1
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Gomes DEB, Yang B, Vanella R, Nash MA, Bernardi RC. Integrating Dynamic Network Analysis with AI for Enhanced Epitope Prediction in PD-L1:Affibody Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:23842-23853. [PMID: 39146039 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c05869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Understanding binding epitopes involved in protein-protein interactions and accurately determining their structure are long-standing goals with broad applicability in industry and biomedicine. Although various experimental methods for binding epitope determination exist, these approaches are typically low throughput and cost-intensive. Computational methods have potential to accelerate epitope predictions; however, recently developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods frequently fail to predict epitopes of synthetic binding domains with few natural homologues. Here we have developed an integrated method employing generalized-correlation-based dynamic network analysis on multiple molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories, initiated from AlphaFold2Multimer structures, to unravel the structure and binding epitope of the therapeutic PD-L1:Affibody complex. Both AlphaFold2 and conventional molecular dynamics trajectory analysis were ineffective in distinguishing between two proposed binding models, parallel and perpendicular. However, our integrated approach, utilizing dynamic network analysis, demonstrated that the perpendicular mode was significantly more stable. These predictions were validated using a suite of experimental epitope mapping protocols, including cross-linking mass spectrometry and next-generation sequencing-based deep mutational scanning. Conversely, AlphaFold3 failed to predict a structure bound in the perpendicular pose, highlighting the necessity for exploratory research in the search for binding epitopes and challenging the notion that AI-generated protein structures can be accepted without scrutiny. Our research underscores the potential of employing dynamic network analysis to enhance AI-based structure predictions for more accurate identification of protein-protein interaction interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego E B Gomes
- Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Byeongseon Yang
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Rosario Vanella
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Michael A Nash
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Rafael C Bernardi
- Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
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2
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Nuqui X, Casalino L, Zhou L, Shehata M, Wang A, Tse AL, Ojha AA, Kearns FL, Rosenfeld MA, Miller EH, Acreman CM, Ahn SH, Chandran K, McLellan JS, Amaro RE. Simulation-driven design of stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike S2 immunogens. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7370. [PMID: 39191724 PMCID: PMC11350062 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50976-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The full-length prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) is the principal antigen of COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccine efficacy has been impacted by emerging variants of concern that accumulate most of the sequence modifications in the immunodominant S1 subunit. S2, in contrast, is the most evolutionarily conserved region of the spike and can elicit broadly neutralizing and protective antibodies. Yet, S2's usage as an alternative vaccine strategy is hampered by its general instability. Here, we use a simulation-driven approach to design S2-only immunogens stabilized in a closed prefusion conformation. Molecular simulations provide a mechanistic characterization of the S2 trimer's opening, informing the design of tryptophan substitutions that impart kinetic and thermodynamic stabilization. Structural characterization via cryo-EM shows the molecular basis of S2 stabilization in the closed prefusion conformation. Informed by molecular simulations and corroborated by experiments, we report an engineered S2 immunogen that exhibits increased protein expression, superior thermostability, and preserved immunogenicity against sarbecoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xandra Nuqui
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ling Zhou
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mohamed Shehata
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Albert Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra L Tse
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Anupam A Ojha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Fiona L Kearns
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mia A Rosenfeld
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Emily Happy Miller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Cory M Acreman
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Surl-Hee Ahn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kartik Chandran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Rommie E Amaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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3
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Argoubi W, Algethami FK, Raouafi N. Enhanced sensitivity in electrochemical detection of ochratoxin A within food samples using ferrocene- and aptamer-tethered gold nanoparticles on disposable electrodes. RSC Adv 2024; 14:8007-8015. [PMID: 38454949 PMCID: PMC10918640 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08567h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Ensuring food security is crucial for public health, and the presence of mycotoxins, produced by fungi in improperly stored processed or unprocessed food, poses a significant threat. This research introduces a novel approach - a disposable aptasensing platform designed for the detection of ochratoxin A (OTA). The platform employs gold-nanostructured screen-printed carbon electrodes functionalized with a ferrocene derivative, serving as an integrated faradaic transducing system, and an anti-OTA aptamer as a bioreceptor site. Detection relies on the ferrocene electrochemical signal changes induced by the aptamer folding in the presence of the target molecule. Remarkably sensitive, the platform detects OTA within the range of 0.5 to 70 ng mL-1 and a detection limit of 11 pg mL-1. This limit is approximately 200 times below the levels stipulated by the European Commission for agricultural commodities. Notably, the sensing device exhibits efficacy in detecting OTA in complex media, such as roasted coffee beans and wine, without the need for sample pretreatment, yielding accurate recoveries. Furthermore, while label-free electrochemical aptasensors have proliferated, this study addresses a gap in understanding the binding mechanisms of some aptasensors. To enhance the experimental findings, a theoretical study was conducted to underscore the specificity of the anti-OTA aptamer as a donor for OTA detection. The molecular docking technique was employed to unveil the key binding region of the aptamer, providing valuable insights into the aptasensor specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wicem Argoubi
- Sensors and Biosensors Group, ACE-Lab (LR99ES15), Faculty of Science, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 Tunis El Manar Tunisia
| | - Faisal K Algethami
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) P.O. Box 90950 Riyadh 11623 Saudi Arabia
| | - Noureddine Raouafi
- Sensors and Biosensors Group, ACE-Lab (LR99ES15), Faculty of Science, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 Tunis El Manar Tunisia
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4
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Pan Y, Zhao C, Fu W, Yang S, Lv S. Comparative analysis of structural dynamics and allosteric mechanisms of RecA/Rad51 family proteins: Integrated atomistic MD simulation and network-based analysis. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 261:129843. [PMID: 38302027 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129843] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Homologous recombination plays a key role in double-strand break repair, stalled replication fork repair, and meiosis. The RecA/Rad51 family recombinases catalyze the DNA strand invasion reaction that occurs during homologous recombination. However, the high sequence differences between homologous groups have hindered the thoroughly studies of this ancient protein family. The dynamic mechanisms of the family, particularly at the residual level, remain poorly understood. In this work, five representative RecA/Rad51 recombinase family members from all major kingdoms of living organisms: prokaryotes, eukaryotes, archaea, and viruses, were selected to explore the molecular mechanisms behind their conserved biological significance. A variety of techniques, including all-atom molecular dynamics simulation, perturbation response scanning, and protein structure network analysis, were used to examine the flexibility and correlation of protein domains, distribution of sensors and effectors and conserved hub residues. Furthermore, the potential communication routes between the ATP-binding region and the DNA-binding region of each recombinase were identified. Our results demonstrate the conserved molecular dynamics of these recombinases in the early stage of homologous recombination, including cooperative motions between regions, conserved sensing and effecting functional residue distribution, and conserved hub residues. Meanwhile, the unique ATP-DNA communication routes of each recombinase was also revealed. These results provide new insights into the mechanism of RecA/Rad51 family proteins, and provide new theoretical guidance for the development of allosteric inhibitors and the application of RecA/Rad51 family proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Pan
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Chong Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Wenyu Fu
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China.
| | - Shaowu Lv
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China; Bioarchaeology Laboratory, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012, China.
