| Structural highlights
Disease
P5CR1_HUMAN Defects in PYCR1 are the cause of cutis laxa autosomal recessive type 2B (ARCL2B) [MIM:612940. A multisystem disorder characterized by the appearance of premature aging, wrinkled and lax skin with reduced elasticity, joint laxity, craniofacial dysmorphic features, intrauterine growth retardation with some degree of postnatal growth deficiency, and developmental delay.[1] [2] Defects in PYCR1 are the cause of cutis laxa, autosomal recessive, type 3B (ARCL3B) [MIM:614438. ARCL3B is a disorder characterized by an aged appearance with distinctive facial features, sparse hair, ophthalmologic abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation, and cutis laxa.[3] [4]
Function
P5CR1_HUMAN Housekeeping enzyme that catalyzes the last step in proline biosynthesis. Can utilize both NAD and NADP, but has higher affinity for NAD. Involved in the cellular response to oxidative stress.[5] [6]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase catalyzes the final step in proline biosynthesis. Human P5C reductase isoform 1 (PYCR1) has emerged as a key metabolic enzyme supporting cancer progression through its roles in redox homeostasis, collagen production, and the proline-P5C cycle. Despite its relevance as a therapeutic target, structural and chemical efforts to inhibit PYCR1 remain limited and have largely focused on proline analogs. Here, we report the first crystallographic fragment screening (XFS) campaign against PYCR1, employing a chemically diverse library of 96 compounds. We solved twelve co-crystal structures, featuring ligands occupying the P5C and NADH binding pockets, including dual-site ligands that span both regions. Among the newly identified moieties, sulfonamide and sulfamate groups emerged as notable isosteric replacements for the carboxylate group in the PYCR1 active site. Aromatic substituents in several compounds revealed a cryptic subpocket near the nicotinamide-binding site. Interestingly, halogen-substituted aromatic rings, often present in known PYCR1 inhibitors, exhibited distinct binding orientations, reflecting the flexibility and diversity of interactions in the binding subpockets. High-resolution structures revealed ligand-induced conformational changes in PYCR1, some involving significant rearrangements. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that these conformations are accessible in the ligand-free enzyme, underscoring the intrinsic plasticity of PYCR1's active site.
Crystallographic fragment screening reveals new starting points for PYCR1 inhibitor design.,Ragin-Oh W, Czerwonka D, Tran LH, Forlani G, Ruszkowski M Bioorg Chem. 2025 Sep 23;165:109024. doi: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2025.109024. PMID:41016381[7]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Reversade B, Escande-Beillard N, Dimopoulou A, Fischer B, Chng SC, Li Y, Shboul M, Tham PY, Kayserili H, Al-Gazali L, Shahwan M, Brancati F, Lee H, O'Connor BD, Schmidt-von Kegler M, Merriman B, Nelson SF, Masri A, Alkazaleh F, Guerra D, Ferrari P, Nanda A, Rajab A, Markie D, Gray M, Nelson J, Grix A, Sommer A, Savarirayan R, Janecke AR, Steichen E, Sillence D, Hausser I, Budde B, Nurnberg G, Nurnberg P, Seemann P, Kunkel D, Zambruno G, Dallapiccola B, Schuelke M, Robertson S, Hamamy H, Wollnik B, Van Maldergem L, Mundlos S, Kornak U. Mutations in PYCR1 cause cutis laxa with progeroid features. Nat Genet. 2009 Sep;41(9):1016-21. doi: 10.1038/ng.413. Epub 2009 Aug 2. PMID:19648921 doi:10.1038/ng.413
- ↑ Guernsey DL, Jiang H, Evans SC, Ferguson M, Matsuoka M, Nightingale M, Rideout AL, Provost S, Bedard K, Orr A, Dube MP, Ludman M, Samuels ME. Mutation in pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 gene in families with cutis laxa type 2. Am J Hum Genet. 2009 Jul;85(1):120-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2009.06.008. Epub 2009 , Jul 2. PMID:19576563 doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2009.06.008
- ↑ Reversade B, Escande-Beillard N, Dimopoulou A, Fischer B, Chng SC, Li Y, Shboul M, Tham PY, Kayserili H, Al-Gazali L, Shahwan M, Brancati F, Lee H, O'Connor BD, Schmidt-von Kegler M, Merriman B, Nelson SF, Masri A, Alkazaleh F, Guerra D, Ferrari P, Nanda A, Rajab A, Markie D, Gray M, Nelson J, Grix A, Sommer A, Savarirayan R, Janecke AR, Steichen E, Sillence D, Hausser I, Budde B, Nurnberg G, Nurnberg P, Seemann P, Kunkel D, Zambruno G, Dallapiccola B, Schuelke M, Robertson S, Hamamy H, Wollnik B, Van Maldergem L, Mundlos S, Kornak U. Mutations in PYCR1 cause cutis laxa with progeroid features. Nat Genet. 2009 Sep;41(9):1016-21. doi: 10.1038/ng.413. Epub 2009 Aug 2. PMID:19648921 doi:10.1038/ng.413
- ↑ Lin DS, Chang JH, Liu HL, Wei CH, Yeung CY, Ho CS, Shu CH, Chiang MF, Chuang CK, Huang YW, Wu TY, Jian YR, Huang ZD, Lin SP. Compound heterozygous mutations in PYCR1 further expand the phenotypic spectrum of De Barsy syndrome. Am J Med Genet A. 2011 Dec;155A(12):3095-9. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.34326. Epub 2011 , Nov 3. PMID:22052856 doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.34326
- ↑ Reversade B, Escande-Beillard N, Dimopoulou A, Fischer B, Chng SC, Li Y, Shboul M, Tham PY, Kayserili H, Al-Gazali L, Shahwan M, Brancati F, Lee H, O'Connor BD, Schmidt-von Kegler M, Merriman B, Nelson SF, Masri A, Alkazaleh F, Guerra D, Ferrari P, Nanda A, Rajab A, Markie D, Gray M, Nelson J, Grix A, Sommer A, Savarirayan R, Janecke AR, Steichen E, Sillence D, Hausser I, Budde B, Nurnberg G, Nurnberg P, Seemann P, Kunkel D, Zambruno G, Dallapiccola B, Schuelke M, Robertson S, Hamamy H, Wollnik B, Van Maldergem L, Mundlos S, Kornak U. Mutations in PYCR1 cause cutis laxa with progeroid features. Nat Genet. 2009 Sep;41(9):1016-21. doi: 10.1038/ng.413. Epub 2009 Aug 2. PMID:19648921 doi:10.1038/ng.413
- ↑ Meng Z, Lou Z, Liu Z, Li M, Zhao X, Bartlam M, Rao Z. Crystal structure of human pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase. J Mol Biol. 2006 Jun 23;359(5):1364-77. Epub 2006 May 11. PMID:16730026 doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2006.04.053
- ↑ Ragin-Oh W, Czerwonka D, Tran LH, Forlani G, Ruszkowski M. Crystallographic fragment screening reveals new starting points for PYCR1 inhibitor design. Bioorg Chem. 2025 Sep 23;165:109024. PMID:41016381 doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2025.109024
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