1
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Lohachova KO, Kyrychenko A, Kalugin ON. Critical assessment of popular biomolecular force fields for molecular dynamics simulations of folding and enzymatic activity of main protease of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Biophys Chem 2024; 311:107258. [PMID: 38776839 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2024.107258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The main cysteine protease (Mpro) of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has become a promising target for computational development in anti-COVID-19 treatments. Here, we benchmarked the performance of six biomolecular molecular dynamics (MD) force fields (OPLS-AA, CHARMM27, CHARMM36, AMBER03, AMBER14SB and GROMOS G54A7) and three water models (TIP3P, TIP4P and SPC) for reproducing the native fold and the enzymatic activity of Mpro as monomeric and dimeric units. The MD sampling up to 1 μs suggested that the proper choice of the force fields and water models plays an essential role in reproducing the tertiary structure and the inter-residue distance between the catalytic dyad His41-Cys145. We found that while most benchmarked all-atom force fields reproduce well the native fold of Mpro, the CHARMM27/TIP3P and OPLS-AA/TIP4P setups revealed a good performance in reproducing the structure of the catalytic domain. In addition, these FF setups were also well-adopted for MD sampling of Mpro at the physiologic conditions by mimicking the presence of 100 mM NaCl and the elevated temperature of 310 K. Finally, both FFs were also performed well in reproducing the native fold of Mpro in a dimeric form. Therefore, comparing the preservation of the native fold of Mpro and the stability of its catalytic site architecture, our MD benchmarking suggests that the OPLS-AA/TIP4P and CHARMM27/TIP3P MD setups at the physiologic conditions may be well-suited for rapid in silico screening and developing broad-spectrum anti-coronaviral therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna O Lohachova
- School of Chemistry, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 4 Svobody sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Alexander Kyrychenko
- School of Chemistry, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 4 Svobody sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine.
| | - Oleg N Kalugin
- School of Chemistry, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, 4 Svobody sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine
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2
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Xu B, Dong Q, Yu C, Chen H, Zhao Y, Zhang B, Yu P, Chen M. Advances in Research on the Activity Evaluation, Mechanism and Structure-Activity Relationships of Natural Antioxidant Peptides. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:479. [PMID: 38671926 PMCID: PMC11047381 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13040479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antioxidant peptides are a class of biologically active peptides with low molecular weights and stable antioxidant properties that are isolated from proteins. In this review, the progress in research on the activity evaluation, action mechanism, and structure-activity relationships of natural antioxidant peptides are summarized. The methods used to evaluate antioxidant activity are mainly classified into three categories: in vitro chemical, in vitro cellular, and in vivo animal methods. Also, the biological effects produced by these three methods are listed: the scavenging of free radicals, chelation of metal ions, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, inhibition of oxidative enzyme activities, and activation of antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic systems. The antioxidant effects of natural peptides primarily consist of the regulation of redox signaling pathways, which includes activation of the Nrf2 pathway and the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. The structure-activity relationships of the antioxidant peptides are investigated, including the effects of peptide molecular weight, amino acid composition and sequence, and secondary structure on antioxidant activity. In addition, four computer-assisted methods (molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, quantum chemical calculations, and the determination of quantitative structure-activity relationships) for analyzing the structure-activity effects of natural peptides are summarized. Thus, this review lays a theoretical foundation for the development of new antioxidants, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoting Xu
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Qin Dong
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
| | - Changxia Yu
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
| | - Yan Zhao
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
| | - Baosheng Zhang
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Panling Yu
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Mingjie Chen
- Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China; (B.X.); (Q.D.); (C.Y.); (H.C.); (B.Z.); (P.Y.)