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5
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Yehorova D, Crean RM, Kasson PM, Kamerlin SCL. Key interaction networks: Identifying evolutionarily conserved non-covalent interaction networks across protein families. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4911. [PMID: 38358258 PMCID: PMC10868456 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Protein structure (and thus function) is dictated by non-covalent interaction networks. These can be highly evolutionarily conserved across protein families, the members of which can diverge in sequence and evolutionary history. Here we present KIN, a tool to identify and analyze conserved non-covalent interaction networks across evolutionarily related groups of proteins. KIN is available for download under a GNU General Public License, version 2, from https://www.github.com/kamerlinlab/KIN. KIN can operate on experimentally determined structures, predicted structures, or molecular dynamics trajectories, providing insight into both conserved and missing interactions across evolutionarily related proteins. This provides useful insight both into protein evolution, as well as a tool that can be exploited for protein engineering efforts. As a showcase system, we demonstrate applications of this tool to understanding the evolutionary-relevant conserved interaction networks across the class A β-lactamases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariia Yehorova
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Rory M. Crean
- Department of Chemistry—BMCUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Peter M. Kasson
- Department of Molecular PhysiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
- Department Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Shina C. L. Kamerlin
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Department of Chemistry—BMCUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
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6
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Desai A, Mahajan V, Ramabhadran RO, Mukherjee R. Binding order of substrate and cofactor in sulfonamide monooxygenase during sulfa drug degradation: in silico studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38263732 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2306495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
For decades, sulfonamide antibiotics have been used across industries such as agriculture and animal husbandry. However, the use and inadvertent misuse of these antibiotics have resulted in the advent of sulfonamide-drug-resistant strains due to antibiotic pollution. Enzymatic bioremediation of antibiotics remains a potential emerging solution to combat antibiotic pollution. Here, we propose an enzymatic model for the degradation of sulfonamides by Microbacterium sp. We have employed a multi-pronged computational strategy involving - protein structure modelling, ligand docking and molecular dynamics simulations to decipher a plausible binding order for the enzymatic degradation of sulfonamides by the bacterial sulfonamide monooxygenase, SulX. Our results enable us to predict that this degradation is achieved through the sequential binding of the antibiotic sulfonamide followed by the reduced flavin cofactor FMNH2, thereby laying the computational foundation for further advancements in enzyme-mediated degradation of the antibiotic. We also provide a list of experiments which may be performed to verify and follow-up on our in-silico studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amogh Desai
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati, Tirupati, India
| | - Ved Mahajan
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati, Tirupati, India
| | - Raghunath O Ramabhadran
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati, Tirupati, India
| | - Raju Mukherjee
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati, Tirupati, India
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7
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Nakao IA, Almeida TC, Cardoso Reis AC, Coutinho GG, Hermenegildo AM, Cordeiro CF, da Silva GN, Dias DF, Brandão GC, Pinto Braga SF, de Souza TB. Discovery of a new dihydroeugenol-chalcone hybrid with cytotoxic and anti-migratory potential: A dual-action hit for cancer therapeutics. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 96:117516. [PMID: 37944413 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117516] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Cancer still represents a serious public health problem and one of the main problems related to the worsening of this disease is the ability of some tumors to develop metastasis. In this work, we synthesized a new series of chalcones and isoxazoles derived from eugenol and analogues as molecular hybrids and these compounds were evaluated against different tumor cell lines. This structural pattern was designed considering the cytotoxic potential already known for eugenol, chalcones and isoxazoles. Notably, chalcones 7, 9, 10, and 11 displayed significant activity (4.2-14.5 µM) against two cancer cell lines, surpassing the potency of the control drug doxorubicin. The reaction of chalcones with hydroxylamine hydrochloride provided the corresponding isoxazoles that were inactive against these cancer cells. The dihydroeugenol chalcone 7 showed the most promising results, demonstrating higher potency against HepG2 (CC50: 4.2 µM) and TOV-21G (CC50: 7.2 µM). Chalcone 7 was also three times less toxic than doxorubicin considering HepG2 cells, with a selectivity index greater than 11. Further investigations including clonogenic survival, cell cycle progression and cell migration assays confirmed the compelling antitumoral potential of chalcone 7, as it reduced long-term survival due to DNA fragmentation, inducing cell death and inhibiting HepG2 cells migration. Moreover, in silico studies involving docking and molecular dynamics revealed a consistent binding mode of chalcone 7 with metalloproteinases, particularly MMP-9, shedding light on its potential mechanism of action related to anti-migratory effects. These significant findings suggest the inclusion of compound 7 as a promising candidate for future studies in the field of cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izadora Amaral Nakao
- School of Pharmacy - Federal University of Ouro Preto, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | - Tamires Cunha Almeida
- School of Pharmacy - Federal University of Ouro Preto, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Geraldo Célio Brandão
- School of Pharmacy - Federal University of Ouro Preto, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
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8
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Sakai T, Mashima T, Kobayashi N, Ogata H, Duan L, Fujiki R, Hengphasatporn K, Uda T, Shigeta Y, Hifumi E, Hirota S. Structural and thermodynamic insights into antibody light chain tetramer formation through 3D domain swapping. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7807. [PMID: 38065949 PMCID: PMC10709643 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43443-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of antibody light chains in small plasma cell clones can lead to misfolding and aggregation. On the other hand, the formation of amyloid fibrils from antibody light chains is related to amyloidosis. Although aggregation of antibody light chain is an important issue, atomic-level structural examinations of antibody light chain aggregates are sparse. In this study, we present an antibody light chain that maintains an equilibrium between its monomeric and tetrameric states. According to data from X-ray crystallography, thermodynamic and kinetic measurements, as well as theoretical studies, this antibody light chain engages in 3D domain swapping within its variable region. Here, a pair of domain-swapped dimers creates a tetramer through hydrophobic interactions, facilitating the revelation of the domain-swapped structure. The negative cotton effect linked to the β-sheet structure, observed around 215 nm in the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of the tetrameric variable region, is more pronounced than that of the monomer. This suggests that the monomer contains less β-sheet structures and exhibits greater flexibility than the tetramer in solution. These findings not only clarify the domain-swapped structure of the antibody light chain but also contribute to controlling antibody quality and advancing the development of future molecular recognition agents and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Sakai
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Mashima
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Naoya Kobayashi
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan
| | - Hideaki Ogata
- Graduate School of Science, University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Koto, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo, 678-1297, Japan
| | - Lian Duan
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
- Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8571, Japan
| | - Ryo Fujiki
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Kowit Hengphasatporn
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Taizo Uda
- Nanotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Systems, Information Technologies and Nanotechnologies (ISIT), 4‑1 Kyudai‑Shinmachi, Fukuoka, 879‑5593, Japan
| | - Yasuteru Shigeta
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
| | - Emi Hifumi
- Institute for Research Management, Oita University, 700 Dannoharu, Oita-shi, Oita, 870‑1192, Japan
| | - Shun Hirota
- Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan.
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Rangra S, Chakraborty R, Hasija Y, Aggarwal KK. A cystatin C similar protein from Musa acuminata that inhibits cathepsin B involved in rheumatoid arthritis using in silico approach and in vitro cathepsin B inhibition by protein extract. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10985-10998. [PMID: 37097972 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2203234] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disease that affects the synovial lining of the joints, causes synovitis and culminates to joint destruction. Cathepsin B is responsible for digesting unwanted proteins in extracellular matrix but its hyper expression could implicate in pathological diseases like RA. Available treatments for RA are classified into non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and steroids, but the severe side effects associated with these drugs is one of concerns and cannot be ignored. Thus, any alternative therapy with minimum or no side effects would be a cornerstone. In our in silico studies a cystatin C similar protein (CCSP) has been identified from Musa acuminata that could effectively inhibit the cathepsin B activity. In silico and molecular dynamics studies showed that the identified CCSP and cathepsin B complex has binding energy -66.89 kcal/mol as compared to cystatin C - cathepsin B complex with binding energy of -23.38 kcal/mol. These results indicate that CCSP from Musa acuminata has better affinity towards cathepsin B as compared to its natural inhibitor cystatin C. Hence, CCSP may be suggested as an alternative therapeutic in combating RA by inhibiting its one of the key proteases cathepsin B. Further, in vitro experiments with fractionated protein extracts from Musa sp. peel inhibited cathepsin B to 98.30% at 300 µg protein concentration and its IC50 was found to be 45.92 µg indicating the presence of cathepsin B inhibitor(s) in protein extract of peel which was further confirmed by reverse zymography.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabita Rangra
- University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Yasha Hasija
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, New Delhi, India
| | - Kamal Krishan Aggarwal
- University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
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10
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Pacak P, Kluger C, Vogel V. Molecular dynamics of JUNO-IZUMO1 complexation suggests biologically relevant mechanisms in fertilization. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20342. [PMID: 37990051 PMCID: PMC10663542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46835-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
JUNO-IZUMO1 binding is the first known physical link created between the sperm and egg membranes in fertilization, however, how this initiates sperm-egg fusion remains elusive. As advanced structural insights will help to combat the infertility crisis, or advance fertility control, we employed all-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) to derive dynamic structural insights that are difficult to obtain experimentally. We found that the hydrated JUNO-IZUMO1 interface is composed of a large set of short-lived non-covalent interactions. The contact interface is destabilized by strategically located point mutations, as well as by Zn2+ ions, which shift IZUMO1 into the non-binding "boomerang" conformation. We hypothesize that the latter might explain how the transient zinc spark, as released after sperm entry into the oocyte, might contribute to block polyspermy. To address a second mystery, we performed another set of simulations, as it was previously suggested that JUNO in solution is unable to bind to folate despite it belonging to the folate receptor family. MD now suggests that JUNO complexation with IZUMO1 opens up the binding pocket thereby enabling folate insertion. Our MD simulations thus provide crucial new hypotheses how the dynamics of the JUNO-IZUMO1 complex upon solvation might regulate fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Pacak
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carleen Kluger
- Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Munich, Germany
- Evotec München GmbH, Neuried, Germany
| | - Viola Vogel
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Abdul Kadir FFN, Che Nordin MA, S M N Mydin RB, Choong YS, Che Omar MT. Molecular interaction analysis of anti-IL-8 scFv-10F8-6His against IL-8 monomer through molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37837430 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2269254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Elevated interleukin 8 (IL-8) expression has been linked to unfavorable outcomes in a range of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and cancer. The human monoclonal antibody (HuMab) 10F8 and the hybridoma 35B11-B bind to an epitope on human IL-8, respectively. 10F8 inhibited interaction between IL-8 and neutrophils in eczema and pustulosis palmoplantaris patients while 35B11-B decreased size lesion in rat model. The binding interaction of monoclonal antibodies and IL-8, especially how complementarity-determining region (CDR) loops could bind the N-terminal of IL-8, has not been fully deliberated at molecular-level. Here, we used a combination of molecular docking, heated and long coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to identify key residues of established interaction. Based on heated MD simulation, docked pose of complexes generated by ClusPro showed good binding stability throughout of 70 ns simulation. Based on long molecular dynamic simulations, key residues for the binding were identified throughout of 1000 ns simulation. TYR-53, ASP-99, and ARG-100 of heavy chain CDR together with TYR-33 of light chain CDR are among the highest contributing energy residues within the binding interaction. Meanwhile, LYS11 and TYR13 of IL-8 are important for the determination of overall binding energy. Furthermore, the result of decomposition residues analysis is in good agreement with the interaction analysis data. Current study provides a list of important interacting residues and further scrutiny on these residues is essential for future development and design of a new and stable recombinant antibody against IL-8.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Muhamad Alif Che Nordin
- Biological Section, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Rabiatul Basria S M N Mydin
- Biomedical Sciences Department, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Yee Siew Choong
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
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12
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Verma P, Kwansa AL, Ho R, Yingling YG, Zimmer J. Insights into substrate coordination and glycosyl transfer of poplar cellulose synthase-8. Structure 2023; 31:1166-1173.e6. [PMID: 37572661 PMCID: PMC10592267 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose is an abundant cell wall component of land plants. It is synthesized from UDP-activated glucose molecules by cellulose synthase, a membrane-integrated processive glycosyltransferase. Cellulose synthase couples the elongation of the cellulose polymer with its translocation across the plasma membrane. Here, we present substrate- and product-bound cryogenic electron microscopy structures of the homotrimeric cellulose synthase isoform-8 (CesA8) from hybrid aspen (poplar). UDP-glucose binds to a conserved catalytic pocket adjacent to the entrance to a transmembrane channel. The substrate's glucosyl unit is coordinated by conserved residues of the glycosyltransferase domain and amphipathic interface helices. Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved gating loop capping the active site reveals its critical function for catalytic activity. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal prolonged interactions of the gating loop with the substrate molecule, particularly across its central conserved region. These transient interactions likely facilitate the proper positioning of the substrate molecule for glycosyl transfer and cellulose translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Verma
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Albert L Kwansa
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Ruoya Ho
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Yaroslava G Yingling
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jochen Zimmer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
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13
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Singh Y, Hocky GM, Nolen BJ. Molecular dynamics simulations support a multistep pathway for activation of branched actin filament nucleation by Arp2/3 complex. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105169. [PMID: 37595874 PMCID: PMC10514467 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Actin-related protein 2/3 complex (Arp2/3 complex) catalyzes the nucleation of branched actin filaments that push against membranes in processes like cellular motility and endocytosis. During activation by WASP proteins, the complex must bind WASP and engage the side of a pre-existing (mother) filament before a branched filament is nucleated. Recent high-resolution structures of activated Arp2/3 complex revealed two major sets of activating conformational changes. How these activating conformational changes are triggered by interactions of Arp2/3 complex with actin filaments and WASP remains unclear. Here we use a recent high-resolution structure of Arp2/3 complex at a branch junction to design all-atom molecular dynamics simulations that elucidate the pathway between the active and inactive states. We ran a total of ∼4.6 microseconds of both unbiased and steered all-atom molecular dynamics simulations starting from three different binding states, including Arp2/3 complex within a branch junction, bound only to a mother filament, and alone in solution. These simulations indicate that the contacts with the mother filament are mostly insensitive to the massive rigid body motion that moves Arp2 and Arp3 into a short pitch helical (filament-like) arrangement, suggesting actin filaments alone do not stimulate the short pitch conformational change. In contrast, contacts with the mother filament stabilize subunit flattening in Arp3, an intrasubunit change that converts Arp3 from a conformation that mimics an actin monomer to one that mimics a filamentous actin subunit. Our results support a multistep activation pathway that has important implications for understanding how WASP-mediated activation allows Arp2/3 complex to assemble force-producing actin networks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Glen M Hocky
- Department of Chemistry, New York University; Simons Center for Computational Physical Chemistry, New York University.
| | - Brad J Nolen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon.
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14
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Amaya-Ramirez D, Martinez-Enriquez LC, Parra-López C. Usefulness of Docking and Molecular Dynamics in Selecting Tumor Neoantigens to Design Personalized Cancer Vaccines: A Proof of Concept. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1174. [PMID: 37514989 PMCID: PMC10386133 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071174] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Personalized cancer vaccines based on neoantigens are a new and promising treatment for cancer; however, there are still multiple unresolved challenges to using this type of immunotherapy. Among these, the effective identification of immunogenic neoantigens stands out, since the in silico tools used generate a significant portion of false positives. Inclusion of molecular simulation techniques can refine the results these tools produce. In this work, we explored docking and molecular dynamics to study the association between the stability of peptide-HLA complexes and their immunogenicity, using as a proof of concept two HLA-A2-restricted neoantigens that were already evaluated in vitro. The results obtained were in accordance with the in vitro immunogenicity, since the immunogenic neoantigen ASTN1 remained bound at both ends to the HLA-A2 molecule. Additionally, molecular dynamic simulation suggests that position 1 of the peptide has a more relevant role in stabilizing the N-terminus than previously proposed. Likewise, the mutations may have a "delocalized" effect on the peptide-HLA interaction, which means that the mutated amino acid influences the intensity of the interactions of distant amino acids of the peptide with the HLA. These findings allow us to propose the inclusion of molecular simulation techniques to improve the identification of neoantigens for cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Camila Martinez-Enriquez
- Grupo de Inmunología y Medicina Traslacional, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Carlos Parra-López
- Grupo de Inmunología y Medicina Traslacional, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
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15
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Kremling V, Loll B, Pach S, Dahmani I, Weise C, Wolber G, Chiantia S, Wahl MC, Osterrieder N, Azab W. Crystal structures of glycoprotein D of equine alphaherpesviruses reveal potential binding sites to the entry receptor MHC-I. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1197120. [PMID: 37250020 PMCID: PMC10213783 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1197120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell entry of most alphaherpesviruses is mediated by the binding of glycoprotein D (gD) to different cell surface receptors. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) and EHV-4 gDs interact with equine major histocompatibility complex I (MHC-I) to initiate entry into equine cells. We have characterized the gD-MHC-I interaction by solving the crystal structures of EHV-1 and EHV-4 gDs (gD1, gD4), performing protein-protein docking simulations, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis, and biological assays. The structures of gD1 and gD4 revealed the existence of a common V-set immunoglobulin-like (IgV-like) core comparable to those of other gD homologs. Molecular modeling yielded plausible binding hypotheses and identified key residues (F213 and D261) that are important for virus binding. Altering the key residues resulted in impaired virus growth in cells, which highlights the important role of these residues in the gD-MHC-I interaction. Taken together, our results add to our understanding of the initial herpesvirus-cell interactions and will contribute to the targeted design of antiviral drugs and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane Kremling
- Institut für Virologie, Robert von Ostertag-Haus, Zentrum für Infektionsmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Loll
- Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Szymon Pach
- Institute of Pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ismail Dahmani
- Universität Potsdam, Institut für Biochemie und Biologie, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Weise
- BioSupraMol Core Facility, Bio-Mass Spectrometry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gerhard Wolber
- Institute of Pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Salvatore Chiantia
- Universität Potsdam, Institut für Biochemie und Biologie, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Markus C. Wahl
- Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Macromolecular Crystallography, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Robert von Ostertag-Haus, Zentrum für Infektionsmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Walid Azab
- Institut für Virologie, Robert von Ostertag-Haus, Zentrum für Infektionsmedizin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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16
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Meena J, Hasija Y. Rare deleterious mutations in Bruton's tyrosine kinase as biomarkers for ibrutinib-based therapy: an in silico insight. J Mol Model 2023; 29:120. [PMID: 36991253 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-023-05515-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer caused by malignant keratinocytes. Multiple studies have shown that protein mutations have a significant impact on the development and progression of cancer, including SCC. We attempted to decode the effect of single amino acid mutations in the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) protein in this study. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed on selected deleterious mutations of the BTK protein, revealing that the variants adversely affect the protein, indicating that they may contribute to the prognosis of SCC by making the protein unstable. Then, we investigated the interaction between the protein and its mutants with ibrutinib, a drug designed to treat SCC. Even though the mutations have deleterious effects on protein structure, they bind to ibrutinib similarly to their wild type counterpart. This study demonstrates that the effect of detected missense mutations is unfavorable and can result in function loss, which is severe for SCC, but that ibrutinib-based therapy can still be effective on them, and the mutations can be used as biomarkers for Ibrutinib-based treatment. METHODS Seven different computational techniques were used to compute the effect of SAVs in accordance with the experimental requirements of this study. To understand the differences in protein and mutant dynamics, MD simulation and trajectory analysis, including RMSD, RMSF, PCA, and contact analysis, were performed. The free binding energy and its decomposition for each protein-drug complex were determined using docking, MM-GBSA, MM-PBSA, and interaction analysis (wild and mutants).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaishree Meena
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Yasha Hasija
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110042, India.
