Optimising in situ click chemistry: the screening and identification of biotin protein ligase inhibitors

Abstract

A ‘leaky mutant’ (SaBPL-R122G) of Staphylococcus aureus biotin protein ligase (SaBPL) is used to enhance the turnover rate for the reaction of biotin alkyne with an azide to give a triazole. This allows the enzyme to select the optimum triazole-based inhibitor using a library of such azides in a single experiment with greatly improved efficiency and sensitivity of detection, difficulties that can restrict the general utility of a multi-component in situ click approach to ligand optimisation.