I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[9948]
Open Access
Abstract: Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism and energy production to sustain increased growth, enable metastasis and overcome resistance to cancer treatments. Although primary roles for many metabolic proteins have been identified, some are promiscuous in regards to the reaction they catalyze. To efficiently target these enzymes, a good understanding of their enzymatic function and structure, as well as knowledge regarding any substrate or catalytic promiscuity is required. Here we focus on the characterization of human 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH). PHGDH catalyzes the NAD+-dependent conversion of 3-phosphoglycerate to phosphohydroxypyruvate, which is the first step in the de novo synthesis pathway of serine, a critical amino acid for protein and nucleic acid biosynthesis. We have investigated substrate analogues to assess whether PHGDH might possess other enzymatic roles that could explain its occasional over-expression in cancer, as well as to help with the design of specific inhibitors. We also report the crystal structure of the catalytic subunit of human PHGDH, a dimer, solved with bound cofactor in one monomer and both cofactor and L-tartrate in the second monomer. In vitro enzyme activity measurements show that the catalytic subunit of PHGDH is still active and that PHGDH activity could be significantly inhibited with adenosine 5’-diphosphoribose.
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Nov 2017
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Steven R.
Whittaker
,
Clare
Barlow
,
Mathew
Martin
,
Caterina
Mancusi
,
Steve
Wagner
,
Annette
Self
,
Elaine
Barrie
,
Robert
Te Poele
,
Swee
Sharp
,
Nathan
Brown
,
Stuart
Wilson
,
Wayne
Jackson
,
Peter M.
Fischer
,
Paul A.
Clarke
,
Michael I.
Walton
,
Edward
Mcdonald
,
Julian
Blagg
,
Martin
Noble
,
Michelle D.
Garrett
,
Paul
Workman
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[9948]
Abstract: Deregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple cancer types. Consequently, CDKs have garnered intense interest as therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer. We describe herein the molecular and cellular effects of CCT068127, a novel inhibitor of CDK2 and CDK9. Optimised from the purine template of seliciclib, CCT068127 exhibits greater potency and selectivity against purified CDK2 and CDK9 and superior antiproliferative activity against human colon cancer and melanoma cell lines. X-ray crystallography studies reveal that hydrogen bonding with the DFG motif of CDK2 is the likely mechanism of greater enzymatic potency. Commensurate with inhibition of CDK activity, CCT068127 treatment results in decreased retinoblastoma protein (RB) phosphorylation, reduced phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II and induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The transcriptional signature of CCT068127 shows greatest similarity to other small molecule CDK and also HDAC inhibitors. CCT068127 caused a dramatic loss in expression of DUSP6 phosphatase, alongside elevated ERK phosphorylation and activation of MAPK pathway target genes. MCL1 protein levels are rapidly decreased by CCT068127 treatment and this associates with synergistic antiproliferative activity after combined treatment with CCT068127 and ABT263, a BCL2-family inhibitor. These findings support the rational combination of this series of CDK2/9 inhibitors and BCL2 family inhibitors for the treatment of human cancer.
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Oct 2017
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Christopher R
Coxon
,
Elizabeth
Anscombe
,
Suzannah Jane
Harnor
,
Mathew P.
Martin
,
Benoit Jean-Pierre
Carbain
,
Bernard Thomas
Golding
,
Ian Robert
Hardcastle
,
Lisa K
Harlow
,
Svitlana
Korolchuk
,
Christopher J.
Matheson
,
David R.
Newell
,
Martin E. M.
Noble
,
Mangaleswaran
Sivaprakasam
,
Susan J.
Tudhope
,
David M.
Turner
,
Lan-Zhen
Wang
,
Stephen R
Wedge
,
Christopher
Wong
,
Roger John
Griffin
,
Jane A.
Endicott
,
Celine
Cano
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[13587]
Open Access
Abstract: Purines and related heterocycles substituted at C-2 with 4’-sulfamoylanilino and at C-6 with a variety of groups have been synthesized with the aim of achieving selectivity of binding to CDK2 over CDK1. 6-Substituents that favour competitive inhibition at the ATP binding site of CDK2 were identified and typically exhibited 10-80-fold greater inhibition of CDK2 compared to CDK1. Most impressive was 4-((6-([1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)-9H-purin-2-yl)amino) benzenesulfonamide (73) that exhibited high potency towards CDK2 (IC50 0.044 μM), but was ~ 2000-fold less active towards CDK1 (IC50 86 μM). This compound is therefore a useful tool for studies of cell cycle regulation. Crystal structures of inhibitor-kinase complexes showed that the inhibitor stabilizes a glycine-rich loop conformation that shapes the ATP ribose binding pocket, and that is preferred in CDK2, but has not been observed in CDK1. This aspect of the active site may be exploited for the design of inhibitors that distinguish between CDK1 and CDK2.
