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Chemical Society Reviews Jun 2022Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules consisting of one ligand that binds to a protein of interest (POI) and another that can recruit... (Review)
Review
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules consisting of one ligand that binds to a protein of interest (POI) and another that can recruit an E3 ubiquitin ligase. The chemically-induced proximity between the POI and E3 ligase results in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the POI by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). The event-driven mechanism of action (MOA) of PROTACs offers several advantages compared to traditional occupancy-driven small molecule inhibitors, such as a catalytic nature, reduced dosing and dosing frequency, a more potent and longer-lasting effect, an added layer of selectivity to reduce potential toxicity, efficacy in the face of drug-resistance mechanisms, targeting nonenzymatic functions, and expanded target space. Here, we highlight important milestones and briefly discuss lessons learned about targeted protein degradation (TPD) in recent years and conjecture on the efforts still needed to expand the toolbox for PROTAC discovery to ultimately provide promising therapeutics.
Topics: Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteolysis; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Ubiquitination
PubMed: 35671157
DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00193d -
Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology Apr 2023Our understanding of the ubiquitin code has greatly evolved from conventional E1, E2 and E3 enzymes that modify Lys residues on specific substrates with a single type... (Review)
Review
Our understanding of the ubiquitin code has greatly evolved from conventional E1, E2 and E3 enzymes that modify Lys residues on specific substrates with a single type of ubiquitin chain to more complex processes that regulate and mediate ubiquitylation. In this Review, we discuss recently discovered endogenous mechanisms and unprecedented pathways by which pathogens rewrite the ubiquitin code to promote infection. These processes include unconventional ubiquitin modifications involving ester linkages with proteins, lipids and sugars, or ubiquitylation through a phosphoribosyl bridge involving Arg42 of ubiquitin. We also introduce the enzymatic pathways that write and reverse these modifications, such as the papain-like proteases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, structural studies have revealed that the ultimate functions of ubiquitin are mediated not simply by straightforward recognition by ubiquitin-binding domains. Instead, elaborate multivalent interactions between ubiquitylated targets or ubiquitin chains and their readers (for example, the proteasome, the MLL1 complex or DOT1L) can elicit conformational changes that regulate protein degradation or transcription. The newly discovered mechanisms provide opportunities for innovative therapeutic interventions for diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases.
Topics: Humans; Ubiquitin; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Ubiquitination; Proteins; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
PubMed: 36284179
DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00543-1 -
Nature Dec 2020Effective and sustained inhibition of non-enzymatic oncogenic driver proteins is a major pharmacological challenge. The clinical success of thalidomide analogues...
Effective and sustained inhibition of non-enzymatic oncogenic driver proteins is a major pharmacological challenge. The clinical success of thalidomide analogues demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of drug-induced degradation of transcription factors and other cancer targets, but a substantial subset of proteins are resistant to targeted degradation using existing approaches. Here we report an alternative mechanism of targeted protein degradation, in which a small molecule induces the highly specific, reversible polymerization of a target protein, followed by its sequestration into cellular foci and subsequent degradation. BI-3802 is a small molecule that binds to the Broad-complex, Tramtrack and Bric-à-brac (BTB) domain of the oncogenic transcription factor B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) and leads to the proteasomal degradation of BCL6. We use cryo-electron microscopy to reveal how the solvent-exposed moiety of a BCL6-binding molecule contributes to a composite ligand-protein surface that engages BCL6 homodimers to form a supramolecular structure. Drug-induced formation of BCL6 filaments facilitates ubiquitination by the SIAH1 E3 ubiquitin ligase. Our findings demonstrate that a small molecule such as BI-3802 can induce polymerization coupled to highly specific protein degradation, which in the case of BCL6 leads to increased pharmacological activity compared to the effects induced by other BCL6 inhibitors. These findings open new avenues for the development of therapeutic agents and synthetic biology.
