Summary
The rational design of ligands for the substrate-binding site of a homology-modelled trypanothione reductase (TR) was performed. Peptides were designed to be selective for TR over human glutathione reductase (GR). The design process capitalized on the proposed differences between the activesites of TR and human GR, subsequently confirmed by the TR crystal structure. Enzyme kinetics confirmed that forT. cruzi TR benzoyl-Leu-Arg-Arg-ß-naphthylamide was an inhibitor (Ki 13.8µM) linearly competitive with the native substrate, trypanothione disulphide, and did not inhibit glutathione reductase.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benson TJ, Mckie JH, Garforth J, Borges A, Fairlamb AH, Douglas KT (1992) Rationally designed selective inhibitors of trypanothione reductase. Biochem J 286: 9–11
El-Waer A, Douglas KT, Smith K, Fairlamb AH (1991) Synthesis of N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-cysteinylglycine 3-dimethylaminopropylamide disulfide: a cheap and convenient new assay for trypanothione reductase. Anal Biochem 198: 212–216
Hunter WN, Bailey S, Habash J, Harrop SJ, Helliwell JR, Aboagye-Kwarteng T, Smith K, Fairlamb AH (1992) Active site of trypanothione reductase a target for rational drug design. J Mol Biol 227: 322–333
Karplus PA, Schulz GE (1987) Refined structure of glutathione reductase at 1.54Å resolution. J Mol Biol 195: 701–729
Krohne-Ehrich G, Schirmer H, Untucht-Grau R (1977) Glutathione reductase from human erythrocytes. Eur J Biochem 80: 65–71
Kuriyan J, Kong X-P, Krishna TSR, Sweet RM, Murgolo NJ, Field H, Cerami A, Henderson GB (1991) X-ray structure of trypanothione reductase fromCrithidia fasciculata at 2.4-Å resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88: 8764–8768
Sullivan FX, Shames SL, Walsh CT (1989). Expression ofTrypanosoma congolense trypanothione reductase inEscherichia coli: overproduction, purification and characterization. Biochemistry 28: 4986–4992
Walsh C, Bradley M, Nadeau K (1991) Molecular studies of trypanothione reductase, a target for antiparasitic drugs. Trends Biochem Sci 16: 305–309
Worthington DJ, Rosemeyer MA (1974) Human glutathione reductase: purification of the crystalline enzyme from erythrocytes. Eur J Biochem 48: 167–177
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Garforth, J., McKie, J.H., Jaouhari, R. et al. Rational design of peptide-based inhibitors of trypanothione reductase as potential antitrypanosomal drugs. Amino Acids 6, 295–299 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00813749
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00813749