- Shanghai Fanshun Edible Fungus Professional Cooperative, Shanghai 201317, China
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3
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Vila JA. Rethinking the protein folding problem from a new perspective. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2023:10.1007/s00249-023-01657-w. [PMID: 37165178 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-023-01657-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the main concerns of Anfinsen was to reveal the connection between the amino-acid sequence and their biologically active conformation. This search gave rise to two crucial questions in structural biology, namely, why the proteins fold and how a sequence encodes its folding. As to the why, he proposes a plausible answer, namely, the thermodynamic hypothesis. As to the how, this remains an unsolved challenge. Consequently, the protein folding problem is examined here from a new perspective, namely, as an 'analytic whole'. Conceiving the protein folding in this way enabled us to (i) examine in detail why the force-field-based approaches have failed, among other purposes, in their ability to predict the three-dimensional structure of a protein accurately; (ii) propose how to redefine them to prevent these shortcomings, and (iii) conjecture on the origin of the state-of-the-art numerical-methods success to predict the tridimensional structure of proteins accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Vila
- IMASL-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Ejército de Los Andes 950, 5700, San Luis, Argentina.
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4
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Escobar V, Scaramozzino N, Vidic J, Buhot A, Mathey R, Chaix C, Hou Y. Recent Advances on Peptide-Based Biosensors and Electronic Noses for Foodborne Pathogen Detection. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:bios13020258. [PMID: 36832024 PMCID: PMC9954637 DOI: 10.3390/bios13020258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Foodborne pathogens present a serious issue around the world due to the remarkably high number of illnesses they cause every year. In an effort to narrow the gap between monitoring needs and currently implemented classical detection methodologies, the last decades have seen an increased development of highly accurate and reliable biosensors. Peptides as recognition biomolecules have been explored to develop biosensors that combine simple sample preparation and enhanced detection of bacterial pathogens in food. This review first focuses on the selection strategies for the design and screening of sensitive peptide bioreceptors, such as the isolation of natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from living organisms, the screening of peptides by phage display and the use of in silico tools. Subsequently, an overview on the state-of-the-art techniques in the development of peptide-based biosensors for foodborne pathogen detection based on various transduction systems was given. Additionally, limitations in classical detection strategies have led to the development of innovative approaches for food monitoring, such as electronic noses, as promising alternatives. The use of peptide receptors in electronic noses is a growing field and the recent advances of such systems for foodborne pathogen detection are presented. All these biosensors and electronic noses are promising alternatives for the pathogen detection with high sensitivity, low cost and rapid response, and some of them are potential portable devices for on-site analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Escobar
- Grenoble Alpes University, CEA, CNRS, IRIG-SyMMES, 17 Rue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
- Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, LIPhy, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Jasmina Vidic
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Arnaud Buhot
- Grenoble Alpes University, CEA, CNRS, IRIG-SyMMES, 17 Rue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Raphaël Mathey
- Grenoble Alpes University, CEA, CNRS, IRIG-SyMMES, 17 Rue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Carole Chaix
- Institute of Analytical Sciences, University of Lyon, CNRS, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, UMR 5280, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Yanxia Hou
- Grenoble Alpes University, CEA, CNRS, IRIG-SyMMES, 17 Rue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
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Dutta P, Roy P, Sengupta N. Effects of External Perturbations on Protein Systems: A Microscopic View. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:44556-44572. [PMID: 36530249 PMCID: PMC9753117 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c06199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Protein folding can be viewed as the origami engineering of biology resulting from the long process of evolution. Even decades after its recognition, research efforts worldwide focus on demystifying molecular factors that underlie protein structure-function relationships; this is particularly relevant in the era of proteopathic disease. A complex co-occurrence of different physicochemical factors such as temperature, pressure, solvent, cosolvent, macromolecular crowding, confinement, and mutations that represent realistic biological environments are known to modulate the folding process and protein stability in unique ways. In the current review, we have contextually summarized the substantial efforts in unveiling individual effects of these perturbative factors, with major attention toward bottom-up approaches. Moreover, we briefly present some of the biotechnological applications of the insights derived from these studies over various applications including pharmaceuticals, biofuels, cryopreservation, and novel materials. Finally, we conclude by summarizing the challenges in studying the combined effects of multifactorial perturbations in protein folding and refer to complementary advances in experiment and computational techniques that lend insights to the emergent challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallab Dutta
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute
of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur741246, India
| | - Priti Roy
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute
of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur741246, India
- Department
of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma74078, United States
| | - Neelanjana Sengupta
- Department
of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute
of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, Mohanpur741246, India
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6
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Gröhs Ferrareze PA, Zimerman RA, Franceschi VB, Caldana GD, Netz PA, Thompson CE. Molecular evolution and structural analyses of the spike glycoprotein from Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 genomes: the impact of selected mutations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:3110-3128. [PMID: 35594172 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2076154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has reached by February 2022 more than 380 million cases and 5.5 million deaths worldwide since its beginning in late 2019, leading to enhanced concern in the scientific community and the general population. One of the most important pieces of this host-pathogen interaction is the spike protein, which binds to the hACE2 cell receptor, mediates the membrane fusion and is the major target of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The multiple amino acid substitutions observed in this region, specially in RBD have enhanced the hACE2 binding affinity and led to several modifications in the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, improving the viral fitness and/or promoting immune evasion, with potential impact in the vaccine development. In this work, we identified 48 sites under selective pressures, 17 of them with the strongest evidence by the HyPhy tests, including VOC related mutation sites 138, 142, 222, 262, 484, 681, and 845, among others. The coevolutionary analysis identified 28 sites found not to be conditionally independent, such as E484K-N501Y. The molecular dynamics and free energy estimates showed the structural stabilizing effect and the higher impact of E484K for enhanced binding affinity between the spike RBD and hACE2 in P.1 and P.2 lineages (specially with L452V). Structural changes were also identified in the hACE molecule when interacting with B.1.1.7 RDB. Despite some destabilizing substitutions, a stabilizing effect was identified for the majority of the positively selected mutations.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Aline Gröhs Ferrareze
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Vinícius Bonetti Franceschi
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Dickin Caldana
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Paulo Augusto Netz
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Claudia Elizabeth Thompson
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Department of Pharmacosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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7
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Netz PA. Molecular dynamics simulations of structural and dynamical aspects of DNA hydration water. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2022; 34:164002. [PMID: 35114661 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ac5198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Water is a remarkable liquid, both because of it is intriguing but also because of its importance. Water plays a key role on the structure and function of biological molecules, but on the other hand also the structure and dynamics of water are deeply influenced by its interactions with biological molecules, specially at low temperatures, where water's anomalies are enhanced. Here we present extensive molecular dynamics simulations of water hydrating a oligonucleotide down to very low temperatures (supercooled water), comparing four water models and analyzing the water structure and dynamics in different domains: water in the minor groove, water in the major groove and bulk water. We found that the water in the grooves is slowed down by the interactions with the nucleic acid and a hints of a dynamic transition regarding translational and orientational dynamics were found, specially for the water models TIP4P/2005 and TIP4P-Ew, which also showed the closest agreement with available experimental data. The behavior of water in such extreme conditions is relevant for the study of cryopreservation of biological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo A Netz
- Departamento de Físico-Química, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
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8
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Natural and Synthetic Halogenated Amino Acids-Structural and Bioactive Features in Antimicrobial Peptides and Peptidomimetics. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26237401. [PMID: 34885985 PMCID: PMC8659048 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26237401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The 3D structure and surface characteristics of proteins and peptides are crucial for interactions with receptors or ligands and can be modified to some extent to modulate their biological roles and pharmacological activities. The introduction of halogen atoms on the side-chains of amino acids is a powerful tool for effecting this type of tuning, influencing both the physico-chemical and structural properties of the modified polypeptides, helping to first dissect and then rationally modify features that affect their mode of action. This review provides examples of the influence of different types of halogenation in amino acids that replace native residues in proteins and peptides. Examples of synthetic strategies for obtaining halogenated amino acids are also provided, focusing on some representative compounds and their biological effects. The role of halogenation in native and designed antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their mimetics is then discussed. These are in the spotlight for the development of new antimicrobial drugs to counter the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. AMPs represent an interesting model to study the role that natural halogenation has on their mode of action and also to understand how artificially halogenated residues can be used to rationally modify and optimize AMPs for pharmaceutical purposes.