Topics: Cryoelectron Microscopy; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Ligands; Models, Molecular; Nuclear Proteins; Polymerization; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteolysis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; Solvents; Synthetic Biology; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Ubiquitination
PubMed: 33208943
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2925-1 -
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences :... Dec 2014In eukaryotic cells, proteasomes are highly conserved protease complexes and eliminate unwanted proteins which are marked by poly-ubiquitin chains for degradation. The... (Review)
Review
In eukaryotic cells, proteasomes are highly conserved protease complexes and eliminate unwanted proteins which are marked by poly-ubiquitin chains for degradation. The 26S proteasome consists of the proteolytic core particle, the 20S proteasome, and the 19S regulatory particle, which are composed of 14 and 19 different subunits, respectively. Proteasomes are the second-most abundant protein complexes and are continuously assembled from inactive precursor complexes in proliferating cells. The modular concept of proteasome assembly was recognized in prokaryotic ancestors and applies to eukaryotic successors. The efficiency and fidelity of eukaryotic proteasome assembly is achieved by several proteasome-dedicated chaperones that initiate subunit incorporation and control the quality of proteasome assemblies by transiently interacting with proteasome precursors. It is important to understand the mechanism of proteasome assembly as the proteasome has key functions in the turnover of short-lived proteins regulating diverse biological processes.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Models, Biological; Models, Molecular; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation; Protein Subunits
PubMed: 25107634
DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1699-8 -
Nature Chemical Biology Jan 2023Engineered destruction of target proteins by recruitment to the cell's degradation machinery has emerged as a promising strategy in drug discovery. The majority of...
Engineered destruction of target proteins by recruitment to the cell's degradation machinery has emerged as a promising strategy in drug discovery. The majority of molecules that facilitate targeted degradation do so via a select number of ubiquitin ligases, restricting this therapeutic approach to tissue types that express the requisite ligase. Here, we describe a new strategy of targeted protein degradation through direct substrate recruitment to the 26S proteasome. The proteolytic complex is essential and abundantly expressed in all cells; however, proteasomal ligands remain scarce. We identify potent peptidic macrocycles that bind directly to the 26S proteasome subunit PSMD2, with a 2.5-Å-resolution cryo-electron microscopy complex structure revealing a binding site near the 26S pore. Conjugation of this macrocycle to a potent BRD4 ligand enabled generation of chimeric molecules that effectively degrade BRD4 in cells, thus demonstrating that degradation via direct proteasomal recruitment is a viable strategy for targeted protein degradation.
Topics: Nuclear Proteins; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Transcription Factors; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteolysis; Ligases; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
PubMed: 36577875
DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01218-w -
Chemical Society Reviews Oct 2022The von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) Cullin RING E3 ligase is an essential enzyme in the ubiquitin-proteasome system that recruits substrates such as the hypoxia inducible factor... (Review)
Review
The von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) Cullin RING E3 ligase is an essential enzyme in the ubiquitin-proteasome system that recruits substrates such as the hypoxia inducible factor for ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation. The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway can be hijacked toward non-native neo-substrate proteins using proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), bifunctional molecules designed to simultaneously bind to an E3 ligase and a target protein to induce target ubiquitination and degradation. The availability of high-quality small-molecule ligands with good binding affinity for E3 ligases is fundamental for PROTAC development. Lack of good E3 ligase ligands as starting points to develop PROTAC degraders was initially a stumbling block to the development of the field. Herein, the journey towards the design of small-molecule ligands binding to VHL is presented. We cover the structure-based design of VHL ligands, their application as inhibitors in their own right, and their implementation into rationally designed, potent PROTAC degraders of various target proteins. We highlight the key findings and learnings that have provided strong foundations for the remarkable development of targeted protein degradation, and that offer a blueprint for designing new ligands for E3 ligases beyond VHL.
Topics: Cullin Proteins; Ligands; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Ubiquitin; Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein
PubMed: 35983982
DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00387b -
Autophagy Apr 2022Until recently, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and macroautophagy/autophagy were considered to be two independent systems that target proteins for degradation by...
Until recently, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and macroautophagy/autophagy were considered to be two independent systems that target proteins for degradation by proteasomes or via lysosomes, respectively. Here, we report that TRIM44 (tripartite motif containing 44) is a novel link that connects the UPS system with the autophagy degradation pathway. Suppressing the UPS degradation pathway leads to TRIM44 upregulation, which further promotes aggregated protein clearance through the binding of K48 ubiquitin chains on proteins. TRIM44 expression activates autophagy via promoting SQSTM1/p62 oligomerization, which rapidly increases the rate of aggregate protein removal. Overall, our data reveal that TRIM44 is a newly identified link between the UPS system and the autophagy pathway. Delineating the cross-talk between these two degradation pathways may reveal new mechanisms of targeting aggregate-prone diseases, such as cancer and neurodegenerative disease.: 3-MA: 3-methyladenine; ACTB: actin beta; ATG5: autophagy related 5; BB: B-box domain; BECN1: beclin1; BM: bone marrow; CC: coiled-coil domain; CFTR: cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; CON: control; CQ: chloroquine; DOX: doxycycline; DSP: dithiobis(succinimidly propionate); ER: endoplasmic reticulum; FI: fluorescence intensity; FL: full length; HIF1A/HIF-1#x3B1;: hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha; HSC: hematopoietic stem cells; HTT: huntingtin; KD: knockdown; KD-CON: knockdown construct control; MM: multiple myeloma; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NP-40: nonidet P-40; NFE2L2/NRF2: nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2; OE: overexpression; OE-CON: overexpression construct control; PARP: poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase; SDS: sodium dodecyl sulfate; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; Tet-on: tetracycline; TRIM44: tripartite motif containing 44; UPS: ubiquitin-proteasome system; ZF: zinc-finger.
