Download MendeleyCrystallographic fragment screening reveals ligand hotspots in TRIM21 PRY-SPRY domain.
Kim, Y., Lucic, A., Lenz, C., Farges, F., Schwalm, M.P., Saxena, K., Hanke, T., Marples, P.G., Aschenbrenner, J.C., Fearon, D., von Delft, F., Kramer, A., Knapp, S.(2025) Commun Chem 8: 185-185
- PubMed: 40514378
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01574-3
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
9QBA - PubMed Abstract:
Tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21), and particularly its PRY-SPRY protein interaction domain, plays a critical role in the immune response by recognizing intracellular antibodies targeting them for degradation. In this study, we performed a crystallographic fragment screening (CFS) campaign to identify potential small molecule binders targeting the PRY-SPRY domain of TRIM21. Our screen identified a total of 109 fragments binding to TRIM21 that were distributed across five distinct binding sites. These fragments have been designed to facilitate straightforward follow-up chemistry, making them ideal starting points for further chemical optimization. A subsequent fragment merging approach demonstrated improved activity. To enable functional validation of compounds with full length human TRIM21, we established a NanoBRET assay suitable for measuring target engagement to the main Fc binding site in life cells. The high-resolution structural data and observed binding modes across the different sites highlight the versatility of the PRY-SPRY domain as a target for small-molecule intervention. The presented data provide a solid foundation for structure-guided ligand design, enabling the rational design of more potent and selective compounds, with the goal to develop bivalent molecules such as Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs).
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Organizational Affiliation:
