Molecular tweezers target a protein-protein interface and thereby modulate complex formation.

Molecular tweezers for lysine and arginine select a few residues on a protein surface and by their unique complexation mode disrupt a critical protein-protein interaction. Detailed structural information was gained by NMR experiments, strongly supported by QM/MM calculations and further substantiated by ITC, fluorescence anisotropy, ELISA and bio-layer-interference studies.