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17
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Verma P, Kwansa AL, Ho R, Yingling YG, Zimmer J. Insights into substrate coordination and glycosyl transfer of poplar cellulose synthase-8. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.07.527505. [PMID: 36798277 PMCID: PMC9934533 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.07.527505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose is an abundant cell wall component of land plants. It is synthesized from UDP-activated glucose molecules by cellulose synthase, a membrane-integrated processive glycosyltransferase. Cellulose synthase couples the elongation of the cellulose polymer with its translocation across the plasma membrane. Here, we present substrate and product-bound cryogenic electron microscopy structures of the homotrimeric cellulose synthase isoform-8 (CesA8) from hybrid aspen (poplar). UDP-glucose binds to a conserved catalytic pocket adjacent to the entrance to a transmembrane channel. The substrate's glucosyl unit is coordinated by conserved residues of the glycosyltransferase domain and amphipathic interface helices. Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved gating loop capping the active site reveals its critical function for catalytic activity. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal prolonged interactions of the gating loop with the substrate molecule, particularly across its central conserved region. These transient interactions likely facilitate the proper positioning of the substrate molecule for glycosyl transfer and cellulose translocation. Highlights Cryo-EM structures of substrate and product bound poplar cellulose synthase provide insights into substrate selectivitySite directed mutagenesis signifies a critical function of the gating loop for catalysisMolecular dynamics simulations support persistent gating loop - substrate interactionsGating loop helps in positioning the substrate molecule to facilitate cellulose elongationConserved cellulose synthesis substrate binding mechanism across the kingdoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Verma
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
| | - Albert L. Kwansa
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Ruoya Ho
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Yaroslava G. Yingling
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jochen Zimmer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
- Lead contact
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18
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Tiwari V, Sowdhamini R. Structural modelling and dynamics of full-length of TLR10 sheds light on possible modes of dimerization, ligand binding and mechanism of action. Curr Res Struct Biol 2023; 5:100097. [PMID: 36911652 PMCID: PMC9996232 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2023.100097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll like receptors (TLRs) play a pivotal role in innate and adaptive immunity. There are 10 TLRs in the human genome, of which TLR10 is the least characterized. Genetic polymorphism of TLR10 has been shown to be associated with multiple diseases including tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis. TLR10 consists of an extracellular domain (ECD), a single-pass transmembrane (TM) helix and intracellular TIR (Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor) domain. ECD is employed for ligand recognition and the intracellular domain interacts with other TIR domain-containing adapter proteins for signal transduction. Experimental structure of ECD or TM domain is not available for TLR10. In this study, we have modelled multiple forms of TLR10-ECD dimers, such as closed and open forms, starting from available structures of homologues. Subsequently, multiple full-length TLR10 homodimer models were generated by utilizing homology modelling and protein-protein docking. The dynamics of these models in membrane-aqueous environment revealed the global motion of ECD and TIR domain towards membrane bilayer. The TIR domain residues exhibited high root mean square fluctuation compared to ECD. The 'closed form' model was observed to be energetically more favorable than 'open form' model. The evaluation of persistent interchain interactions, along with their conservation score, unveiled critical residues for each model. Further, the binding of dsRNA to TLR10 was modelled by defined and blind docking approaches. Differential binding of dsRNA to the protomers of TLR10 was observed upon simulation that could provide clues on ligand disassociation. Dynamic network analysis revealed that the 'open form' model can be the functional form while 'closed form' model can be the apo form of TLR10.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Tiwari
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - R Sowdhamini
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560 065, India
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19
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Du C, Guan X, Yan J. Two-pore channel blockade by phosphoinositide kinase inhibitors YM201636 and PI-103 determined by a histidine residue near pore-entrance. Commun Biol 2022; 5:738. [PMID: 35871252 PMCID: PMC9308409 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03701-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Human two-pore channels (TPCs) are endolysosomal cation channels and play an important role in NAADP-evoked Ca2+ release and endomembrane dynamics. We found that YM201636, a PIKfyve inhibitor, potently inhibits PI(3,5)P2-activated human TPC2 with an IC50 of 0.16 μM. YM201636 also effectively inhibits NAADP-activated TPC2 and a constitutively-open TPC2 L690A/L694A mutant channel; whereas it exerts little effect when applied in the channel’s closed state. PI-103, a YM201636 analog and an inhibitor of PI3K and mTOR, also inhibits human TPC2 with an IC50 of 0.64 μM. With mutational, virtual docking, and molecular dynamic simulation analyses, we found that YM201636 and PI-103 directly block the TPC2’s open-state channel pore at the bundle-cross pore-gate region where a nearby H699 residue is a key determinant for channel’s sensitivity to the inhibitors. H699 likely interacts with the blockers around the pore entrance and facilitates their access to the pore. Substitution of a Phe for H699 largely accounts for the TPC1 channel’s insensitivity to YM201636. These findings identify two potent TPC2 channel blockers, reveal a channel pore entrance blockade mechanism, and provide an ion channel target in interpreting the pharmacological effects of two commonly used phosphoinositide kinase inhibitors. YM201636 and PI-103 are potent inhibitors of human two-pore channel 2 that act through a channel pore entrance blockade mechanism.
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20
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Daiß JL, Pilsl M, Straub K, Bleckmann A, Höcherl M, Heiss FB, Abascal-Palacios G, Ramsay EP, Tlučková K, Mars JC, Fürtges T, Bruckmann A, Rudack T, Bernecky C, Lamour V, Panov K, Vannini A, Moss T, Engel C. The human RNA polymerase I structure reveals an HMG-like docking domain specific to metazoans. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:5/11/e202201568. [PMID: 36271492 PMCID: PMC9438803 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We characterize the human RNA polymerase I by evolutionary biochemistry and cryo-EM revealing a built-in structural domain that apparently serves as transcription factor–binding platform in metazoans. Transcription of the ribosomal RNA precursor by RNA polymerase (Pol) I is a major determinant of cellular growth, and dysregulation is observed in many cancer types. Here, we present the purification of human Pol I from cells carrying a genomic GFP fusion on the largest subunit allowing the structural and functional analysis of the enzyme across species. In contrast to yeast, human Pol I carries a single-subunit stalk, and in vitro transcription indicates a reduced proofreading activity. Determination of the human Pol I cryo-EM reconstruction in a close-to-native state rationalizes the effects of disease-associated mutations and uncovers an additional domain that is built into the sequence of Pol I subunit RPA1. This “dock II” domain resembles a truncated HMG box incapable of DNA binding which may serve as a downstream transcription factor–binding platform in metazoans. Biochemical analysis, in situ modelling, and ChIP data indicate that Topoisomerase 2a can be recruited to Pol I via the domain and cooperates with the HMG box domain–containing factor UBF. These adaptations of the metazoan Pol I transcription system may allow efficient release of positive DNA supercoils accumulating downstream of the transcription bubble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L Daiß
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Pilsl
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kristina Straub
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Bleckmann
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mona Höcherl
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Florian B Heiss
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Guillermo Abascal-Palacios
- Division of Structural Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ewan P Ramsay
- Division of Structural Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Fondazione Human Technopole, Structural Biology Research Centre, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Jean-Clement Mars
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
- Laboratory of Growth and Development, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Cancer Division of the Quebec University Hospital Research Centre, Québec, Canada
- Borden Laboratory, IRIC, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Torben Fürtges
- Protein Crystallography, Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Astrid Bruckmann
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Till Rudack
- Protein Crystallography, Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Carrie Bernecky
- Institute of Science and Technology, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Valérie Lamour
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Illkirch, France
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Konstantin Panov
- School of Biological Sciences and PGJCCR, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Alessandro Vannini
- Division of Structural Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Fondazione Human Technopole, Structural Biology Research Centre, Milan, Italy
| | - Tom Moss
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
- Laboratory of Growth and Development, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Cancer Division of the Quebec University Hospital Research Centre, Québec, Canada
| | - Christoph Engel
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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21
