Screening of a large PAX6 cohort identified many novel variants and emphasises the importance of the paired and homeobox domains.

Pathogenic variants within PAX6 are most often associated with aniridia, but have been linked with other phenotypes such as nystagmus, cataracts and foveal hypoplasia. Data are presented from a large cohort of 434 probands referred for PAX6 diagnostic testing. This analysis identified a wide range of pathogenic variants (n = 145) in 254 probands (including 61 novel variants).

Computational Prediction and Design for Creating Iteratively Larger Heterospecific Coiled Coil Sets.

A major biochemical goal is the ability to mimic nature in engineering highly specific protein-protein interactions (PPIs). We previously devised a computational interactome screen to identify eight peptides that form four heterospecific dimers despite 32 potential off-targets. To expand the speed and utility of our approach and the PPI toolkit, we have developed new software to derive much larger heterospecific sets (≥24 peptides) while directing against antiparallel off-targets.

Deriving Heterospecific Self-Assembling Protein-Protein Interactions Using a Computational Interactome Screen.

Interactions between naturally occurring proteins are highly specific, with protein-network imbalances associated with numerous diseases. For designed protein-protein interactions (PPIs), required specificity can be notoriously difficult to engineer. To accelerate this process, we have derived peptides that form heterospecific PPIs when combined.

Truncation, randomization, and selection: generation of a reduced length c-Jun antagonist that retains high interaction stability.

The DNA binding activity of the transcriptional regulator activator protein-1 shows considerable promise as a target in cancer therapy. A number of different strategies have been employed to inhibit the function of this protein with promise having been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. Peptide-based therapeutics have received renewed interest in the last few years, and a number of 37-amino acid peptides capable of binding to the coiled coil dimerization domain of Jun and Fos have been derived.