Target Protein Ligand-Linker Conjugates 

Target Protein Ligand-Linker Conjugate incorporates a ligand for the target protein and a linker. When binding to an E3 ligase ligand, the conjugate will be a PROTAC with ability to induce ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation the protein of interest.

Target proteins are usually proteins whose overexpression or accumulation may play important roles in the progress of diseases. Numbers of PROTACs have been developed to degrade kinases, transcription factors, epigenetic tools and E3 ligase themselves.

The optimal lengths of the PROTAC linkers are reported varying from 12-carbon to over 20-carbon, and the commonly used linkers in the development of PROTACs are PEGs, Alkyl-Chain and Alkyl/ether.