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Jeevana R, Kavitha AP, Abi TG, Sajith PK, Varughese JK, Aravindakshan KK. Targeting COVID-19 pandemic: in silico evaluation of 2-hydroxy-1, 2-diphenylethanone N(4)-methyl-N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone as a potential inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. Struct Chem 2022; 34:1-17. [PMID: 36274924 PMCID: PMC9574830 DOI: 10.1007/s11224-022-02033-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the etiological agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), triggered researchers to identify and develop novel antiviral therapeutics. Herein, we report a new molecule 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone N(4)-methyl-N(4)-phenyl thiosemicarbazone (BMPTSC), as a potential inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. BMPTSC was synthesized, characterized by IR and NMR studies, and the structural parameters were analyzed computationally by B3LYP/cc-pVDZ method. Molecular docking studies were performed to get insights into the energetics and compatibility of BMPTSC against various SARS-CoV-2 drug targets. The best docking poses of target protein-BMPTSC complex structures were further subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) calculations on the binding of BMPTSC with the target proteins viz. spike glycoprotein and ACE-2 protein showed energy values of -179.87 and -145.61 kJ/mol, respectively. Moreover, BMPTSC obeys Lipinski's rule, and further in silico assessment of oral bioavailability, bioactivity scores, ADME, drug-likeness, and medicinal chemistry friendliness suggests that this molecule is a promising candidate for the COVID-19 drug discovery process. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11224-022-02033-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajan Jeevana
- PG & Research Department of Chemistry, Govt. College, Madappally, Kozhikode, 673102 Kerala India
| | | | - Thoppilan G. Abi
- PG & Research Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Kochi, 682013 Kerala India
| | - Pookkottu K. Sajith
- PG & Research Department of Chemistry, Farook College (Autonomous), Kozhikode, 673632 Kerala India
| | - Jibin K. Varughese
- PG & Research Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Kochi, 682013 Kerala India
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22
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Fagnen C, Giovannini J, Catto M, Voisin-Chiret AS, Sopkova-de Oliveira Santos J. On the Tracks of the Aggregation Mechanism of the PHF6 Peptide from Tau Protein: Molecular Dynamics, Energy, and Interaction Network Investigations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2874-2887. [PMID: 36153969 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00314] [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: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), composed of tau protein aggregates, is a hallmark of some neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. NFTs are composed of paired helical filaments (PHFs) of tau protein with a dominant β-sheet secondary structuration. The NFT formation mechanism is not known yet. This study focuses on PHF6, a crucial hexapeptide responsible for tau aggregation. A 2 μs molecular dynamics simulation was launched to determine the keys of the PHF6 aggregation mechanism. Hydrogen bonding, van der Waals, and other non-covalent interactions as π-stacking were investigated. Parallel aggregation was slightly preferred due to its adaptability, but antiparallel aggregation remained widely present during the PHF6 aggregation. The analysis highlighted the leading role of hydrogen bonds identified at the atomic level for each aggregation process. The aggregation study emphasized the importance of Tyr310 during the β-sheets' complexation through π-stacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charline Fagnen
- CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Université de Caen Normandie, UNICAEN, Boulevard Henri Becquerel, F-14032Caen, France
| | - Johanna Giovannini
- CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Université de Caen Normandie, UNICAEN, Boulevard Henri Becquerel, F-14032Caen, France.,Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via E. Orabona 4, 70125Bari (I), Italy
| | - Marco Catto
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via E. Orabona 4, 70125Bari (I), Italy
| | - Anne Sophie Voisin-Chiret
- CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Université de Caen Normandie, UNICAEN, Boulevard Henri Becquerel, F-14032Caen, France
| | - Jana Sopkova-de Oliveira Santos
- CERMN (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie), Université de Caen Normandie, UNICAEN, Boulevard Henri Becquerel, F-14032Caen, France
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23
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Wilson Alphonse CR, Rajesh Kannan R, Nagarajan N. PITRM1 interaction studies with amyloidogenic nonapeptide mutants of familial Alzheimer's disease. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-12. [PMID: 35751131 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2092554] [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: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid β-protein (ABP) is found to be the major cause for the development of neurodegeneration which leads to Alzheimer's. The Aβ nonapeptide segment, QKLVFFAED (amino acids 15-23) is the highly amyloidogenic central region of Aβ. Familial mutation in Aβ increases the aggregation property of the peptide compared to the Native (Wild) amyloid-beta (Aβ) and these mutations fall on the Aβ nonapeptide segment. The catalytic activity of pitrilysin metallopeptidase 1(PITRM1) with familial mutant Aβ (Flemish, Arctic, Dutch, Italian and Iowa) during interaction is examined using molecular dynamic simulation. The molecular dynamics simulation of PITRM1 and the Aβ nonapeptide segment showed similar RMSD with respect to stability. The active site amino acid (AA) H108, hydrophobic pocket AA residues L111, F123, F124, and L127 and the basic pocket AA residues R888 and H896 showed similar interactions with both wild and familial Aβ. The molecular level interaction between amyloid beta and PITRM1 were similar in the wild and familial mutants except for the Arctic mutant. The hydrophobic interaction was commonly observed between the S1 hydrophobic pocket and the LVFF region, the Arctic mutant showed less hydrogen bond formation consistently when compared to other complexes. This molecular information on catalytic activity suggests that modulating inactive PITRM1 or an increase in expression of PITRM1 can help in eliminating different kinds of familial mutant Aβ in neurodegenerative cells.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlton Ranjith Wilson Alphonse
- Neuroscience Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rajaretinam Rajesh Kannan
- Neuroscience Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Nagasundaram Nagarajan
- Neuroscience Lab, Centre for Molecular and Nanomedical Sciences, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.,School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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24
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Urban VA, Davidovskii AI, Veresov VG. Computational discovery of small drug-like compounds as potential inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 interactions. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-17. [PMID: 35696453 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2085805] [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 programmed cell death ligand protein 1 (PD-L1) is a strong immunosuppressive molecule that inactivates tumor-specific T cells by binding to the programmed cell death- 1 protein (PD-1). Cancer immunotherapy based on the monoclonal antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has demonstrated therapeutic responses without precedent over a wide range of cancers. However, the antibody-based immunotherapies have several limitations such as high production cost or the induction of severe immune-related adverse effects. Small-molecule inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway are a promising alternative or complementary therapeutic to antibodies. Currently, the field of developing anti-PD-1/PD-L1 small-molecule inhibitors is intensively explored. In the present study a pharmacophore model was generated based on previously developed compounds and their atomistic structures with the PD-L1 dimer. Structure-based affinity-based virtual screening of small-molecule inhibitors of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway according to the pharmacophore model followed by a screening in terms of drug-likeness resulted in ten hit compounds of high affinity towards the PD-L1 dimer and the satisfaction to all of the drug-likeness rules. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that nine of ten compounds formed stable complexes with the PD-L1 dimer as evidenced by the analysis of MD trajectories. Molecular mechanics Poisson- Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) calculation revealed very low binding energies (<-46 kcal/mol) for the interactions of these ligands with the PD-L1 dimer, suggesting that identified compounds may serve as good scaffolds for the design of novel agents of antitumor immunotherapy able to target the PD-1/PD-L1 interactionCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor A Urban
- Department of Immunolgy and Cell Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Republic of Belarus
| | - Alexander I Davidovskii
- Department of Immunolgy and Cell Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Republic of Belarus
| | - Valery G Veresov
- Department of Immunolgy and Cell Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Republic of Belarus
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25
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Urban VA, Nazarenko PS, Perepechko SA, Veresov VG. Using PD-L1 full-length structure, enhanced induced fit docking and molecular dynamics simulations for structural insights into inhibition of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction by small-molecule ligands. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2022.2080824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Viktor A. Urban
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of NAS of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus
| | | | | | - Valery G. Veresov
- Department of Immunology and Cell Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of NAS of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus
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26
