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Caged protein prenyltransferase substrates: tools for understanding protein prenylation.

Abstract
Originally designed to block the prenylation of oncogenic Ras, inhibitors of protein farnesyltransferase currently in preclinical and clinical trials are showing efficacy in cancers with normal Ras. Blocking protein prenylation has also shown promise in the treatment of malaria, Chagas disease and progeria syndrome. A better understanding of the mechanism, targets and in vivo consequences of protein prenylation are needed to elucidate the mode of action of current PFTase (Protein Farnesyltransferase) inhibitors and to create more potent and selective compounds. Caged enzyme substrates are useful tools for understanding enzyme mechanism and biological function. Reported here is the synthesis and characterization of caged substrates of PFTase. The caged isoprenoid diphosphates are poor substrates prior to photolysis. The caged CAAX peptide is a true catalytically caged substrate of PFTase in that it is to not a substrate, yet is able to bind to the enzyme as established by inhibition studies and X-ray crystallography. Irradiation of the caged molecules with 350 nm light readily releases their cognate substrate and their photolysis products are benign. These properties highlight the utility of those analogs towards a variety of in vitro and in vivo applications.
AuthorsAmanda J DeGraw, Michael A Hast, Juhua Xu, Daniel Mullen, Lorena S Beese, George Barany, Mark D Distefano
JournalChemical biology & drug design (Chem Biol Drug Des) Vol. 72 Issue 3 Pg. 171-81 (Sep 2008) ISSN: 1747-0285 [Electronic] England
PMID18844669 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
Chemical References
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Peptides
  • Polyisoprenyl Phosphates
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases
  • p21(ras) farnesyl-protein transferase
  • Dimethylallyltranstransferase
  • Farnesyltranstransferase
Topics
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases (metabolism)
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dimethylallyltranstransferase (metabolism)
  • Enzyme Inhibitors (metabolism)
  • Farnesyltranstransferase (metabolism)
  • Humans
  • Peptides (metabolism)
  • Polyisoprenyl Phosphates (chemistry)
  • Protein Prenylation (drug effects)
  • Substrate Specificity (drug effects)

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