Structural analysis of the calpains as procedures for the development of inhibitors

摘要

The invention provides spatial structures and crystal forms of polypeptides comprising at least one subdomain of a protein from the family of proteins that includes calcium-activated cystein proteinases (calpains). Also provided are methods of preparing these crystal forms, and methods of modeling calpains using the coordinates derived from the disclosed crystal forms. The invention further provides compounds that act as ligands for calpains, methods for identifying such ligands, and methods for using such ligands as inhibitors or activators of calpain activity.