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Varughese JK, J K, S SK, Francis D, L JLK, G AT. Identification of some dietary flavonoids as potential inhibitors of TMPRSS2 through protein-ligand interaction studies and binding free energy calculations. Struct Chem 2022; 33:1489-1502. [PMID: 35645548 PMCID: PMC9130695 DOI: 10.1007/s11224-022-01955-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The continuing threat of COVID-19 and deaths need an urgent cost-effective pharmacological approach. Here, we examine the inhibitory activity of a group of dietary bioactive flavonoids against the human protease TMPRSS2, which plays a major role in SARS CoV-2 viral entry. After the molecular docking studies of a large number of flavonoids, four compounds with high binding scores were selected and studied in detail. The binding affinities of these four ligands, Amentoflavone, Narirutin, Eriocitrin, and Naringin, at the active site of the TMPRSS2 target, were investigated using MD simulations followed by MM-PBSA binding energy calculations. From the studies, a number of significant hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions between the ligands and binding site amino residues of TMPRSS2 are identified which showcase their excellent inhibitory activity against TMPRSS2. Among these ligands, Amentoflavone and Narirutin showed MM-PBSA binding energy values of -155.57 and -139.71 kJ/mol, respectively. Our previous studies of the inhibitory activity of these compounds against the main protease of SARS-COV2 and the present study on TMPRSS2 strongly highlighted that Amentoflavone and Naringin can exhibit promising multi-target activity against SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, due to their wide availability, no side effects, and low cost, these compounds could be recommended as dietary supplements for COVID patients or for the development of SARS-CoV-2 treatments. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11224-022-01955-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jibin K. Varughese
- Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous) Thevara, Kochi, Kerala 682013 India
| | - Kavitha J
- Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous) Thevara, Kochi, Kerala 682013 India
| | - Sindhu K. S
- Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous) Thevara, Kochi, Kerala 682013 India
- Department of Chemistry, Morning Star Home Science College, Angamaly, Kerala 683573 India
| | - Dhiya Francis
- Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous) Thevara, Kochi, Kerala 682013 India
| | - Joseph Libin K. L
- Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous) Thevara, Kochi, Kerala 682013 India
| | - Abi T. G
- Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart College (Autonomous) Thevara, Kochi, Kerala 682013 India
- Department of Chemistry, Morning Star Home Science College, Angamaly, Kerala 683573 India
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27
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Moesgaard L, Reinholdt P, Nielsen CU, Kongsted J. Mechanism behind Polysorbates' Inhibitory Effect on P-Glycoprotein. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:2248-2253. [PMID: 35512380 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Much effort has been invested in the search for modulators of membrane transport proteins such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp) to improve drug bioavailability and reverse multidrug resistance in cancer. Nonionic surfactants, a class of pharmaceutical excipients, are known to inhibit such proteins, but knowledge about the exact mechanism of this inhibition is scarce. Here, we perform multiscale molecular dynamics simulations of one of these surfactants, polysorbate 20 (PS20), to reveal the behavior of such compounds on the molecular level and thereby discover the molecular mechanism of the P-gp inhibition. We show that the amphiphilic headgroup of PS20 is too hydrophobic to partition in the water phase, which drives the binding of PS20 to the amphiphilic drug-binding domain of P-gp and thereby causes the inhibition of the protein. Based on our findings, we conclude that PS20 primarily inhibits P-gp through direct binding to the drug-binding domain (DBD) from the extracellular leaflet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laust Moesgaard
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Peter Reinholdt
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Carsten Uhd Nielsen
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Jacob Kongsted
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
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28
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Mastouri M, Baachaoui S, Mosbah A, Raouafi N. In silico screening for oligopeptides useful as capture and reporting probes for interleukin-6 biosensing. RSC Adv 2022; 12:13003-13013. [PMID: 35497015 PMCID: PMC9049833 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra01496c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
IL-6 is an important interleukin associated with inflammation and several diseases such as cancer. Evaluation of its levels in human blood sera is a critical step for an accurate diagnosis of the diseases. Our goal is to design peptides that can selectively bind in different poses with good affinities to IL-6. For this purpose, we started from the crystal structures of different IL-6/protein complexes available in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) to select short peptides in the interaction zones, in which we intentionally introduced point mutations to increase their stability and affinity. To examine their usefulness as capture and reporting probes for the IL-6 biosensing, the five peptides and their interaction with IL-6 were studied in saline aqueous solution. Molecular docking, MD, and MM-PBSA were used to investigate the affinity and stability of these complexes. The conformational changes, the distance between the mass centers, the gyration radii, and the numbers of hydrogen bonds were analyzed to select the most suitable candidates. Three peptides, namely CTE17, CAY15 and CSE25, have the highest affinities presenting significant numbers of residues that have contact frequencies greater than 50% of simulation run time and are the most promising candidates. CTE17 and CSE25 showed they can form a stable sandwich with the target protein. For sake of comparison, we examined the previously known peptides (FND20, INL19 and CEK17) having affinity to IL-6 and the affinity of the lead i.e. CSE25 to two other interleukin family members (IL-4 and to IL-10).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Mastouri
- Sensors and Biosensors Group, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry & Electrochemistry (LR99ES15), Faculty of Science, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 Tunis El Manar Tunisia
| | - Sabrine Baachaoui
- Sensors and Biosensors Group, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry & Electrochemistry (LR99ES15), Faculty of Science, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 Tunis El Manar Tunisia
| | - Amor Mosbah
- BVBGR Laboratory (LR11ES31), ISBST, Biotechnopole Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba Ariana 2020 Tunisia
| | - Noureddine Raouafi
- Sensors and Biosensors Group, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry & Electrochemistry (LR99ES15), Faculty of Science, University of Tunis El Manar 2092 Tunis El Manar Tunisia
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29
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Neuwald AF, Yang H, Tracy Nixon B. SPARC: Structural properties associated with residue constraints. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:1702-1715. [PMID: 35495120 PMCID: PMC9020082 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
SPARC facilitates the generation of plausible hypotheses regarding underlying biochemical mechanisms by structurally characterizing protein sequence constraints. Such constraints appear as residues co-conserved in functionally related subgroups, as subtle pairwise correlations (i.e., direct couplings), and as correlations among these sequence features or with structural features. SPARC performs three types of analyses. First, based on pairwise sequence correlations, it estimates the biological relevance of alternative conformations and of homomeric contacts, as illustrated here for death domains. Second, it estimates the statistical significance of the correspondence between directly coupled residue pairs and interactions at heterodimeric interfaces. Third, given molecular dynamics simulated structures, it characterizes interactions among constrained residues or between such residues and ligands that: (a) are stably maintained during the simulation; (b) undergo correlated formation and/or disruption of interactions with other constrained residues; or (c) switch between alternative interactions. We illustrate this for two homohexameric complexes: the bacterial enhancer binding protein (bEBP) NtrC1, which activates transcription by remodeling RNA polymerase (RNAP) containing σ54, and for DnaB helicase, which opens DNA at the bacterial replication fork. Based on the NtrC1 analysis, we hypothesize possible mechanisms for inhibiting ATP hydrolysis until ADP is released from an adjacent subunit and for coupling ATP hydrolysis to restructuring of σ54 binding loops. Based on the DnaB analysis, we hypothesize that DnaB 'grabs' ssDNA by flipping every fourth base and inserting it into cavities between subunits and that flipping of a DnaB-specific glutamine residue triggers ATP hydrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F. Neuwald
- Institute for Genome Sciences and Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 670 W. Baltimore Steet, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Biology. Penn State University, 304A Frear South Building, University Park, PA 16802
| | - B. Tracy Nixon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 335 Frear South Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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30
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Bedart C, Renault N, Chavatte P, Porcherie A, Lachgar A, Capron M, Farce A. SINAPs: A Software Tool for Analysis and Visualization of Interaction Networks of Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:1425-1436. [PMID: 35239339 PMCID: PMC8966674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
As long as the structural study of molecular mechanisms requires multiple molecular dynamics reflecting contrasted bioactive states, the subsequent analysis of molecular interaction networks remains a bottleneck to be fairly treated and requires a user-friendly 3D view of key interactions. Structural Interaction Network Analysis Protocols (SINAPs) is a proprietary python tool developed to (i) quickly solve key interactions able to distinguish two protein states, either from two sets of molecular dynamics simulations or from two crystallographic structures, and (ii) render a user-friendly 3D view of these key interactions through a plugin of UCSF Chimera, one of the most popular open-source viewing software for biomolecular systems. Through two case studies, glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) and A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR), SINAPs easily pinpointed key interactions observed experimentally and relevant for their bioactivities. This very effective tool was thus applied to identify the amino acids involved in the molecular enzymatic mechanisms ruling the activation of an immunomodulator drug candidate, P28 glutathione-S-transferase (P28GST). SINAPs is freely available at https://github.com/ParImmune/SINAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin Bedart
- Univ.
Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1286 - Infinite - Institute for Translational
Research in Inflammation, F-59000 Lille, France,Par’Immune,
Bio-incubateur Eurasanté, 70 rue du Dr. Yersin, 59120 Loos-Lez-Lille, France,
| | - Nicolas Renault
- Univ.
Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1286 - Infinite - Institute for Translational
Research in Inflammation, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Philippe Chavatte
- Univ.
Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1286 - Infinite - Institute for Translational
Research in Inflammation, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Adeline Porcherie
- Par’Immune,
Bio-incubateur Eurasanté, 70 rue du Dr. Yersin, 59120 Loos-Lez-Lille, France
| | - Abderrahim Lachgar
- Par’Immune,
Bio-incubateur Eurasanté, 70 rue du Dr. Yersin, 59120 Loos-Lez-Lille, France
| | - Monique Capron
- Univ.
Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1286 - Infinite - Institute for Translational
Research in Inflammation, F-59000 Lille, France,Par’Immune,
Bio-incubateur Eurasanté, 70 rue du Dr. Yersin, 59120 Loos-Lez-Lille, France
| | - Amaury Farce
- Univ.
Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1286 - Infinite - Institute for Translational
Research in Inflammation, F-59000 Lille, France,
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31
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Sánchez-Aparicio JE, Sciortino G, Mates-Torres E, Lledós A, Maréchal JD. Successes and challenges in multiscale modelling of artificial metalloenzymes: the case study of POP-Rh 2 cyclopropanase. Faraday Discuss 2022; 234:349-366. [PMID: 35147145 DOI: 10.1039/d1fd00069a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Molecular modelling applications in metalloenzyme design are still scarce due to a series of challenges. On top of that, the simulations of metal-mediated binding and the identification of catalytic competent geometries require both large conformational exploration and simulation of fine electronic properties. Here, we demonstrate how the incorporation of new tools in multiscale strategies, namely substrate diffusion exploration, allows taking a step further. As a showcase, the enantioselective profiles of the most outstanding variants of an artificial Rh2-based cyclopropanase (GSH, HFF and RFY) developed by Lewis and co-workers (Nat. Commun., 2015, 6, 7789 and Nat. Chem., 2018, 10, 318-324) have been rationalized. DFT calculations on the free-cofactor-mediated process identify the carbene insertion and the cyclopropanoid formation as crucial events, the latter being the enantiodetermining step, which displays up to 8 competitive orientations easily altered by the protein environment. The key intermediates of the reaction were docked into the protein scaffold showing that some mutated residues have direct interaction with the cofactor and/or the co-substrate. These interactions take the form of a direct coordination of Rh in GSH and HFF and a strong hydrophobic patch with the carbene moiety in RFY. Posterior molecular dynamics sustain that the cofactor induces global re-arrangements of the protein. Finally, massive exploration of substrate diffusion, based on the GPathFinder approach, defines this event as the origin of the enantioselectivity in GSH and RFY. For HFF, fine molecular dockings suggest that it is likely related to local interactions upon diffusion. This work shows how modelling of long-range mutations on the catalytic profiles of metalloenzymes may be unavoidable and software simulating substrate diffusion should be applied.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Sciortino
- InSiliChem, Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Eric Mates-Torres
- InSiliChem, Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Agustí Lledós
- InSiliChem, Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Jean-Didier Maréchal
- InSiliChem, Department of Chemistry, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
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32
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Hung KYS, Klumpe S, Eisele MR, Elsasser S, Tian G, Sun S, Moroco JA, Cheng TC, Joshi T, Seibel T, Van Dalen D, Feng XH, Lu Y, Ovaa H, Engen JR, Lee BH, Rudack T, Sakata E, Finley D. Allosteric control of Ubp6 and the proteasome via a bidirectional switch. Nat Commun 2022; 13:838. [PMID: 35149681 PMCID: PMC8837689 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28186-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The proteasome recognizes ubiquitinated proteins and can also edit ubiquitin marks, allowing substrates to be rejected based on ubiquitin chain topology. In yeast, editing is mediated by deubiquitinating enzyme Ubp6. The proteasome activates Ubp6, whereas Ubp6 inhibits the proteasome through deubiquitination and a noncatalytic effect. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of the proteasome bound to Ubp6, based on which we identify mutants in Ubp6 and proteasome subunit Rpt1 that abrogate Ubp6 activation. The Ubp6 mutations define a conserved region that we term the ILR element. The ILR is found within the BL1 loop, which obstructs the catalytic groove in free Ubp6. Rpt1-ILR interaction opens the groove by rearranging not only BL1 but also a previously undescribed network of three interconnected active-site-blocking loops. Ubp6 activation and noncatalytic proteasome inhibition are linked in that they are eliminated by the same mutations. Ubp6 and ubiquitin together drive proteasomes into a unique conformation associated with proteasome inhibition. Thus, a multicomponent allosteric switch exerts simultaneous control over both Ubp6 and the proteasome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sven Klumpe
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Markus R Eisele
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Suzanne Elsasser
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Geng Tian
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shuangwu Sun
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Life Sciences Institute (LSI), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jamie A Moroco
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tat Cheung Cheng
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tapan Joshi
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Timo Seibel
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Duco Van Dalen
- Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333, Leiden, ZC, the Netherlands
| | - Xin-Hua Feng
- Life Sciences Institute (LSI), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ying Lu
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Huib Ovaa
- Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333, Leiden, ZC, the Netherlands
| | - John R Engen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Byung-Hoon Lee
- Department of New Biology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 42988, Korea.
| | - Till Rudack
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany. .,Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Eri Sakata
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152, Martinsried, Germany. .,Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany. .,Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells (MBExC), University of Goettingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Daniel Finley
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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33
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Karimi K, Rahsepar M. Optimization of the Urea Removal in a Wearable Dialysis Device Using Nitrogen-Doped and Phosphorus-Doped Graphene. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:4083-4094. [PMID: 35155902 PMCID: PMC8829914 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Dialysis has been recognized as an essential treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This therapy, however, suffers from several limitations leading to numerous complications in the patients. As dialysis cannot completely substitute healthy kidney functions, the health condition of an ESRD patient is ultimately affected. Wearable artificial kidney (WAK) can resolve the restrictions of blood purification by the dialysis method. However, absorbing large amounts of urea produced in the body is one of the main challenges of these WAK and overcoming this is necessary to improve both functionality and footprint of the device. This study investigates the adsorption capabilities of N- and P-doped graphene nanosorbents for the first time by using molecular dynamic simulation. Urea removal on carbon nanosheets was simulated with different percentages of phosphorus and nitrogen dopants along with the pristine graphene. Specifically, the effects of interaction energy, adsorption percentage, gyration radius, hydrogen bonding, and other molecular dynamic analyses on urea removal were also investigated. The results from this study match well with the existing research, demonstrating the accuracy of the model. The results further suggest that graphene nanosheets doped by 10% nitrogen are likely the most effective in removing urea given that it is associated with the maximum radial distribution function (RDF), the maximum reduction in gyration radius, a high number of hydrogen bonds, and the most negative adsorption energy. This molecular study offers attractive suggestions for the novel adsorbents of artificial kidney devices and paves the way for the development of novel and enhanced urea adsorbents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyvan Karimi
- Department of Materials Science
and Engineering, School of Engineering, Shiraz University, Zand Boulevard, Shiraz 7134851154, Iran
| | - Mansour Rahsepar
- Department of Materials Science
and Engineering, School of Engineering, Shiraz University, Zand Boulevard, Shiraz 7134851154, Iran
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34
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Badaczewska-Dawid AE, Nithin C, Wroblewski K, Kurcinski M, Kmiecik S. OUP accepted manuscript. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:W474-W482. [PMID: 35524560 PMCID: PMC9252833 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Correct identification and effective visualization of interactions in biomolecular structures facilitate understanding of their functions and molecular design. In response to the practical needs of structure-based analysis, we have created a Mapiya web server. The Mapiya integrates four main functionalities: (i) generation of contact maps - intramolecular and intermolecular-for proteins, nucleic acids, and their complexes; (ii) characterization of the interactions physicochemical nature, (iii) interactive visualization of biomolecular conformations with automatic zoom on selected contacts using Molstar and (iv) additional sequence- and structure-based analyses performed with third-party software and in-house algorithms combined into an easy-to-use interface. Thus, Mapiya offers a highly customized analysis of the molecular interactions' in various biological systems. The web server is available at: http://mapiya.lcbio.pl/.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chandran Nithin
- Biological and Chemical Research Center, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karol Wroblewski
- Biological and Chemical Research Center, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Sebastian Kmiecik
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +48 22 552 6607; Fax: +48 22 552 6607;
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Bourafai-Aziez A, Benabderrahmane M, Paysant H, Weiswald LB, Poulain L, Carlier L, Ravault D, Jouanne M, Coadou G, Oulyadi H, Voisin-Chiret AS, Sopková-de Oliveira Santos J, Sebban M. Drug Repurposing: Deferasirox Inhibits the Anti-Apoptotic Activity of Mcl-1. Drug Des Devel Ther 2021; 15:5035-5059. [PMID: 34949914 PMCID: PMC8688747 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s323077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction With the aim of repositioning commercially available drugs for the inhibition of the anti-apoptotic myeloid cell leukemia protein, Mcl-1, implied in various cancers, five molecules, highlighted from a published theoretical screening, were selected to experimentally validate their affinity toward Mcl-1. Results A detailed NMR study revealed that only two of the five tested drugs, Torsemide and Deferasirox, interacted with Mcl-1. NMR data analysis allowed the complete characterization of the binding mode of both drugs to Mcl-1, including the estimation of their affinity for Mcl-1. Biological assays evidenced that the biological activity of Torsemide was lower as compared to the Deferasirox, which was able to efficiently and selectively inhibit the anti-apoptotic activity of Mcl-1. Finally, docking and molecular dynamics led to a 3D model for the Deferasirox:Mcl-1 complex and revealed the positioning of the drug in the Mcl-1 P2/P3 pockets as well as almost all synthetic Mcl-1 inhibitors. Interestingly, contrary to known synthetic Mcl-1 inhibitors which interact through Arg263, Deferasirox, establishes a salt bridge with Lys234. Conclusion Deferasirox could be a potential candidate for drug repositioning as Mcl-1 inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Bourafai-Aziez