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Şterbuleac D. Molecular dynamics: a powerful tool for studying the medicinal chemistry of ion channel modulators. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:1503-1518. [PMID: 34671734 PMCID: PMC8459385 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00140j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations allow researchers to investigate the behavior of desired biological targets at ever-decreasing costs with ever-increasing precision. Among the biological macromolecules, ion channels are remarkable transmembrane proteins, capable of performing special biological processes and revealing a complex regulatory matrix, including modulation by small molecules, either endogenous or exogenous. Recently, given the developments in ion channel structure determination and accessibility of bio-computational techniques, MD and related tools are becoming increasingly popular in the intense research area regarding ligand-channel interactions. This review synthesizes and presents the most important fields of MD involvement in investigating channel-molecule interactions, including, but not limited to, deciphering the binding modes of ligands to their ion channel targets and the mechanisms through which chemical compounds exert their effect on channel function. Special attention is devoted to the importance of more elaborate methods, such as free energy calculations, while principles regarding drug design and discovery are highlighted. Several technical aspects involving the creation and simulation of channel-molecule MD systems (ligand parameterization, proper membrane setup, system building, etc.) are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Şterbuleac
- Department of Health and Human Development, "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava Str. Universităţii 13, 720229, E Building Suceava Romania
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Protection, "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava Str. Universităţii 13, 720229, E Building Suceava Romania
- Integrated Center for Research, Development and Innovation in Advanced Materials, Nanotechnologies and Distributed Systems for Fabrication and Control (MANSiD), "Ştefan cel Mare" University of Suceava Str. Universităţii 13 720229 Suceava Romania
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10
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Flexible model of water based on the dielectric and electromagnetic spectrum properties: TIP4P/∊Flex. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.116770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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11
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Oestereich M, Gauss J, Diezemann G. Force probe simulations using an adaptive resolution scheme. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2021; 33:194005. [PMID: 33690183 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/abed18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Molecular simulations of the forced unfolding and refolding of biomolecules or molecular complexes allow to gain important kinetic, structural and thermodynamic information about the folding process and the underlying energy landscape. In force probe molecular dynamics (FPMD) simulations, one pulls one end of the molecule with a constant velocity in order to induce the relevant conformational transitions. Since the extended configuration of the system has to fit into the simulation box together with the solvent such simulations are very time consuming. Here, we apply a hybrid scheme in which the solute is treated with atomistic resolution and the solvent molecules far away from the solute are described in a coarse-grained manner. We use the adaptive resolution scheme (AdResS) that has very successfully been applied to various examples of equilibrium simulations. We perform FPMD simulations using AdResS on a well studied system, a dimer formed from mechanically interlocked calixarene capsules. The results of the multiscale simulations are compared to all-atom simulations of the identical system and we observe that the size of the region in which atomistic resolution is required depends on the pulling velocity, i.e. the particular non-equilibrium situation. For large pulling velocities a larger all atom region is required. Our results show that multiscale simulations can be applied also in the strong non-equilibrium situations that the system experiences in FPMD simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Oestereich
- Department Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jürgen Gauss
- Department Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Gregor Diezemann
- Department Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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Bertrand B, Garduño-Juárez R, Munoz-Garay C. Estimation of pore dimensions in lipid membranes induced by peptides and other biomolecules: A review. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2021; 1863:183551. [PMID: 33465367 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The cytoplasmic membrane is one of the most frequent cell targets of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and other biomolecules. Understanding the mechanism of action of AMPs at the molecular level is of utmost importance for designing of new membrane-specific molecules. In particular, the formation of pores, the structure and size of these pores are of great interest and require nanoscale resolution approaches, therefore, biophysical strategies are essential to achieve an understanding of these processes at this scale. In the case of membrane active peptides, pore formation or general membrane disruption is usually the last step before cell death, and so, pore size is generally directly associated to pore structure and stability and loss of cellular homeostasis, implicated in overall peptide activity. Up to date, there has not been a critical review discussing the methods that can be used specifically for estimating the pore dimensions induced by membrane active peptides. In this review we discuss the scope, relevance and popularity of the different biophysical techniques such as liposome leakage experiments, advanced microscopy, neutron or X-ray scattering, electrophysiological techniques and molecular dynamics studies, all of them useful for determining pore structure and dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandt Bertrand
