Method of identifying potential inhibitors of human papillomavirus protein e2 using x-ray atomic coordinates

Abstract

A crystallizable composition, comprising an human papillomavirus (HPV-11) E2 transactivation domain (TAD)-like polypeptide of SEQ ID NO. 2 complexed with an inhibitor L (sodium (2R,3R,4S,5R)-5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-5'-methyl-1′,3′-dioxo-4-({[4-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-4-yl)phenyl]amino}carbonyl)-1′,3′,4,5-tetrahydro-3H-spiro[furan-2,2′-indene]-3-carboxylate). The invention also provides a method for producing the crystallized HPV E2 TAD-inhibitor complex (HPV E2 TAD-L) comprising: a) mixing purified HPV E2 TAD, contained in a purification buffer, with solublized inhibitor L to generate a complex solution containing the HPV E2 TAD-L complex; and b) crystallizing the complex from a) in a crystallization buffer. The invention also provides a method for producing crystallized apo HPV E2 TAD, comprising: a) mixing apo HPV E2 TAD, contained in a purification buffer, with a crystallization buffer. X-ray crystal structure coordinates the HPV E2 TAD-L complex, are also provided, which define an inhibitor binding pocket. The inhibitor binding pocket is useful for screening potential small molecule inhibitors that bind to the pocket that may be inhibitors of papillomavirus infection.