Chemical probe explained

In the field of chemical biology, a chemical probe is a small molecule that is used to study and manipulate a biological system such as a cell or an organism by reversibly binding to and altering the function of a biological target (most commonly a protein) within that system.^[1] Probes ideally have a high affinity and binding selectivity for one protein target as well as high efficacy.^[2] By changing the phenotype of the cell, a molecular probe can be used to determine the function of the protein with which it interacts.

See also

• Chemical Probes Portal

Notes and References

1. Arrowsmith CH, Audia JE, Austin C, Baell J, Bennett J, Blagg J, Bountra C, Brennan PE, Brown PJ, Bunnage ME, Buser-Doepner C, Campbell RM, Carter AJ, Cohen P, Copeland RA, Cravatt B, Dahlin JL, Dhanak D, Edwards AM, Frederiksen M, Frye SV, Gray N, Grimshaw CE, Hepworth D, Howe T, Huber KV, Jin J, Knapp S, Kotz JD, Kruger RG, Lowe D, Mader MM, Marsden B, Mueller-Fahrnow A, Müller S, O'Hagan RC, Overington JP, Owen DR, Rosenberg SH, Roth B, Roth B, Ross R, Schapira M, Schreiber SL, Shoichet B, Sundström M, Superti-Furga G, Taunton J, Toledo-Sherman L, Walpole C, Walters MA, Willson TM, Workman P, Young RN, Zuercher WJ . 8 . The promise and peril of chemical probes . Nature Chemical Biology . 11 . 8 . 536–41 . 2015 . 26196764 . 10.1038/nchembio.1867 . 4706458.
2. Web site: Derek . Lowe . vanc . Chemical Probes Versus Drugs . In the Pipeline . Science Translational Medicine . 1 April 2013 . 27 July 2015 .