Structure-based rational design of covalent probes

Abstract Covalent probes are becoming increasingly important to both fundamental biology and drug design, as what was once an idiosyncrasy at best and a source of toxicity at worst has transitioned to a paradigm for drug discovery. However, these covalent probes offer different challenges for the in...

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Main Authors: Matthew Holcomb, Manuel Llanos, Althea Hansel-Harris, Stefano Forli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Communications Chemistry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01606-y
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author Matthew Holcomb
Manuel Llanos
Althea Hansel-Harris
Stefano Forli
author_facet Matthew Holcomb
Manuel Llanos
Althea Hansel-Harris
Stefano Forli
author_sort Matthew Holcomb
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Covalent probes are becoming increasingly important to both fundamental biology and drug design, as what was once an idiosyncrasy at best and a source of toxicity at worst has transitioned to a paradigm for drug discovery. However, these covalent probes offer different challenges for the incorporation of structural data into the design process than do non-covalent probes, whose activity may be captured by very few bound states. In this review, we discuss the role of structure-based design in the discovery and optimization of covalent probes, with a special emphasis on computational methods to leverage structural data.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2399-3669
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spelling doaj-art-2b313043f0294e309e08059190e6e90a2025-08-20T03:45:57ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692025-08-018111210.1038/s42004-025-01606-yStructure-based rational design of covalent probesMatthew Holcomb0Manuel Llanos1Althea Hansel-Harris2Stefano Forli3Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteDepartment of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteDepartment of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteDepartment of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research InstituteAbstract Covalent probes are becoming increasingly important to both fundamental biology and drug design, as what was once an idiosyncrasy at best and a source of toxicity at worst has transitioned to a paradigm for drug discovery. However, these covalent probes offer different challenges for the incorporation of structural data into the design process than do non-covalent probes, whose activity may be captured by very few bound states. In this review, we discuss the role of structure-based design in the discovery and optimization of covalent probes, with a special emphasis on computational methods to leverage structural data.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01606-y
spellingShingle Matthew Holcomb
Manuel Llanos
Althea Hansel-Harris
Stefano Forli
Structure-based rational design of covalent probes
Communications Chemistry
title Structure-based rational design of covalent probes
title_full Structure-based rational design of covalent probes
title_fullStr Structure-based rational design of covalent probes
title_full_unstemmed Structure-based rational design of covalent probes
title_short Structure-based rational design of covalent probes
title_sort structure based rational design of covalent probes
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01606-y
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AT stefanoforli structurebasedrationaldesignofcovalentprobes