Method for designing a compound based on the three dimensional structure of phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1)

1. A method for selecting a compound for modulating the activity of phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), the method comprising:

[i] generating a three-dimensional structure of the protein kinase catalytic domain of PDK1 as defined by Example 2, 3, 7 or 8;

[ii] identifying predicted binding region(s): the PDK1 Interacting Fragment (PIF) binding pocket formed by residues including residues Lys115, Ile118, Ile119 on the αB helix, Val124, Val127 on the αC helix, and Leu 155 on β-sheet 5 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, the “phosphate binding pocket” formed by residues including residues Lys76, Arg131, Thr148 and Gln150 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, and/or the αC helix formed by residues 123-136 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 in any of the models generated in step [i];

[iii] modeling a plurality of three-dimensional structures of candidate compounds;

[iv] comparing said three-dimensional structure of the protein kinase catalytic domain of PDK1 binding regions/pockets as identified in step [ii] with the three-dimensional structure of each of said candidate compounds of step [iii]; and

[v] selecting one of the candidate compounds as a compound for modulating the activity of phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional structure of at least a part of the protein kinase catalytic domain of PDK1 structure is a three-dimensional structure (or part thereof) determined for a polypeptide consisting of residues 51 to 359 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the three-dimensional structure (or part thereof) is determined for a polypeptide consisting of residues 51 to 359 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 and the amino acid sequence Gly-Pro preceding the methionine corresponding to Met51 of human PDK1.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional structure of at least a part of the protein kinase catalytic domain of PDK1 structure is a three-dimensional structure (or part thereof) determined for a polypeptide consisting of residues 71 to 359 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or a fusion thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional structure of at least a part of the protein kinase catalytic domain of PDK1 structure is obtainable by X-ray analysis of a crystal obtainable using a mother liquor solution comprising ammonium sulphate.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the mother liquor solution is of pH 7 to 9.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the mother liquor solution is of pH 8.5.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the mother liquor solution comprises ATP.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound is for modulating the protein kinase activity of PDK1 towards protein kinase B (PKB) or other pleckstrin homology (PH)-domain-comprising/phosphoinositide-binding substrate of PDK1.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound is for modulating the protein kinase activity of PDK1 towards serum and glucocorticoid stimulated protein kinase (SGK), S6 kinase (S6K) or other substrate of PDK1 whose phosphorylation by PDK1 is promoted by phosphorylation of the substrate on the Ser/Thr of the “hydrophobic motif” FXXFS/TY as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of synthesising, purifying and/or formulating the compound.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

designing one or more of said molecules prior to modelling.

13. A method for selecting a compound for modulating the activity of PDK1 Interacting Fragment (PIF) binding pocket containing protein kinase, the method comprising:

[i] modeling a three-dimensional structure of a plurality of molecules in a computer;

[ii] generating a three-dimensional structure of the protein kinase catalytic domain of PDK1 as defined by Example 2, 3, 7 or 8;

[iii] comparing the three-dimensional structure of each of said molecules with the three-dimensional structure of said phosphate binding pocket of human PDK1 and optionally also said hydrophobic pocket of human PDK1;

[iv] identifying a molecule from the plurality of the modeled molecules which binds to said PIF binding pocket in the position equivalent to a hydrophobic pocket of human PDK1 that is defined by residues including Lys115, Ile118, Ile119, Val124, Val127 and Leu155 of full-length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3, and/or a phosphate binding pocket in the position equivalent to the phosphate binding pocket of human PDK1 that is defined by residues including Lys76, Arg131, Thr148 and Gln150 of SEQ ID NO: 3; and

[v] selecting one of the modeled molecules as said compound based on a predicted ability of the molecule to interact with said phosphate binding pocket of protein kinase or said hydrophobic pocket of protein kinase,

wherein the three-dimensional structure or a part thereof is determined for a polypeptide comprising residues 51 to 359 of full length human PDK1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

designing one or more of said molecules prior to modelling.