posted on 2022-12-23, 16:35authored byAllyn T. Londregan, Karlygash Aitmakhanova, James Bennett, Laura J. Byrnes, Daniel P. Canterbury, Xiayun Cheng, Thomas Christott, Jennifer Clemens, Steven B. Coffey, João M. Dias, Matthew S. Dowling, Gillian Farnie, Oleg Fedorov, Kimberly F. Fennell, Vicki Gamble, Carina Gileadi, Charline Giroud, Michael R. Harris, Brett D. Hollingshead, Kilian Huber, Magdalena Korczynska, Kimberly Lapham, Paula M. Loria, Arjun Narayanan, Dafydd R. Owen, Brigitt Raux, Parag V. Sahasrabudhe, Roger B. Ruggeri, Laura Díaz Sáez, Ingrid A. Stock, Benjamin A. Thuma, Andy Tsai, Alison E. Varghese
A series of small-molecule YEATS4 binders have been discovered
as part of an ongoing research effort to generate high-quality probe
molecules for emerging and/or challenging epigenetic targets. Analogues
such as 4d and 4e demonstrate excellent
potency and selectivity for YEATS4 binding versus YEATS1,2,3 and exhibit
good physical properties and in vitro safety profiles. A new X-ray
crystal structure confirms direct binding of this chemical series
to YEATS4 at the lysine acetylation recognition site of the YEATS
domain. Multiple analogues engage YEATS4 with nanomolar potency in
a whole-cell nanoluciferase bioluminescent resonance energy transfer
assay. Rodent pharmacokinetic studies demonstrate the competency of
several analogues as in vivo-capable binders.