Charakterisierung der Substratspezifität von Protein-Methyltransferasen

The regulation of cellular activities is a key hallmark in the development of complex life forms. Among other factors, it is facilitated by protein lysine methyltransferases (PKMTs), which modify proteins in a highly specific manner and regulate their biological activities. Here, we describe methods to decipher the PKMT-substrate specificity by biochemical experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. This led to the discovery of novel PKMT substrates and rational design of even better non-natural substrates, which represent a promising starting point for the design of novel PKMT inhibitors.