Binding ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Binding Mechanism ◽  
Covalent Inhibitors ◽  
Catalytic Cysteine ◽  
3Cl Protease ◽  
Covalent Ligands ◽  
Covalent Inhibitor

AbstractThe ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) urgently needs an effective cure. 3CL protease (3CLpro) is a highly conserved cysteine proteinase that is indispensable for coronavirus replication, providing an attractive target for developing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. Here we describe the discovery of myricetin, a flavonoid found in many food sources, as a non-peptidomimetic and covalent inhibitor of the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Crystal structures of the protease bound with myricetin and its derivatives unexpectedly revealed that the pyrogallol group worked as an electrophile to covalently modify the catalytic cysteine. Kinetic and selectivity characterization together with theoretical calculations comprehensively illustrated the covalent binding mechanism of myricetin with the protease and demonstrated that the pyrogallol can serve as an electrophile warhead. Structure-based optimization of myricetin led to the discovery of derivatives with good antiviral activity and the potential of oral administration. These results provide detailed mechanistic insights into the covalent mode of action by pyrogallol-containing natural products and a template for design of non-peptidomimetic covalent inhibitors against 3CLpros, highlighting the potential of pyrogallol as an alternative warhead in design of targeted covalent ligands.

ChemInform Abstract: Drug Discovery Considerations in the Development of Covalent Inhibitors

ChemInform ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. no-no
Author(s):  
Robert Mah ◽  
Jason R. Thomas ◽  
Cynthia M. Shafer
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Covalent Inhibitors

scholarly journals Development of a Selection Method for Discovering Irreversible (Covalent) Binders from a DNA-Encoded Library

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhengrong Zhu ◽  
LaShadric C. Grady ◽  
Yun Ding ◽  
Kenneth E. Lind ◽  
Christopher P. Davie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Beads ◽  
Chemical Probes ◽  
Lead Discovery ◽  
3C Protease ◽  
Discovery Research ◽  
Drug Discovery Research ◽  
Affinity Resin ◽  
Covalent Ligands ◽  
Developing Method ◽  
Unique Mechanism

DNA-encoded libraries (DELs) have been broadly applied to identify chemical probes for target validation and lead discovery. To date, the main application of the DEL platform has been the identification of reversible ligands using multiple rounds of affinity selection. Irreversible (covalent) inhibition offers a unique mechanism of action for drug discovery research. In this study, we report a developing method of identifying irreversible (covalent) ligands from DELs. The new method was validated by using 3C protease (3CP) and on-DNA irreversible tool compounds (rupintrivir derivatives) spiked into a library at the same concentration as individual members of that library. After affinity selections against 3CP, the irreversible tool compounds were specifically enriched compared with the library members. In addition, we compared two immobilization methods and concluded that microscale columns packed with the appropriate affinity resin gave higher tool compound recovery than magnetic beads.

scholarly journals Mechanism of Covalent Binding of Ibrutinib to Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase revealed by QM/MM Calculations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angus Voice ◽  
Gary Tresadern ◽  
Rebecca Twidale ◽  
Herman Van Vlijmen ◽  
Adrian Mulholland
Keyword(s):  
Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Covalent Binding ◽  
Bond Formation ◽  
Covalent Bond ◽  
Covalent Modification ◽  
Mechanistic Study ◽  
Bruton’S Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Covalent Inhibitors ◽  
Covalent Bond Formation

