Activation of E6AP/UBE3A-Mediated Protein Ubiquitination and Degradation Pathways by a Cyclic γ-AA Peptide

J Med Chem. 2022 Feb 10;65(3):2497-2506. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01922. Epub 2022 Jan 19.

Abstract

Manipulating the activities of E3 ubiquitin ligases with chemical ligands holds promise for correcting E3 malfunctions and repurposing the E3s for induced protein degradation in the cell. Herein, we report an alternative strategy to proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and molecular glues to induce protein degradation by constructing and screening a γ-AA peptide library for cyclic peptidomimetics binding to the HECT domain of E6AP, an E3 ubiquitinating p53 coerced by the human papillomavirus and regulating pathways implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Angelman syndrome. We found that a γ-AA peptide P6, discovered from the affinity-based screening with the E6AP HECT domain, can significantly stimulate the ubiquitin ligase activity of E6AP to ubiquitinate its substrate proteins UbxD8, HHR23A, and β-catenin in reconstituted reactions and HEK293T cells. Furthermore, P6 can accelerate the degradation of E6AP substrates in the cell by enhancing the catalytic activities of E6AP. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of using synthetic ligands to stimulate E3 activities in the cell. The E3 stimulators could be developed alongside E3 inhibitors and substrate recruiters such as PROTACs and molecular glues to leverage the full potential of protein ubiquitination pathways for drug development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Blood Proteins / metabolism
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activators / pharmacology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Peptide Library
  • Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacology*
  • Peptidomimetics / pharmacology*
  • Proteolysis / drug effects*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination / drug effects*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Proteins
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Enzyme Activators
  • FAF2 protein, human
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Peptide Library
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • Peptidomimetics
  • beta Catenin
  • RAD23A protein, human
  • UBE3A protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • DNA Repair Enzymes