Publications
Journal of medicinal chemistryApr 2025 |
68
(
7
),
7615-7629
DOI:
10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c00097

Chemoproteomic Profiling of C. albicans for Characterization of Antifungal Kinase Inhibitors

Shirley, David J; Nandakumar, Meganathan; Cabrera, Aurora; Yiu, Bonnie; Puumala, Emily; Liu, Zhongle; Robbins, Nicole; Whitesell, Luke; Smith, Jeffrey L; Lyons, Scott; Mordant, Angie L; Herring, Laura E; Graves, Lee M; Couñago, Rafael M; Drewry, David H; Cowen, Leah E; Willson, Timothy M
Product Used
Genes
Abstract
Candida albicans is a major cause of systemic candidiasis, a severe fungal infection with a ∼40% mortality rate. Yck2, a casein kinase 1 (CK1) in C. albicans, is targeted by antifungal inhibitors YK-I-02 (YK) and MN-I-157 (MN). Using multiplexed inhibitor beads and mass spectrometry (MIB/MS), the selectivity of these inhibitors was determined across the fungal kinome. The MIB matrix captured 89% of C. albicans protein kinases, revealing that YK and MN selectively engage three CK1 homologues (Yck2, Yck22, and Hrr25) and a human p38α homologue (Hog1). Chemoproteomics using a custom MN-kinobead confirmed the remarkable fungal kinome selectivity. To identify new Yck2 inhibitors with selectivity over Hog1, 13 human CK1 inhibitors were screened, leading to the discovery of a new chemotype with antifungal activity. These findings highlight the utility of MIB/MS in profiling nonhuman kinomes and developing selective fungal kinase inhibitors as antimicrobial agents.
Product Used
Genes

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