Proteins as Alternate Targets of Enediynes

From various studies it is now clear that in addition to nucleic acids, enediynes also target other biomolecules, the most prominent of which are the proteins. Since a major portion of currently available drug targets are proteins (enzymes and receptors), this aspect of enediyne chemistry has opened a new window for further exploitation. Newer enediyne-based therapeutics targeting proteins may be possible to design. Moreover, the toxicity of the natural enediynes may arise from the non-selective protein cleavages. Substantial progress has been made to understand the nature of interaction between enediynes and proteins. This article is an attempt to discuss the developments in this area.