The current predominant theapeutic paradigm is based on maximizing drug-receptor occupancy to achieve clinical benefit. This strategy, however, generally requires excessive drug concentrations to ensure sufficient occupancy, often leading to adverse side effects. Here, we describe major improvements to the proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) method, a chemical knockdown strategy in which a heterobifunctional molecule recruits a specific protein target to an E3 ubiquitin ligase, resulting in the target’s ubiquitination and degradation. These compounds behave catalytically in their ability to induce the ubiquitination of super-stoichiometric quantities of proteins, providing efficacy that is not limited by equilibrium occupancy. We present two PROTACs that are capable of specifically reducing protein levels by >90% at nanomolar concentrations. In addition, mouse studies indicate that they provide broad tissue distribution and knockdown of the targeted protein in tumor xenografts. Together, these data demonstrate a protein knockdown system combining many of the favorable properties of small-molecule agents with the potent protein knockdown of RNAi and CRISPR.

Selective covalent inhibition of kinases by targeting poorly conserved cysteines has proven highly fruitful to date in the development of chemical probes and approved drugs. However, this approach is limited to ∼200 kinases possessing such a cysteine near the ATP-binding pocket. Herein, we report a novel approach to achieve selective, irreversible kinase inhibition, by targeting the conserved catalytic lysine residue. We have illustrated our approach by developing selective, covalent PI3Kδ inhibitors that exhibit nanomolar potency in cellular assays, and a duration of action >48 h in CD4+ T cells. Despite conservation of the lysine residue throughout the kinome, the lead compound shows high levels of selectivity over a selection of lipid and protein kinases in biochemical assays, as well as covalent binding to very few off-target proteins in live-cell proteomic studies. We anticipate this approach could offer a general strategy, as an alternative to targeting non-conserved cysteines, for the development of selective covalent kinase inhibitors.

α-Ketoglutarate (αKG) is a key node in many important metabolic pathways. The αKG analogue N -oxalylglycine (NOG) and its cell-permeable pro-drug dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) are extensively used to inhibit αKG-dependent dioxygenases. However, whether NOG interference with other αKG-dependent processes contributes to its mode of action remains poorly understood. Here we show that, in aqueous solutions, DMOG is rapidly hydrolysed to yield methyloxalylglycine (MOG). MOG elicits cytotoxicity in a manner that depends on its transport by monocarboxylate transporter 2 (MCT2) and is associated with decreased glutamine-derived TCA-cycle flux, suppressed mitochondrial respiration and decreased ATP production. MCT2-facilitated entry of MOG into cells leads to sufficiently high concentrations of NOG to inhibit multiple enzymes in glutamine metabolism, including glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). These findings reveal that MCT2 dictates the mode of action of NOG by determining its intracellular concentration, and have important implications for the use of (D)MOG in studying αKG-dependent signalling and metabolism.

Figure 5. Summaryo ft he general techniquefor MS-based covalent fragment screening. Fragments bearing different reversible recognition elements (represented by coloured circles), and an electrophilic warheada re incubated with aP OI. ProteinMSi sused to identify covalent binders,via achange in m/z of the POI-fragment covalent adduct.