Thiazole- and selenazole-comprising high-affinity inhibitors possess bright microsecond-scale photoluminescence in complex with protein kinase CK2.

A previously disclosed protein kinase (PK) CK2-selective inhibitor 4-(2-amino-1,3-thiazol-5-yl)benzoic acid (ATB) and its selenium-containing counterpart (ASB) revealed remarkable room temperature phosphorescence when bound to the ATP pocket of the protein kinase CK2. Conjugation of these fragments with a mimic of CK2 substrate peptide resulted in bisubstrate inhibitors with increased affinity towards the kinase. Attachment of the fluorescent acceptor dye 5-TAMRA to the conjugates led to significant enhancement of intensity of long-lifetime (microsecond-scale) photoluminescence of both sulfur- and selenium-containing compounds. The developed photoluminescent probes make possible selective determination of the concentration of CK2 in cell lysates and characterization of CK2 inhibitors by means of time-gated measurement of photoluminescence.