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (ICF-UNAM), Avenida Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Ramón Garduño-Juárez
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (ICF-UNAM), Avenida Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Carlos Munoz-Garay
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (ICF-UNAM), Avenida Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
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13
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Apostolopoulos V, Bojarska J, Chai TT, Elnagdy S, Kaczmarek K, Matsoukas J, New R, Parang K, Lopez OP, Parhiz H, Perera CO, Pickholz M, Remko M, Saviano M, Skwarczynski M, Tang Y, Wolf WM, Yoshiya T, Zabrocki J, Zielenkiewicz P, AlKhazindar M, Barriga V, Kelaidonis K, Sarasia EM, Toth I. A Global Review on Short Peptides: Frontiers and Perspectives. Molecules 2021; 26:E430. [PMID: 33467522 PMCID: PMC7830668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides are fragments of proteins that carry out biological functions. They act as signaling entities via all domains of life and interfere with protein-protein interactions, which are indispensable in bio-processes. Short peptides include fundamental molecular information for a prelude to the symphony of life. They have aroused considerable interest due to their unique features and great promise in innovative bio-therapies. This work focusing on the current state-of-the-art short peptide-based therapeutical developments is the first global review written by researchers from all continents, as a celebration of 100 years of peptide therapeutics since the commencement of insulin therapy in the 1920s. Peptide "drugs" initially played only the role of hormone analogs to balance disorders. Nowadays, they achieve numerous biomedical tasks, can cross membranes, or reach intracellular targets. The role of peptides in bio-processes can hardly be mimicked by other chemical substances. The article is divided into independent sections, which are related to either the progress in short peptide-based theranostics or the problems posing challenge to bio-medicine. In particular, the SWOT analysis of short peptides, their relevance in therapies of diverse diseases, improvements in (bio)synthesis platforms, advanced nano-supramolecular technologies, aptamers, altered peptide ligands and in silico methodologies to overcome peptide limitations, modern smart bio-functional materials, vaccines, and drug/gene-targeted delivery systems are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (V.A.); (J.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Joanna Bojarska
- Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
| | - Tsun-Thai Chai
- Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar 31900, Malaysia;
| | - Sherif Elnagdy
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Gamaa St., Giza 12613, Egypt; (S.E.); (M.A.)
| | - Krzysztof Kaczmarek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (K.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - John Matsoukas
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (V.A.); (J.M.); (V.B.)
- NewDrug, Patras Science Park, 26500 Patras, Greece;
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Roger New
- Vaxcine (UK) Ltd., c/o London Bioscience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, UK;
- Faculty of Science & Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT, UK;
| | - Keykavous Parang
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Irvine, CA 92618, USA;
| | - Octavio Paredes Lopez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Irapuato 36824, Guanajuato, Mexico;
| | - Hamideh Parhiz
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6073, USA;
| | - Conrad O. Perera
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand;
| | - Monica Pickholz
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina;
- Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA, UBA-CONICET), Argentina, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - Milan Remko
- Remedika, Luzna 9, 85104 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography (CNR), Via Amendola 122/o, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Mariusz Skwarczynski
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (I.T.)
| | - Yefeng Tang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharma Ceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
| | - Wojciech M. Wolf
- Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Janusz Zabrocki
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (K.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - Piotr Zielenkiewicz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
- Department of Systems Biology, Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maha AlKhazindar
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Gamaa St., Giza 12613, Egypt; (S.E.); (M.A.)
| | - Vanessa Barriga
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (V.A.); (J.M.); (V.B.)
| | | | | | - Istvan Toth
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (I.T.)
