Abstact

The crystal structure of human heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in complex with (2R,4S)-2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]-2-[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-4[((5-trifluoromethylpyridin-2-yl)thio)methyl]-1,3-dioxolane (4) reveals a novel, inducible binding mode. Inhibitor 4 coordinates the heme iron, with its chlorophenyl group bound in a distal hydrophobic pocket, as seen in previous structures. However, accommodation of the 5-trifluoromethylpyridin-2-yl group requires a significant shift in the proximal helix, inducing the formation of a hydrophobic pocket. This is the first example of an induced binding pocket observed in HO-1.