Pseudokinase drug intervention: a potentially poisoned chalice

Pseudokinases, the catalytically impaired component of the kinome, have recently been found to share more properties with active kinases than previously thought. In many pseudokinases, ATP binding and even some activity is preserved, highlighting these proteins as potential drug targets. In both active kinases and pseudokinases, binding of ATP or drugs in the nucleotide-binding pocket can stabilize specific conformations required for activity and protein–protein interactions. We discuss the implications of locking particular conformations in a selection of (pseudo)kinases and the dual potential impact on the druggability of these proteins.