Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) belongs to the most dangerous class of bioweapons. Despite this, BoNT/A is used to treat a wide range of common medical conditions such as migraines and a variety of ocular motility and movement disorders. BoNT/A is probably best known for its use as an antiwrinkle agent in cosmetic applications (including Botox and Dysport). BoNT/A application causes long-lasting flaccid paralysis of muscles through inhibiting the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by cleaving synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP-25) within presynaptic nerve terminals. Two types of BoNT/A receptor have been identified, both of which are required for BoNT/A toxicity and are therefore likely to cooperate with each other: gangliosides and members of the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2 (SV2) family, which are putative transporter proteins that are predicted to have 12 transmembrane domains, associate with the receptor-binding domain of the toxin. Recently, fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) has also been reported to be a potential BoNT/A receptor. In SV2 proteins, the BoNT/A-binding site has been mapped to the luminal domain, but the molecular details of the interaction between BoNT/A and SV2 are unknown. Here we determined the high-resolution crystal structure of the BoNT/A receptor-binding domain (BoNT/A-RBD) in complex with the SV2C luminal domain (SV2C-LD). SV2C-LD consists of a right-handed, quadrilateral β-helix that associates with BoNT/A-RBD mainly through backbone-to-backbone interactions at open β-strand edges, in a manner that resembles the inter-strand interactions in amyloid structures. Competition experiments identified a peptide that inhibits the formation of the complex. Our findings provide a strong platform for the development of novel antitoxin agents and for the rational design of BoNT/A variants with improved therapeutic properties.

An X-ray crystal structure of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein (Keap1) co-crystallised with (1S,2R)-2-[(1S)-1-[(1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-2-yl)methyl]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-2-carbonyl]cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid (compound (S,R,S)-1 a) was obtained. This X-ray crystal structure provides breakthrough experimental evidence for the true binding mode of the hit compound (S,R,S)-1 a, as the ligand orientation was found to differ from that of the initial docking model, which was available at the start of the project. Crystallographic elucidation of this binding mode helped to focus and drive the drug design process more effectively and efficiently.

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a cytokine belonging to a family of trimeric proteins; it has been shown to be a key mediator in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. While TNF is the target of several successful biologic drugs, attempts to design small molecule therapies directed to this cytokine have not led to approved products. Here we report the discovery of potent small molecule inhibitors of TNF that stabilise an asymmetrical form of the soluble TNF trimer, compromising signalling and inhibiting the functions of TNF in vitro and in vivo. This discovery paves the way for a class of small molecule drugs capable of modulating TNF function by stabilising a naturally sampled, receptor-incompetent conformation of TNF. Furthermore, this approach may prove to be a more general mechanism for inhibiting protein–protein interactions.

The adenosine A 2A receptor (A 2A R) has long been implicated in cardiovascular disorders. As more selective A 2A R ligands are being identified, its roles in other disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, are starting to emerge, and A 2A R antagonists are important drug candidates for nondopaminergic anti-Parkinson treatment. Here we report the crystal structure of A 2A receptor bound to compound 1 (Cmpd-1), a novel A 2A R/N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subtype 2B (NR2B) dual antagonist and potential anti-Parkinson candidate compound, at 3.5 Å resolution. The A 2A receptor with a cytochrome b562-RIL (BRIL) fusion (A 2A R-BRIL) in the intracellular loop 3 (ICL3) was crystallized in detergent micelles using vapor-phase diffusion. Whereas A 2A R-BRIL bound to the antagonist ZM241385 has previously been crystallized in lipidic cubic phase (LCP), structural differences in the Cmpd-1-bound A 2A R-BRIL prevented formation of the lattice observed with the ZM241385-bound receptor. The crystals grew with a type II crystal lattice in contrast to the typical type I packing seen from membrane protein structures crystallized in LCP. Cmpd-1 binds in a position that overlaps with the native ligand adenosine, but its methoxyphenyl group extends to an exosite not previously observed in other A 2A R structures. Structural analysis revealed that Cmpd-1 binding results in the unique conformations of two tyrosine residues, Tyr9 1.35 and Tyr271 7.36 , which are critical for the formation of the exosite. The structure reveals insights into antagonist binding that are not observed in other A 2A R structures, highlighting flexibility in the binding pocket that may facilitate the development of A 2A R-selective compounds for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.T he adenosine A 2A receptor (A 2A R) is one of the four subtypes of adenosine receptors (A 1 R, A 2A R, A 2B R, A 3 R). As a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, the A 2A receptor couples to stimulatory G protein G s and elevates intracellular cAMP upon activation by endogenous adenosine. The A 2A R has been an attractive drug target due to its role in cardiovascular and immune system function, as well as in the central nervous system as a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease (PD) (1-4). PD is a neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 1% of the population over 65 years old. Currently, major treatments target the restoration of dopamine signaling, which is impaired in PD patients, by dopamine-replacing agents. Although these treatments effectively address PD-related motor disturbances, the long-term use of dopamine-replacing agents is associated with the development of motor complications; therefore, there is a need for nondopaminergic drugs (2). It is known that A 2A R signaling regulates dopaminergic neurotransmission, and A 2A R antagonists have been shown to enhance D2 dopamine receptor signaling, which has been found to improve PD symptoms in animal models and patients, without the side effects common to dopaminereplacing agents, such...

Immunoglobulin E and its interactions with receptors FcϵRI and CD23 play a central role in allergic disease. Omalizumab, a clinically approved therapeutic antibody, inhibits the interaction between IgE and FcϵRI, preventing mast cell and basophil activation, and blocks IgE binding to CD23 on B cells and antigen-presenting cells. We solved the crystal structure of the complex between an omalizumab-derived Fab and IgE-Fc, with one Fab bound to each Cϵ3 domain. Free IgE-Fc adopts an acutely bent structure, but in the complex it is only partially bent, with large-scale conformational changes in the Cϵ3 domains that inhibit the interaction with FcϵRI. CD23 binding is inhibited sterically due to overlapping binding sites on each Cϵ3 domain. Studies of omalizumab Fab binding in solution demonstrate the allosteric basis for FcϵRI inhibition and, together with the structure, reveal how omalizumab may accelerate dissociation of receptor-bound IgE from FcϵRI, exploiting the intrinsic flexibility and allosteric potential of IgE.