123rd General Meeting of the KCS

Type Oral Presentation
Area Oral Presentation of Young Life Chemist
Room No. Room 303
Time THU 10:15-10:30
Code LIFE.O-6
Subject Forward Chemical Genetics Identified A Small-Molecule That Selectively Kill Leukemia Cells
Authors Soobin Lee, Hyun-Suk Lim*
Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea
Abstract Forward chemical genetics is a highly useful strategy to explore the biological systems for chemists. In this strategy, compounds that induce a desired phenotypic change can be identified from screening a chemical library. Since it requires no hypotheses regarding the molecular basis of the phenotype in question, any genes or proteins that support this phenomenon are analyzed afterwards. The unbiased nature of the inquiry can lead to novel target proteins that could serve as novel drug targets or biomarkers, while discovering compounds that modulate those target proteins. Here, I will discuss (1) discovery of a small-molecule p27 activator that selectively kill leukemia cells, (2) identification of the target associated with the compound which may lead to the malignant behaviour of leukemia, and (3) subsequent biological studies, through forward chemical genetics. This molecule could be developed as a novel class of anti-leukemia agent, as well as a molecular tool that can provide valuable information about the role of the target in leukemia.
E-mail thelastlight@postech.ac.kr