Interrogating Fragments Using a Protein Thermal Shift Assay

Abstract

Protein thermal shift is a relatively rapid and inexpensive technique for the identification of low molecular weight compound interactions with protein targets. An increase in the melting temperature of the target protein in the presence of a test ligand is indicative of a promising ligand–protein interaction. Due to its simplicity, protein thermal shift is an attractive method for screening libraries and validating hits in drug discovery programs. The methodology has been used successfully in high throughput screens of small molecule libraries, and its application has been extended to report on protein–drug-like-fragment interactions. Here, we review how protein thermal shift has been employed recently in fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) efforts, and highlight its application to protein–protein interaction targets. Multiple validation of fragment hits by independent means is paramount to ensure efficient and economical progress in a FBDD campaign. We discuss the applicability of thermal shift assays in this light, and discuss more generally what one does when orthogonal approaches disagree.