Challenges and Opportunities in DNA Encoded Library Screens

Authors

  • Basilius Sauter Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3199-3397
  • Pinwen Cai Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Koder Dagher Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Chiara Disraeli Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Athira Kakkolliyil Prakash Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Lukas Schneider Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Ángel Cores Esperon Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Dennis Gillingham Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2025.158

PMID:

40156560

Keywords:

Biotechnology, Chemical biology, DNA encoded libraries, Medicinal chemistry

Abstract

In our lab we have been developing techniques that attempt to capture or amplify signals in pooled compound mixtures for several years. DNA encoded libraries (DELs) are the most widely used pooled mixtures in early drug discovery. DELs are massive collections of small molecules, where each individual molecule is covalently linked to a unique DNA strand that can serve as an identification tag by sequencing. The industry standard for selecting DELs is affinity enrichment, which inherently can only search for direct binding. We outline here two of the ways that we are attempting to extend the potential of DEL screens into new areas.

Funding data

CHIMIA Vol. 79 No. 3 (2025): Innovation through Chemical Biology

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Published

2025-03-26

Issue

Vol. 79 No. 3 (2025): Innovation through Chemical Biology

Section

Scientific Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Basilius Sauter, Pinwen Cai, Koder Dagher, Chiara Disraeli, Athira Kakkolliyil Prakash, Lukas Schneider, Angel Cores Esperon, Dennis Gillingham

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

[1]
B. Sauter, P. Cai, K. Dagher, C. Disraeli, A. Kakkolliyil Prakash, L. Schneider, Ángel Cores Esperon, D. Gillingham, Chimia 2025, 79, 158, DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2025.158.