Chemical probe

Not to be confused with Hybridization probe.

In the field of chemical biology, a chemical probe is a small molecule that is used to study and manipulate a biological system such as a cell or an organism by reversibly binding to and altering the function of a biological target (most commonly a protein) within that system.[1] Probes ideally have a high affinity and binding selectivity for one protein target as well as high efficacy.[2] By changing the phenotype of the cell, a molecular probe can be used to determine the function of the protein with which it interacts.

  1. ^ Arrowsmith CH, Audia JE, Austin C, Baell J, Bennett J, Blagg J, Bountra C, Brennan PE, et al. (2015). "The promise and peril of chemical probes". Nature Chemical Biology. 11 (8): 536–41. doi:10.1038/nchembio.1867. PMC 4706458. PMID 26196764.
  2. ^ Lowe D (1 April 2013). "Chemical Probes Versus Drugs". In the Pipeline. Retrieved 27 July 2015 – via Science Translational Medicine.