<p>Ibrutinib is the first covalent inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) to be used in the treatment of B-cell cancers. Understanding the mechanism of covalent inhibition is crucial for the design of safer and more selective covalent inhibitors that target BTK. There are questions surrounding the precise mechanism of covalent bond formation in BTK as there is no appropriate active site residue that can act as a base to deprotonate the cysteine thiol prior to covalent bond formation. To address this, we have investigated several mechanistic pathways of covalent modification of C481 in BTK by ibrutinib using QM/MM reaction simulations. The lowest energy pathway we identified involves a direct proton transfer from C481 to the acrylamide warhead in ibrutinib, followed by covalent bond formation to form an enol intermediate. There is a subsequent rate-limiting keto-enol tautomerisation step (DG<sup>‡</sup>=10.5 kcal mol<sup>-1</sup>) to reach the inactivated BTK/ibrutinib complex. Our results represent the first mechanistic study of BTK inactivation by ibrutinib to consider multiple mechanistic pathways. These findings should aid in the design of covalent drugs that target BTK and related proteins. </p>

scholarly journals Modern Approaches in the Discovery and Development of Plant-Based Natural Products and Their Analogues as Potential Therapeutic Agents

Molecules ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 349
Author(s):  
Asim Najmi ◽  
Sadique A. Javed ◽  
Mohammed Al Bratty ◽  
Hassan A. Alhazmi
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Natural Product ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
Throughput Capacity ◽  
Scientific Interest ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Natural Sources ◽  
Discovery Research ◽  
Drug Discovery Research

Natural products represents an important source of new lead compounds in drug discovery research. Several drugs currently used as therapeutic agents have been developed from natural sources; plant sources are specifically important. In the past few decades, pharmaceutical companies demonstrated insignificant attention towards natural product drug discovery, mainly due to its intrinsic complexity. Recently, technological advancements greatly helped to address the challenges and resulted in the revived scientific interest in drug discovery from natural sources. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various approaches used in the selection, authentication, extraction/isolation, biological screening, and analogue development through the application of modern drug-development principles of plant-based natural products. Main focus is given to the bioactivity-guided fractionation approach along with associated challenges and major advancements. A brief outline of historical development in natural product drug discovery and a snapshot of the prominent natural drugs developed in the last few decades are also presented. The researcher’s opinions indicated that an integrated interdisciplinary approach utilizing technological advances is necessary for the successful development of natural products. These involve the application of efficient selection method, well-designed extraction/isolation procedure, advanced structure elucidation techniques, and bioassays with a high-throughput capacity to establish druggability and patentability of phyto-compounds. A number of modern approaches including molecular modeling, virtual screening, natural product library, and database mining are being used for improving natural product drug discovery research. Renewed scientific interest and recent research trends in natural product drug discovery clearly indicated that natural products will play important role in the future development of new therapeutic drugs and it is also anticipated that efficient application of new approaches will further improve the drug discovery campaign.

scholarly journals Xanthine-Based Photoaffinity Probes Allow Assessment of Ligand Engagement by TRPC5 Channels

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Bauer ◽  
Aisling Minard ◽  
Isabelle Pickles ◽  
Matthew Burnham ◽  
Nikil Kapur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Binding Mode ◽  
Chemical Probes ◽  
Binding Interaction ◽  
Biological Studies ◽  
Photoaffinity Probes ◽  
Direct Binding ◽  
Trpc5 Channels

TRPC1/4/5 cation channels are emerging drug targets for the treatment of, amongst others, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, kidney disease, and cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Various small-molecule TRPC1/4/5 modulators have been reported, including highly potent xanthine derivatives that can distinguish between specific TRPC1/4/5 tetramers. However, there is a paucity of information about their binding mode, which limits the ability to develop them further as chemical probes of specific TRPC1/4/5 channels for use in fundamental biological studies and drug discovery programmes. Here, we report the development of a set of potent xanthine-based photoaffinity probes that functionally mimic the xanthines Pico145 and AM237, respectively. Using these probes, we have developed a quantitative photoaffinity labelling protocol for TRPC5 channels. Our results provide the first direct evidence that xanthines modulate TRPC5 channels through a direct binding interaction with TRPC5 protein, and the first quantitative method for the assessment of binding interactions of TRPC5 and small molecules. Our method may allow the study of the mode-of-action of other TRPC1/4/5 modulators, and the identification of small molecule binding sites of TRPC1/4/5 channels.

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