Structural Basis for Ucn-01 (7-Hydroxystaurosporine) Specificity and Pdk1 (3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinase-1) Inhibition
Komander, D., Kular, G.S., Bain, J., Elliot, M., Alessi, D.R., Van Aalten, D.M.F.(2003) Biochem J 375: 255
- PubMed: 12892559 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20031119
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1OKY, 1OKZ - PubMed Abstract: 
PDK1 (3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1) is a member of the AGC (cAMP-dependent, cGMP-dependent, protein kinase C) family of protein kinases, and has a key role in insulin and growth-factor signalling through phosphorylation and subsequent activation of a number of other AGC kinase family members, such as protein kinase B. The staurosporine derivative UCN-01 (7-hydroxystaurosporine) has been reported to be a potent inhibitor for PDK1, and is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. Here, we report the crystal structures of staurosporine and UCN-01 in complex with the kinase domain of PDK1. We show that, although staurosporine and UCN-01 interact with the PDK1 active site in an overall similar manner, the UCN-01 7-hydroxy group, which is not present in staurosporine, generates direct and water-mediated hydrogen bonds with active-site residues. Inhibition data from UCN-01 tested against a panel of 29 different kinases show a different pattern of inhibition compared with staurosporine. We discuss how these differences in inhibition could be attributed to specific interactions with the additional 7-hydroxy group, as well as the size of the 7-hydroxy-group-binding pocket. This information could lead to opportunities for structure-based optimization of PDK1 inhibitors.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Division of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, UK.