title: Throwing a monkey wrench in the motor: targeting DExH/D box proteins with small molecule inhibitors.
abstract: DExH/D box proteins are molecular motors that utilize the energy derived from NTP hydrolysis to perform work - from helicases that remodel RNA to RNPases that alter RNA-protein complexes. Members of this class of proteins are uniquely placed along the RNA information highway to regulate the flow of genetic information. They have been implicated in a number of nodal points encompassing nuclear, cytoplasmic, and organellar RNA-based processes. The identification and characterization of three unique natural products that selectively inhibit the activity of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4A (DDX2) has provided proof-of-principle that the activity of DExH/D box family members can be selectively targeted. Extending these achievements to other DExH/D box proteins is an important future challenge for drugging this family of proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The Biology of RNA helicases - Modulation for life.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. regina.cencic@mcgill.ca
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Cencic
authors: Jerry
authors: J
authors: Pelletier
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D012313:RNA; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases