Covalent fragment screening to inhibit the E3 ligase activity of bacterial NEL enzymes SspH1 and SspH2
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: As the global fight against antimicrobial resistance in bacteria becomes increasingly pressing, new tool compounds are needed to study and evaluate novel therapeutic targets. Here, cysteine-directed fragment-based drug discovery is coupled with high throughput chemistry direct-to-biology screening to target the catalytic cysteine of a family of bacterial effector proteins, the Novel E3 Ligases (NELs) from Salmonella and Shigella. These effector E3 ligases are attractive as potential drug targets because they are delivered into host cells during infection, have no human homologues and disrupt host immune response to infection. We successfully identify hit compounds against the SspH subfamily of NELs from Salmonella and show that these proteins are inhibited by compound treatment, representing an exciting starting point for development into specific and potent tool compounds.
Source: RSC Chemical Biology
DOI: 10.1039/d5cb00177c
Institutions: The Francis Crick Institute, GlaxoSmithKline (United Kingdom)
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,962
Awards: Mechanism-based development of small molecule probes for functional studies of bacterial E3 ubiquitin ligases, G3438443964, G4336163029, G460696839, G477126884, A Systems Chemical Biology Paradigm to Accelerate the Discovery of New Medicines for Patients: A Prosperity Partnership for a Healthier Nation, G751474592, G8519706783
OpenAlex ID: W4415609899