DDX11 Inhibitors

DEAD box proteins constitute a family of RNA helicases that play a crucial role in various cellular processes, primarily involving RNA metabolism. These proteins are named after the amino acid sequence motifs that they share, including DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp), which is vital for their ATPase and RNA binding activities. DEAD box proteins participate in RNA unwinding, remodeling, and facilitating the transition between different RNA secondary structures, which are essential for processes such as translation, splicing, and RNA transport. One prominent member of this family is DDX11 (DEAD/H box helicase 11), which is known for its involvement in DNA repair and genome stability maintenance, rather than typical RNA-related functions. DDX11 is implicated in various DNA repair pathways, including homologous recombination and interstrand crosslink repair. Its aberrant expression or dysfunction can lead to genomic instability and contribute to diseases like cancer. Researchers are actively investigating DDX11 and its role in these processes, as well as developing inhibitors to target its activity, which could offer avenues for conditions driven by DNA repair deficiencies.

The significance of DDX11 inhibitors lies in their modulataion of the function of this specific DEAD box protein, with the ultimate goal of influencing DNA repair processes and genome stability. By targeting DDX11's helicase activity, inhibitors aim to either disrupt its involvement in DNA repair pathways or manipulate its functions in cellular processes.