Selective targeting of human TET1 by cyclic peptide inhibitors: Insights from biochemical profiling.

Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) enzymes are Fe(II)/2OG-dependent oxygenases that play important roles in epigenetic regulation, but selective inhibition of the TETs is an unmet challenge. We describe the profiling of previously identified TET1-binding macrocyclic peptides. TiP1 is established as a potent TET1 inhibitor (IC50 = 0.26 µM) with excellent selectivity over other TETs and 2OG oxygenases. TiP1 alanine scanning reveals the critical roles of Trp10 and Glu11 residues for inhibition of TET isoenzymes. The results highlight the utility of the RaPID method to identify potent enzyme inhibitors with selectivity over closely related paralogues. The structure-activity relationship data generated herein may find utility in the development of chemical probes for the TETs.

Cyclic peptides target the aromatic cage of a PHD-finger reader domain to modulate epigenetic protein function.

Plant homeodomain fingers (PHD-fingers) are a family of reader domains that can recruit epigenetic proteins to specific histone modification sites. Many PHD-fingers recognise methylated lysines on histone tails and play crucial roles in transcriptional regulation, with their dysregulation linked to various human diseases. Despite their biological importance, chemical inhibitors for targeting PHD-fingers are very limited. Here we report a potent and selective de novo cyclic peptide inhibitor (OC9) targeting the Nε-trimethyllysine-binding PHD-fingers of the KDM7 histone demethylases, developed using mRNA display. OC9 disrupts PHD-finger interaction with histone H3K4me3 by engaging the Nε-methyllysine-binding aromatic cage through a valine, revealing a new non-lysine recognition motif for the PHD-fingers that does not require cation-π interaction. PHD-finger inhibition by OC9 impacted JmjC-domain mediated demethylase activity at H3K9me2, leading to inhibition of KDM7B (PHF8) but stimulation of KDM7A (KIAA1718), representing a new approach for selective allosteric modulation of demethylase activity. Chemoproteomic analysis showed selective engagement of OC9 with KDM7s in T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma SUP T1 cells. Our results highlight the utility of mRNA-display derived cyclic peptides for targeting challenging epigenetic reader proteins to probe their biology, and the broader potential of this approach for targeting protein-protein interactions.

Use of cyclic peptides to induce crystallization: case study with prolyl hydroxylase domain 2.

Crystallization is the bottleneck in macromolecular crystallography; even when a protein crystallises, crystal packing often influences ligand-binding and protein-protein interaction interfaces, which are the key points of interest for functional and drug discovery studies. The human hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) readily crystallises as a homotrimer, but with a sterically blocked active site. We explored strategies aimed at altering PHD2 crystal packing by protein modification and molecules that bind at its active site and elsewhere. Following the observation that, despite weak inhibition/binding in solution, succinamic acid derivatives readily enable PHD2 crystallization, we explored methods to induce crystallization without active site binding. Cyclic peptides obtained via mRNA display bind PHD2 tightly away from the active site. They efficiently enable PHD2 crystallization in different forms, both with/without substrates, apparently by promoting oligomerization involving binding to the C-terminal region. Although our work involves a specific case study, together with those of others, the results suggest that mRNA display-derived cyclic peptides may be useful in challenging protein crystallization cases.

2-Oxoglutarate regulates binding of hydroxylated hypoxia-inducible factor to prolyl hydroxylase domain 2.

Prolyl hydroxylation of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-α, as catalysed by the Fe(ii)/2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) enzymes, has a hypoxia sensing role in animals. We report that binding of prolyl-hydroxylated HIF-α to PHD2 is ∼50 fold hindered by prior 2OG binding; thus, when 2OG is limiting, HIF-α degradation might be inhibited by PHD binding.

KDM4A regulates HIF-1 levels through H3K9me3.

Regions of hypoxia (low oxygen) occur in most solid tumours and cells in these areas are the most aggressive and therapy resistant. In response to decreased oxygen, extensive changes in gene expression mediated by Hypoxia-Inducible Factors (HIFs) contribute significantly to the aggressive hypoxic tumour phenotype. In addition to HIFs, multiple histone demethylases are altered in their expression and activity, providing a secondary mechanism to extend the hypoxic signalling response. In this study, we demonstrate that the levels of HIF-1α are directly controlled by the repressive chromatin mark, H3K9me3. In conditions where the histone demethylase KDM4A is depleted or inactive, H3K9me3 accumulates at the HIF-1α locus, leading to a decrease in HIF-1α mRNA and a reduction in HIF-1α stabilisation. Loss of KDM4A in hypoxic conditions leads to a decreased HIF-1α mediated transcriptional response and correlates with a reduction in the characteristics associated with tumour aggressiveness, including invasion, migration, and oxygen consumption. The contribution of KDM4A to the regulation of HIF-1α is most robust in conditions of mild hypoxia. This suggests that KDM4A can enhance the function of HIF-1α by increasing the total available protein to counteract any residual activity of prolyl hydroxylases.

