Structural highlights
Publication Abstract from PubMedAberrant Ras signalling drives 30% of cancers and inhibition of Rho family small-GTPase signalling has been shown to combat Ras-driven cancers. Here we present the discovery of a 16mer cyclic peptide that binds to Cdc42 with nanomolar affinity. Affinity maturation of this sequence has produced a panel of derived candidates with increased affinity and modulated specificity for other closely related small-GTPases. The structure of the tightest binding peptide was solved by NMR and its binding site on Cdc42 determined. Addition of a cell penetrating sequence allowed the peptides to access the cell interior and engage with their target(s), modulating signalling pathways. In Ras-driven cancer cell models, the peptides have an inhibitory effect on proliferation and show suppression of both invasion and motility. As such they represent promising candidates for Rho-family small GTPase inhibitors and therapeutics targeting Ras-driven cancers. Our data adds to the growing literature demonstrating that peptides are establishing their place in the biologics arm of drug discovery. The discovery and maturation of peptide biologics targeting the small G protein Cdc42: a bioblockade for Ras-driven signalling.,Tetley GJN, Murphy NP, Bonetto S, Ivanova-Berndt G, Revell J, Mott HR, Cooley RN, Owen D J Biol Chem. 2020 Jan 20. pii: RA119.010077. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.010077. PMID:31959628[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References
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