Advancesinscreeningtechnologieshavemadeliganddiscoveryagainstbiologicaltargetsroutine,but convertingbindingligandsintospecificenzymeinhibitorsisextremelychallenging,evenformetalloproteinases andotherenzymeswithwell-definedactivesites.Thelackofspecificinhibitorspreventsfullelucidationof biologicalprocessesasbasicasextracellularmatrixremodeling.Proteinsandsmallmoleculeseachlackkey featuresofinhibitors.Antibodiesandotherproteinsrarelydisruptenzymefunction,butusuallyexhibithigh bindingspecificity.Smallmoleculesfrequentlylacksingle-enzymespecificity,butinterferewithenzymatic activity.Neitherofthesemodalitiesiswell-suitedforgeneratingpotent,specificenzymeinhibitors. Mylong-termgoalsareto1)establishgeneralprinciplesfordiscoveringpotent,specificinhibitorsagainst medicallyrelevantenzymes;?and2)utilizetheresultinginhibitorstounderstandtherolesofenzymessuchas metalloproteinasesinnormalphysiologyandpathologicalprocesses.Ihypothesizethatsimultaneously leveragingthecomplementarystrengthsofproteinsandsmallmoleculeswillgiverisetoentirelynewclasses ofpotent,specificinhibitors.Thegoalduringthisproposalperiodistoconvertyeastdisplay,apowerful liganddiscoveryplatform,intoacomprehensiveinhibitordiscoveryplatform.Mylabhasalreadyestablished strategiesforexpandingthechemicalfunctionalitythatcanbeutilizedincombinationwithyeastdisplay.Here, wewillenhanceourplatformfurtheranduseittoidentifyinhibitorsagainstatestsetofmetalloproteinase targets.Intheprocess,wewillgainfundamentalinsightsintohowtogenerateinhibitorsthatarenotaccessible usinganycurrentinhibitordiscoveryapproaches,settingthestagefor1)agreatlyexpandedtoolkitforstudying basicbiology;?and2)muchbroaderinhibitordiscoveryefforts.Theinitialdirectionswewillpursueare: Direction1.Expandtherangeofchemistriesthatcanbeencodedinyeast-displayedproteins. Proteinscontainingcanonicalaminoacidslackkeygroupsfoundinenzymeinhibitors.Wewillutilizeour quantitativereporterofncAAincorporationtoencodethesefunctionalitiesinyeast-displayedproteins. Direction2.Establishassaysforquantitativelyevaluatingenzymeinhibitionontheyeastsurface. Noexistingdisplaytechnologiessupportquantitativeevaluationsofenzymeinhibitionduringhigh throughputscreening.Wewillutilizedualyeastdisplaytechnologytoestablishthesecapabilities. Direction3.Usechemicallyaugmentedantibodylibrariestoevolvepotent,specificinhibitors. Antibodiesrarelyinhibitenzymes.Wewillgenerateandscreenlibrariesofantibodiescontainingadded chemicalgroupstoestablishgeneralprinciplesforinhibitorisolationinthisunexploreddiscoveryspace. Tofocusourdiscoveryefforts,weandourcollaboratorshaveidentifiedmetalloproteinasesfrommultiple familiesthatplayimportantrolesinhumanhealthanddisease.Thegeneraldiscoveryprinciplesweestablish herewillleaddirectlytonewclassesofinhibitorsforunderstandingandtreatinghumandisease.

Public Health Relevance

Specific enzyme inhibitors are critical tools for understanding and treating disease, but discovery of these inhibitors is extremely challenging using current technologies. This program seeks to establish a comprehensive inhibitor discovery platform that will lead to new classes of enzyme inhibitors that combine the best properties of small molecules and biologics. The initial focus on enzymes known as metalloproteinases will lead immediately to new tools for studying how cells move and signal with one another while also revealing principles for generating inhibitors against any enzyme involved in disease progression.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Unknown (R35)
Project #
3R35GM133471-02S1
Application #
10151719
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZGM1)
Program Officer
Fabian, Miles
Project Start
2019-07-01
Project End
2024-04-30
Budget Start
2020-05-01
Budget End
2021-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Tufts University
Department
Engineering (All Types)
Type
Biomed Engr/Col Engr/Engr Sta
DUNS #
073134835
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02111