Topics: Autophagy; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Macroautophagy; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Sequestosome-1 Protein; Tripartite Motif Proteins; Ubiquitin
PubMed: 34382902
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1956105 -
Trends in Biochemical Sciences Nov 2022The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is critical for protein quality control and regulating protein lifespans. Following ubiquitination, UPS substrates bind multidomain... (Review)
Review
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is critical for protein quality control and regulating protein lifespans. Following ubiquitination, UPS substrates bind multidomain receptors that, in addition to ubiquitin-binding sites, contain functional domains that bind to deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) or the E3 ligase E6AP/UBE3A. We provide an overview of the proteasome, focusing on its receptors and DUBs. We highlight the key role of dynamics and importance of the substrate receptors having domains for both binding and processing ubiquitin chains. The UPS is rich with therapeutic opportunities, with proteasome inhibitors used clinically and ongoing development of small molecule proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for the degradation of disease-associated proteins. We discuss the therapeutic potential of proteasome receptors, including hRpn13, for which PROTACs have been developed.
Topics: Carrier Proteins; Deubiquitinating Enzymes; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteasome Inhibitors; Proteins; Proteolysis; Ubiquitin; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Ubiquitination
PubMed: 35817651
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.06.006 -
Biomolecules Aug 2023The 26S proteasome is the largest and most complicated protease known, and changes to proteasome assembly or function contribute to numerous human diseases. Assembly of... (Review)
Review
The 26S proteasome is the largest and most complicated protease known, and changes to proteasome assembly or function contribute to numerous human diseases. Assembly of the 26S proteasome from its ~66 individual polypeptide subunits is a highly orchestrated process requiring the concerted actions of both intrinsic elements of proteasome subunits, as well as assistance by extrinsic, dedicated proteasome assembly chaperones. With the advent of near-atomic resolution cryo-electron microscopy, it has become evident that the proteasome is a highly dynamic machine, undergoing numerous conformational changes in response to ligand binding and during the proteolytic cycle. In contrast, an appreciation of the role of conformational dynamics during the biogenesis of the proteasome has only recently begun to emerge. Herein, we review our current knowledge of proteasome assembly, with a particular focus on how conformational dynamics guide particular proteasome biogenesis events. Furthermore, we highlight key emerging questions in this rapidly expanding area.
Topics: Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Protein Conformation; Models, Molecular; Molecular Chaperones; Humans; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Proteolysis; Ubiquitin
PubMed: 37627288
DOI: 10.3390/biom13081223 -
Cells Jul 2022REGγ, a proteasome activator belonging to the 11S (otherwise known as REG, PA28, or PSME) proteasome activator family, is widely present in many eukaryotes. By binding... (Review)
Review
REGγ, a proteasome activator belonging to the 11S (otherwise known as REG, PA28, or PSME) proteasome activator family, is widely present in many eukaryotes. By binding to the 20S catalytic core particle, REGγ acts as a molecular sieve to selectively target proteins for degradation in an ATP- and ubiquitin-independent manner. This non-canonical proteasome pathway directly regulates seemingly unrelated cellular processes including cell growth and proliferation, apoptosis, DNA damage response, immune response, and metabolism. By affecting different pathways, REGγ plays a vital role in the regulation of cellular life and death through the maintenance of protein homeostasis. As a promoter of cellular growth and a key regulator of several tumor suppressors, many recent studies have linked REGγ overexpression with tumor formation and suggested the REGγ-proteasome as a potential target of new cancer-drug development. This review will present an overview of the major functions of REGγ as it relates to the regulation of cellular life and death, along with new mechanistic insights into the regulation of REGγ.
Topics: Autoantigens; Cell Cycle; Humans; Neoplasms; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Ubiquitin
PubMed: 35892577
DOI: 10.3390/cells11152281