Download MendeleySymmetry-guided fusion converts weak liver pyruvate kinase inhibitors into potent allosteric activators.
Monjas, L., Rodriguez Rivero, A., Fuchtbauer, A.F., Nilsson, O., Haversen, L., Lulla, A., Brear, P., Rutberg, M., Bergh, P.O., Boren, J., Mardinoglu, A., Hyvonen, M., Grotli, M.(2026) RSC Med Chem
- PubMed: 42877870 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d6md00604c
- Primary Citation Related Structures:
14CK, 14CL, 14CM, 14CN, 14CO, 14CP, 14CQ, 14CR, 14CS, 14CT, 14CU, 14CV - PubMed Abstract:
Structure-guided exploitation of symmetry within multimeric protein interfaces offers an opportunity to convert partial ligand-binding poses into higher-affinity modulators. Here, we report a class of symmetrical "Z-shaped" allosteric activators of human liver pyruvate kinase (PKL), generated by symmetry-guided fusion of binding poses identified in inhibitor-bound crystal structures. The resulting ligands span the inter-subunit pocket at the tetrameric dimer-dimer interface and display substantially enhanced activity, with several analogues showing nanomolar activation potency. In HepG2 PKM2-knockout cells, the compounds increased PKL activity, maximal mitochondrial respiratory capacity and glycolytic proton efflux without altering PKL expression, Ser113 phosphorylation-dependent localisation, cell proliferation or triglyceride accumulation under the conditions examined. These findings establish symmetry-guided ligand fusion as a productive design strategy in this PKL system and provide structurally defined chemical tools for investigating the metabolic consequences of direct PKL activation.
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg Medicinaregatan 7b SE-413 90 Gothenburg Sweden grotli@chem.gu.se.
Organizational Affiliation:
