An ever-increasing number of metalloproteins are being discovered that play
essential roles in physiological processes. Inhibitors of these proteins have
significant potential for the treatment of human disease, but clinical success
of these compounds has been limited. Herein, zinc(II)-dependent metalloprotein
inhibitors in clinical use are reviewed, and the potential for using novel
metal-binding groups (MBGs) in the design of these inhibitors is discussed. By
using human carbonic anhydrase II as a model system, the nuances of MBG-metal
interactions in the context of a protein environment can be probed.
Understanding how metal coordination influences inhibitor binding may help in
the design of new therapeutics targeting metalloproteins.