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
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14
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Ocello R, Furini S, Lugli F, Recanatini M, Domene C, Masetti M. Conduction and Gating Properties of the TRAAK Channel from Molecular Dynamics Simulations with Different Force Fields. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:6532-6543. [PMID: 33295174 PMCID: PMC8016162 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c01179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the K2P family of potassium channels has been the subject of intense research activity. Owing to the complex function and regulation of this family of ion channels, it is common practice to complement experimental findings with the atomistic description provided by computational approaches such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, especially, in light of the unprecedented timescales accessible at present. However, despite recent substantial improvements, the accuracy of MD simulations is still undermined by the intrinsic limitations of force fields. Here, we systematically assessed the performance of the most popular force fields employed to study ion channels at timescales that are orders of magnitude greater than the ones accessible when these energy functions were first developed. Using 32 μs of trajectories, we investigated the dynamics of a member of the K2P ion channel family, the TRAAK channel, using two established force fields in simulations of biological systems: AMBER and CHARMM. We found that while results are comparable on the nanosecond timescales, significant inconsistencies arise at microsecond timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Ocello
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum−Università di Bologna, via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Furini
- Department
of Medical Biotechnologies, University of
Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Francesca Lugli
- Department
of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, Alma Mater Studiorum—Università di Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Recanatini
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum−Università di Bologna, via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Carmen Domene
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA Oxford, U.K.
| | - Matteo Masetti
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater
Studiorum−Università di Bologna, via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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15
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Wan S, Bhati AP, Zasada SJ, Coveney PV. Rapid, accurate, precise and reproducible ligand-protein binding free energy prediction. Interface Focus 2020; 10:20200007. [PMID: 33178418 PMCID: PMC7653346 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2020.0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A central quantity of interest in molecular biology and medicine is the free energy of binding of a molecule to a target biomacromolecule. Until recently, the accurate prediction of binding affinity had been widely regarded as out of reach of theoretical methods owing to the lack of reproducibility of the available methods, not to mention their complexity, computational cost and time-consuming procedures. The lack of reproducibility stems primarily from the chaotic nature of classical molecular dynamics (MD) and the associated extreme sensitivity of trajectories to their initial conditions. Here, we review computational approaches for both relative and absolute binding free energy calculations, and illustrate their application to a diverse set of ligands bound to a range of proteins with immediate relevance in a number of medical domains. We focus on ensemble-based methods which are essential in order to compute statistically robust results, including two we have recently developed, namely thermodynamic integration with enhanced sampling and enhanced sampling of MD with an approximation of continuum solvent. Together, these form a set of rapid, accurate, precise and reproducible free energy methods. They can be used in real-world problems such as hit-to-lead and lead optimization stages in drug discovery, and in personalized medicine. These applications show that individual binding affinities equipped with uncertainty quantification may be computed in a few hours on a massive scale given access to suitable high-end computing resources and workflow automation. A high level of accuracy can be achieved using these approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunzhou Wan
- Centre for Computational Science, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Agastya P. Bhati
- Centre for Computational Science, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Stefan J. Zasada
- Centre for Computational Science, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
| | - Peter V. Coveney
- Centre for Computational Science, Department of Chemistry, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, UK
- Computational Science Laboratory, Institute for Informatics, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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16
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Mitsikas DA, Glykos NM. A molecular dynamics simulation study on the propensity of Asn-Gly-containing heptapeptides towards β-turn structures: Comparison with ab initio quantum mechanical calculations. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243429. [PMID: 33270807 PMCID: PMC7714341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Both molecular mechanical and quantum mechanical calculations play an important role in describing the behavior and structure of molecules. In this work, we compare for the same peptide systems the results obtained from folding molecular dynamics simulations with previously reported results from quantum mechanical calculations. More specifically, three molecular dynamics simulations of 5 μs each in explicit water solvent were carried out for three Asn-Gly-containing heptapeptides, in order to study their folding and dynamics. Previous data, based on quantum mechanical calculations within the DFT framework have shown that these peptides adopt β-turn structures in aqueous solution, with type I’ β-turn being the most preferred motif. The results from our analyses indicate that at least for the given systems, force field and simulation protocol, the two methods diverge in their predictions. The possibility of a force field-dependent deficiency is examined as a possible source of the observed discrepancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios A. Mitsikas
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, University campus, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Nicholas M. Glykos
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, University campus, Alexandroupolis, Greece
- * E-mail:
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17
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Folding of Truncated Granulin Peptides. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081152. [PMID: 32781704 PMCID: PMC7463432 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Granulins are a family of unique protein growth factors which are found in a range of species and have several bioactivities that include cell proliferation and wound healing. They typically contain six disulfide bonds, but the sequences, structures and bioactivities vary significantly. We have previously shown that an N-terminally truncated version of a granulin from the human liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, can fold independently into a “mini-granulin” structure and has potent wound healing properties in vivo. The incorporation of a non-native third disulfide bond, with respect to the full-length granulin module, was critical for the formation of regular secondary structure in the liver fluke derived peptide. By contrast, this third disulfide bond is not required for a carp granulin-1 truncated peptide to fold independently. This distinction led us to explore granulins from the zebrafish model organism. Here we show that the mini-granulin fold occurs in a naturally occurring paragranulin (half-domain) from zebrafish, and is also present in a truncated form of a full-length zebrafish granulin, suggesting this structure might be a common property in either naturally occurring or engineered N-terminally truncated granulins and the carp granulin-1 folding is an anomaly. The in vitro folding yield is significantly higher in the naturally occurring paragranulin, but only the truncated zebrafish granulin peptide promoted the proliferation of fibroblasts consistent with a growth factor function, and therefore the function of the paragranulin remains unknown. These findings provide insight into the folding and evolution of granulin domains and might be useful in the elucidation of the structural features important for bioactivity to aid the design of more potent and stable analogues for the development of novel wound healing agents.
