Structure-based screening of chemical libraries to identify small molecules that are likely to bind with the SET and RING-associated (SRA) domain of Ubiquitin-like, PHD and Ring Finger-containing 1 (UHRF1)

Abstract

Objectives: UHRF1 is a multi-domain protein that recognizes both histone and DNA modification marks on chromatin. UHRF1 is involved in various cellular processes that lead to tumorigenesis and thus attracted considerable attention as a potential anti-cancer drug target. The SRA domain is a unique to the UHRF family. SRA domain recognizes 5-methylcytosine in hemimethylated DNA and necessary for maintenance DNA methylation mediated by DNMT1. Small molecules capable of interacting with the SRA domain may reduce aberrant methylation levels by preventing the interaction of 5-methylcytosine with the SRA domain and thereby blocking substrate access to the catalytic center of DNMT1. The data were collected to identify and predict an initial set of small molecules that are expected to bind to the SRA domain.

Data description: Nearly 2.4 million molecules from various chemical libraries were screened with the SRA domain of UHRF1 using Schrodinger's Small Molecule Drug Discovery Suite. The data is available in the form of a methodology presentation, MS Excel files listing the top hits, and Maestro pose viewer files that provide visualization of how the identified ligands interact with the SRA domain.

Keywords: Cancer; DNA methylation; DNMT1; SRA domain; Structure-based screening; UHRF1; UHRF1 inhibitor; Virtual screening.