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Dec 2016
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Yaw Sing
Tan
,
Judith
Reeks
,
Christopher J.
Brown
,
Dawn
Thean
,
Fernando Jose
Ferrer Gago
,
Tsz Ying
Yuen
,
Eunice Tze Leng
Goh
,
Xue Er Cheryl
Lee
,
Claire E.
Jennings
,
Thomas L.
Joseph
,
Rajamani
Lakshminarayanan
,
David P.
Lane
,
Martin E. M.
Noble
,
Chandra S.
Verma
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[9948]
Open Access
Abstract: Protein flexibility poses a major challenge in binding site identification. Several computational pocket detection methods that utilize small-molecule probes in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been developed to address this issue. Although they have proven hugely successful at reproducing experimental structural data, their ability to predict new binding sites that are yet to be identified and characterized has not been demonstrated. Here, we report the use of benzenes as probe molecules in ligand-mapping MD (LMMD) simulations to predict the existence of two novel binding sites on the surface of the oncoprotein MDM2. One of them was serendipitously confirmed by biophysical assays and X-ray crystallography to be important for the binding of a new family of hydrocarbon stapled peptides that were specifically designed to target the other putative site. These results highlight the predictive power of LMMD and suggest that predictions derived from LMMD simulations can serve as a reliable basis for the identification of novel ligand binding sites in structure-based drug design.
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Sep 2016
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[9948]
Open Access
Abstract: 3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) has recently been identified as an attractive target in cancer therapy as it links upregulated glycolytic flux to increased biomass production in cancer cells. PHGDH catalyses the first step in the serine synthesis pathway and thus diverts glycolytic flux into serine synthesis. We have used siRNA-mediated suppression of PHGDH expression to show that PHGDH is a potential therapeutic target in PHGDH-amplified breast cancer. Knockdown caused reduced proliferation in the PHGDH-amplified cell line MDA-MB-468, whereas breast cancer cells with low PHGDH expression or with elevated PHGDH expression in the absence of genomic amplification were not affected. As a first step towards design of a chemical probe for PHGDH, we report a fragment-based drug discovery approach for the identification of PHGDH inhibitors. We designed a truncated PHGDH construct that gave crystals which diffracted to high resolution, and could be used for fragment soaking. 15 fragments stabilising PHGDH were identified using a thermal shift assay and validated by X-ray crystallography and ITC competition experiments to exhibit 1.5-26.2 mM affinity for PHGDH. A structure-guided fragment growing approach was applied to the PHGDH binders from the initial screen, yielding greater understanding of the binding site and suggesting routes to achieve higher affinity NAD-competitive inhibitors.
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Aug 2016
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Open Access
Abstract: CDK1 is the only essential cell cycle CDK in human cells and is required for successful completion of M-phase. It is the founding member of the CDK family and is conserved across all eukaryotes. Here we report the crystal structures of complexes of CDK1–Cks1 and CDK1–cyclin B–Cks2. These structures confirm the conserved nature of the inactive monomeric CDK fold and its ability to be remodelled by cyclin binding. Relative to CDK2–cyclin A, CDK1–cyclin B is less thermally stable, has a smaller interfacial surface, is more susceptible to activation segment dephosphorylation and shows differences in the substrate sequence features that determine activity. Both CDK1 and CDK2 are potential cancer targets for which selective compounds are required. We also describe the first structure of CDK1 bound to a potent ATP-competitive inhibitor and identify aspects of CDK1 structure and plasticity that might be exploited to develop CDK1-selective inhibitors.
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Nov 2015
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Elizabeth
Anscombe
,
Elisa
Meschini
,
Regina
Mora-Vidal
,
Mathew p.
Martin
,
David
Staunton
,
Matthis
Geitmann
,
U. helena
Danielson
,
Will a.
Stanley
,
Lan z.
Wang
,
Tristan
Reuillon
,
Bernard t.
Golding
,
Celine
Cano
,
David r.
Newell
,
Martin
Noble
,
Stephen r.
Wedge
,
Jane a.
Endicott
,
Roger j.
Griffin
Open Access
Abstract: Irreversible inhibitors that modify cysteine or lysine residues within a protein kinase ATP binding site offer, through their distinctive mode of action, an alternative to ATP-competitive agents. 4-((6-(Cyclohexylmethoxy)-9H-purin-2-yl)amino)benzenesulfonamide (NU6102) is a potent and selective ATP-competitive inhibitor of CDK2 in which the sulfonamide moiety is positioned close to a pair of lysine residues. Guided by the CDK2/NU6102 structure, we designed 6-(cyclohexylmethoxy)-N-(4-(vinylsulfonyl)phenyl)-9H-purin-2-amine (NU6300), which binds covalently to CDK2 as shown by a co-complex crystal structure. Acute incubation with NU6300 produced a durable inhibition of Rb phosphorylation in SKUT-1B cells, consistent with it acting as an irreversible CDK2 inhibitor. NU6300 is the first covalent CDK2 inhibitor to be described, and illustrates the potential of vinyl sulfones for the design of more potent and selective compounds.