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18
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Abstract
We present an atomistic force field for the azo-moiety of the photoswitchable FK-11-X peptide. We use the parameters to study the unfolding of the peptide through molecular dynamics simulations. The unfolded ensemble contains many different structures, ranging from a partially unfolded peptide to a fully unfolded structure. The averaged computed far-ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the set of structures, which was simulated using the newly developed force field, agrees well with experiment. The rate of the simulated unfolding process was estimated to have a time constant of 5.80 ± 0.03 ns from the time evolution of the CD spectrum of the peptide, computed from the backbone conformations sampled over 40 simulated trajectories. Our estimated time constant is faster than, but not inconsistent with, previous experimental estimates from time-resolved infrared and optical rotatory dispersion spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois Auvray
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan D Hirst
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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19
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Plamitzer L, Bouř P. Pressure dependence of vibrational optical activity of model biomolecules. A computational study. Chirality 2020; 32:710-721. [PMID: 32150771 DOI: 10.1002/chir.23216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Change of molecular properties with pressure is an attracting means to regulate molecular reactivity or biological activity. However, the effect is usually small and so far explored rather scarcely. To obtain a deeper insight and estimate the sensitivity of vibrational optical activity spectra to pressure-induced conformational changes, we investigate small model molecules. The Ala-Ala dipeptide, isomaltose disaccharide and adenine-uracil dinucleotide were chosen to represent three different biomolecular classes. The pressure effects were modeled by molecular dynamics and density functional theory simulations. The dinucleotide was found to be the most sensitive to the pressure, whereas for the disaccharide the smallest changes are predicted. Pressure-induced relative intensity changes in vibrational circular dichroism and Raman optical activity spectra are predicted to be 2-3-times larger than for non-polarized IR and Raman techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luboš Plamitzer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 542/2, Prague 6, 166 10, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 2027/3, Prague 2, 121 16, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Bouř
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 542/2, Prague 6, 166 10, Czech Republic
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20
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Calvanese L, Brun P, Messina GML, Russo T, Zamuner A, Falcigno L, D’Auria G, Gloria A, Vitagliano L, Marletta G, Dettin M. EAK Hydrogels Cross-Linked by Disulfide Bonds: Cys Number and Position Are Matched to Performances. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 6:1154-1164. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Calvanese
- CIRPeB, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Brun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Via Gabelli 63, 35121 Padua, Italy
| | - Grazia M. L. Messina
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Via A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Teresa Russo
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Viale J.F. Kennedy 54−Mostra d’Oltremare PAD. 20, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Annj Zamuner
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Lucia Falcigno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriella D’Auria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Gloria
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Viale J.F. Kennedy 54−Mostra d’Oltremare PAD. 20, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Vitagliano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marletta
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Via A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Monica Dettin
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padua, Italy
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21
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Jiménez MÁ, González-Muñiz R. Peptides in biology and biomedicine: Walking towards the future. Arch Biochem Biophys 2019; 665:20-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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