ABSTRACT
We report a rapid and reliable 2-tier selection and screen for detection of activity as well as drug-resistance in mutated variants of a clinically-relevant drug-target enzyme. Human dihydrofolate reductase point-mutant libraries were subjected to a 1st-tier bacterial complementation assay, such that bacterial propagation served as an indicator of enzyme activity. Alternatively, when selection was performed in the presence of the inhibitor methotrexate (MTX), propagation indicated MTX resistance. The selected variants were then subjected to a 2nd-tier in vitro screen in 96-well plate format using crude bacterial lysate. Conditions were defined to establish a threshold for activity or for MTX resistance. The 2nd-tier assay allowed rapid detection of the best variants among the leads and provided reliable estimates of relative reactivity, (k(cat)) and IC(50)(MTX). Screening saturation libraries of active-site positions 7, 15, 24, 70, and 115 revealed a variety of novel mutations compatible with reactivity as well as 2 novel MTX-resistant variants: V115A and V115C. Both variants displayed K(i)(MTX)=20 nM, a 600-fold increase relative to the wild-type. We also present preliminary results from screening against further antifolates following simple modifications of the protocol. The flexibility and robustness of this method will provide new insights into interactions between ligands and active-site residues of this clinically relevant human enzyme.