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Sep 2015
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I04-1-Macromolecular Crystallography (fixed wavelength)
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Benoit
Carbain
,
David J.
Paterson
,
Elizabeth
Anscombe
,
Allyson J.
Campbell
,
Celine
Cano
,
Aude
Echalier
,
Jane A.
Endicott
,
Bernard T.
Golding
,
Karen
Haggerty
,
Ian R.
Hardcastle
,
Philip J.
Jewsbury
,
David R.
Newell
,
Martin E. M.
Noble
,
Celine
Roche
,
Lan Z.
Wang
,
Roger J.
Griffin
Abstract: Evaluation of the effects of purine C-8 substitution within a series of CDK1/2-selective O6-cyclohexylmethylguanine derivatives revealed that potency decreases initially with increasing size of the alkyl substituent. Structural analysis showed that C-8 substitution is poorly tolerated, and to avoid unacceptable steric interactions, these compounds adopt novel binding modes. Thus, 2-amino-6-cyclohexylmethoxy-8-isopropyl-9H-purine adopts a “reverse” binding mode where the purine backbone has flipped 180°. This provided a novel lead chemotype from which we have designed more potent CDK2 inhibitors using, in the first instance, quantum mechanical energy calculations. Introduction of an ortho-tolyl or ortho-chlorophenyl group at the purine C-8 position restored the potency of these “reverse” binding mode inhibitors to that of the parent 2-amino-6-cyclohexylmethoxy-9H-purine. By contrast, the corresponding 8-(2-methyl-3-sulfamoylphenyl)-purine derivative exhibited submicromolar CDK2-inhibitory activity by virtue of engineered additional interactions with Asp86 and Lys89 in the reversed binding mode, as confirmed by X-ray crystallography.
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Dec 2013
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I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Hao
Shao
,
Shenhua
Shi
,
Shiliang
Huang
,
Alison
Hole
,
Abdullahi Y
Abbas
,
Sonja
Baumli
,
Xiangrui
Liu
,
Frankie
Lam
,
David W.
Foley
,
Peter M.
Fischer
,
Martin
Noble
,
Jane A.
Endicott
,
Chris
Pepper
,
Shudong
Wang
Open Access
Abstract: Cancer cells often have a high demand for antiapoptotic proteins in order to resist programmed cell death. CDK9 inhibition selectively targets survival proteins and reinstates apoptosis in cancer cells. We designed a series of 4-thiazol-2-anilinopyrimidine derivatives with functional groups attached to the C5-position of the pyrimidine or to the C4-thiazol moiety and investigated their effects on CDK9 potency and selectivity. One of the most selective compounds, 12u inhibits CDK9 with IC50 = 7 nM and shows over 80-fold selectivity for CDK9 versus CDK2. X-ray crystal structures of 12u bound to CDK9 and CDK2 provide insights into the binding modes. This work, together with crystal structures of selected inhibitors in complex with both enzymes described in a companion paper,(34) provides a rationale for the observed SAR. 12u demonstrates potent anticancer activity against primary chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells with a therapeutic window 31- and 107-fold over those of normal B- and T-cells.
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Jan 2013
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I02-Macromolecular Crystallography
I03-Macromolecular Crystallography
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Open Access
Abstract: Cyclin-dependent kinase 9/cyclin T, the protein kinase heterodimer that constitutes positive transcription elongation factor b, is a well-validated target for treatment of several diseases, including cancer and cardiac hypertrophy. In order to aid inhibitor design and rationalize the basis for CDK9 selectivity, we have studied the CDK-binding properties of six different members of a 4-(thiazol-5-yl)-2-(phenylamino)pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile series that bind to both CDK9/cyclin T and CDK2/cyclin A. We find that for a given CDK, the melting temperature of a CDK/cyclin/inhibitor complex correlates well with inhibitor potency, suggesting that differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) is a useful orthogonal measure of inhibitory activity for this series. We have used DSF to demonstrate that the binding of these compounds is independent of the presence or absence of the C-terminal tail region of CDK9, unlike the binding of the CDK9-selective inhibitor 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazone-1-?-d-ribofuranoside (DRB). Finally, on the basis of 11 cocrystal structures bound to CDK9/cyclin T or CDK2/cyclin A, we conclude that selective inhibition of CDK9/cyclin T by members of the 4-(thiazol-5-yl)-2-(phenylamino)pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile series results from the relative malleability of the CDK9 active site rather than from the formation of specific polar contacts.
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Dec 2012
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