Recent Progress in Histone Demethylase Inhibitors.

There is increasing interest in targeting histone N-methyl-lysine demethylases (KDMs) with small molecules both for the generation of probes for target exploration and for therapeutic purposes. Here we update on previous reviews on the inhibition of the lysine-specific demethylases (LSDs or KDM1s) and JmjC families of N-methyl-lysine demethylases (JmjC KDMs, KDM2-7), focusing on the academic and patent literature from 2014 to date. We also highlight recent biochemical, biological, and structural studies which are relevant to KDM inhibitor development.

Templating carbohydrate-functionalised polymer-scaffolded dynamic combinatorial libraries with lectins.

A conceptually new approach to the design of macromolecular receptors for lectins is outlined. Carbohydrate-functionalised Polymer-Scaffolded Dynamic Combinatorial Libraries (PS-DCLs) have been prepared in aqueous solution by the reversible conjugation of carbohydrates possessing acylhydrazide functionalities in their aglycone on to an aldehyde-functionalised polymer scaffold. PS-DCLs have been shown to undergo compositional change in response to the addition of lectin templates, with polymer scaffolds preferentially incorporating carbohydrate units which recognise the lectin added. This compositional change has been shown to generate polymers of significantly enhanced affinity for the lectin added, with enhancements in free energy of binding in the range of 5.2-8.8 kJ mol(-1) observed. Experiments indicate that these enhancements are not only as a consequence of increased display of the preferred carbohydrate upon the polymer scaffold, but that templation also reorganises key residues into strategic positions in order to interact more strongly with the target.

A protein-based pentavalent inhibitor of the cholera toxin B-subunit.

Protein toxins produced by bacteria are the cause of many life-threatening diarrheal diseases. Many of these toxins, including cholera toxin (CT), enter the cell by first binding to glycolipids in the cell membrane. Inhibiting these multivalent protein/carbohydrate interactions would prevent the toxin from entering cells and causing diarrhea. Here we demonstrate that the site-specific modification of a protein scaffold, which is perfectly matched in both size and valency to the target toxin, provides a convenient route to an effective multivalent inhibitor. The resulting pentavalent neoglycoprotein displays an inhibition potency (IC50) of 104 pM for the CT B-subunit (CTB), which is the most potent pentavalent inhibitor for this target reported thus far. Complexation of the inhibitor and CTB resulted in a protein heterodimer. This inhibition strategy can potentially be applied to many multivalent receptors and also opens up new possibilities for protein assembly strategies.

Evaluation of the interaction between phosphohistidine analogues and phosphotyrosine binding domains.

We have investigated the interaction of peptides containing phosphohistidine analogues and their homologues with the prototypical phosphotyrosine binding SH2 domain from the eukaryotic cell signalling protein Grb2 by using a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry and a fluorescence anisotropy competition assay. These investigations demonstrated that the triazole class of phosphohistidine analogues are capable of binding too, suggesting that phosphohistidine could potentially be detected by this class of proteins in vivo.

Prospects for stable analogues of phosphohistidine.

Phosphorylation is a ubiquitous protein post-translational modification, and the importance of phosphorylation of serine, threonine and tyrosine is well established. What is lesser known is that almost all heteroatom-containing amino acids can be phosphorylated and, among these, histidine, aspartate and cysteine have well established roles in bacterial signalling pathways. The first of these, phosphohistidine, is the most unusual in that it is labile under many conditions used to study proteins in vitro and can exist as two different isomers. In the present short review, we highlight the chemical challenges that this modification presents and the manner in which chemical synthesis has been used to identify and mimic the modification in proteins.

Triazole phosphohistidine analogues compatible with the Fmoc-strategy.

Phosphorylation of histidine is essential for bacterial two-component signalling; its importance to modulation of eukaryotic protein function remains undefined. Until recently, no immunochemical probes of this post-translational modification existed, however triazole phosphonate analogues of this modified amino acid have now been applied to the generation of site-specific antibodies. The protecting group strategy used in the original report is incompatible with standard protocols for Fmoc-solid phase peptide synthesis. In this paper, we report the application of P(III) chemistry to generate the complementary dibenzyl and di-tert-butyl phosphonate esters. These forms of the triazole analogue are fully compatible with standard Fmoc-SPPS and are therefore ideal for wider application by the chemical and biochemical community.

Fmoc-chemistry of a stable phosphohistidine analogue.

We report the synthesis of the phosphohistidine analogue, Fmoc-4-diethylphosphonotriazolylalanine 5 and its incorporation into peptides. Our synthesis of 5 has enabled us to demonstrate that the analogue is compatible with Fmoc-solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) conditions. Standard cleavage conditions yield the diethyl phosphonate-protected peptide, however this can be subsequently deprotected using trimethylsilyl bromide to yield the free phosphonic acid-containing peptides.