Proteome

Small molecule

Chemical biology

Enzyme

Proteasome

Cereblon

Biology

Gene

Operating system

Ubiquitin ligase

Chemistry

Ubiquitin

Protein degradation

Computer science

Target protein

Linker

Computational biology

Drug discovery

Proteolysis

Cell biology

Biochemistry

Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

Targeting the "undruggable" proteome remains one of the big challenges in drug discovery. Recent innovations in the field of targeted protein degradation and manipulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system open up new therapeutic approaches for disorders that cannot be targeted with conventional inhibitor paradigms. Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are bivalent ligands in which a compound that binds to the protein target of interest is connected to a second molecule that binds an E3 ligase via a linker. The E3 protein is usually either Cereblon or Von Hippel-Lindau. Several examples of selective PROTAC molecules with potent effect in cells and in vivo models have been reported. The degradation of specific proteins via these bivalent molecules is already allowing for the study of biochemical pathways and cell biology with more specificity than was possible with inhibitor compounds. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of small molecule mediated protein degradation, including transcription factors, kinases and nuclear receptors. We discuss the potential benefits of protein degradation over inhibition as well as the challenges that need to be overcome.Graphical abstract

Bivalent Ligands for Protein Degradation in Drug Discovery