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA de Rouen, CNRS Laboratoire COBRA (UMR 6014 & FR 3038), Rouen, 76000, France
| | | | - Hippolyte Paysant
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE «Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment», Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Ovarian Cancers Group (BioTICLA), Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer F. Baclesse, Caen, 14076, France.,UNICANCER, Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer F. Baclesse, Caen, 14076, France
| | - Louis-Bastien Weiswald
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE «Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment», Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Ovarian Cancers Group (BioTICLA), Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer F. Baclesse, Caen, 14076, France.,UNICANCER, Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer F. Baclesse, Caen, 14076, France
| | - Laurent Poulain
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Inserm U1086 ANTICIPE «Interdisciplinary Research Unit for Cancer Prevention and Treatment», Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Ovarian Cancers Group (BioTICLA), Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer F. Baclesse, Caen, 14076, France.,UNICANCER, Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer F. Baclesse, Caen, 14076, France
| | - Ludovic Carlier
- Sorbonne Université, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Ravault
- Sorbonne Université, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, Paris, France
| | | | - Gaël Coadou
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA de Rouen, CNRS Laboratoire COBRA (UMR 6014 & FR 3038), Rouen, 76000, France
| | - Hassan Oulyadi
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA de Rouen, CNRS Laboratoire COBRA (UMR 6014 & FR 3038), Rouen, 76000, France
| | | | | | - Muriel Sebban
- Normandie Université, UNIROUEN, INSA de Rouen, CNRS Laboratoire COBRA (UMR 6014 & FR 3038), Rouen, 76000, France
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36
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Braun L, Schoen I, Vogel V. PIP 2-induced membrane binding of the vinculin tail competes with its other binding partners. Biophys J 2021; 120:4608-4622. [PMID: 34411575 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Vinculin plays a key role during the first phase of focal adhesion formation and interacts with the plasma membrane through specific binding of its tail domain to the lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Our understanding of the PIP2-vinculin interaction has been hampered by contradictory biochemical and structural data. Here, we used a multiscale molecular dynamics simulation approach, in which unbiased coarse-grained molecular dynamics were used to generate starting structures for subsequent microsecond-long all-atom simulations. This allowed us to map the interaction of the vinculin tail with PIP2-enriched membranes in atomistic detail. In agreement with experimental data, we have shown that membrane binding is sterically incompatible with the intramolecular interaction between vinculin's head and tail domain. Our simulations further confirmed biochemical and structural results, which identified two positively charged surfaces, the basic collar and the basic ladder, as the main PIP2 interaction sites. By introducing a valency-disaggregated binding network analysis, we were able to map the protein-lipid interactions in unprecedented detail. In contrast to the basic collar, in which PIP2 is specifically recognized by an up to hexavalent binding pocket, the basic ladder forms a series of low-valency binding sites. Importantly, many of these PIP2 binding residues are also involved in maintaining vinculin in a closed, autoinhibited conformation. These findings led us to propose a molecular mechanism for the coupling between vinculin activation and membrane binding. Finally, our refined binding site suggests an allosteric relationship between PIP2 and F-actin binding that disfavors simultaneous interaction with both ligands, despite nonoverlapping binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Braun
- Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Ingmar Schoen
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Viola Vogel
- Laboratory of Applied Mechanobiology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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37
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Orlando M, Fortuna S, Oloketuyi S, Bajc G, Goldenzweig A, de Marco A. CDR1 Composition Can Affect Nanobody Recombinant Expression Yields. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11091362. [PMID: 34572576 PMCID: PMC8465892 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The isolation of nanobodies from pre-immune libraries by means of biopanning is a straightforward process. Nevertheless, the recovered candidates often require optimization to improve some of their biophysical characteristics. In principle, CDRs are not mutated because they are likely to be part of the antibody paratope, but in this work, we describe a mutagenesis strategy that specifically addresses CDR1. Its sequence was identified as an instability hot spot by the PROSS program, and the available structural information indicated that four CDR1 residues bound directly to the antigen. We therefore modified the loop flexibility with the addition of an extra glycine rather than by mutating single amino acids. This approach significantly increased the nanobody yields but traded-off with moderate affinity loss. Accurate modeling coupled with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations enabled the modifications induced by the glycine insertion and the rationale behind the engineering design to be described in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Orlando
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy;
| | - Sara Fortuna
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Sandra Oloketuyi
- Lab of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska cesta 13, Rožna Dolina, 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenia;
| | - Gregor Bajc
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Adi Goldenzweig
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel;
| | - Ario de Marco
- Lab of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska cesta 13, Rožna Dolina, 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-(05)-3315295
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38
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Chatterjee S, Chakraborty R, Hasija Y. Polymorphisms at site 469 of B-RAF protein associated with skin melanoma may be correlated with dabrafenib resistance: An in silico study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 40:10862-10877. [PMID: 34278963 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1950571] [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: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. Numerous genes and their proteins are strongly associated with melanoma susceptibility. This study aims to use an in silico method to identify genetic variants in the melanoma susceptibility gene. The COSMIC database was queried for genes and cross-referenced with three environment-gene interaction databases (EGP, SeattleSNPs and CTD) to identify shared genes. The majority of approved skin melanoma drugs were found to act on the protein serine/threonine-protein kinase (B-RAF) encoded by the BRAF gene, which was also present in all three referenced databases. Comprehensive computational analysis was performed to predict deleterious genetic variants associated with skin melanoma, and the nsSNPs G469V and G469E were prioritized based on their predicted deleterious effects. Molecular dynamic simulation analysis of the B-RAF protein mutants G469V and G469E reveals that variations in the amino acid conformation at the drug binding site result in inconsistency in drug interaction. Additionally, this analysis showed that the G469V and G469E mutants have lower binding energy for dabrafenib than the wild type. The population with the highest frequency of each deleterious and pathogenic variant has been determined. The study's findings would support the development of more effective treatment strategies for skin melanoma. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yasha Hasija
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India
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39
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Olechnovič K, Venclovas Č. VoroContacts: a tool for the analysis of interatomic contacts in macromolecular structures. Bioinformatics 2021; 37:4873-4875. [PMID: 34132767 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btab448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY VoroContacts is a versatile tool for computing and analyzing contact surface areas (CSAs) and solvent accessible surface areas (SASAs) for 3 D structures of proteins, nucleic acids and their complexes at the atomic resolution. CSAs and SASAs are derived using Voronoi tessellation of 3 D structure, represented as a collection of atomic balls. VoroContacts web server features a highly configurable query interface, which enables on-the-fly analysis of contacts for selected set of atoms and allows filtering interatomic contacts by their type, surface areas, distance between contacting atoms and sequence separation between contacting residues. The VoroContacts functionality is also implemented as part of the standalone Voronota package, enabling batch processing. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION https://bioinformatics.lt/wtsam/vorocontacts. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kliment Olechnovič
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio 7, Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Česlovas Venclovas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio 7, Vilnius, LT-10257, Lithuania
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40
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Gheyouche E, Bagueneau M, Loirand G, Offmann B, Téletchéa S. Structural Design and Analysis of the RHOA-ARHGEF1 Binding Mode: Challenges and Applications for Protein-Protein Interface Prediction. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:643728. [PMID: 34109211 PMCID: PMC8181724 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.643728] [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: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction between two proteins may involve local movements, such as small side-chains re-positioning or more global allosteric movements, such as domain rearrangement. We studied how one can build a precise and detailed protein-protein interface using existing protein-protein docking methods, and how it can be possible to enhance the initial structures using molecular dynamics simulations and data-driven human inspection. We present how this strategy was applied to the modeling of RHOA-ARHGEF1 interaction using similar complexes of RHOA bound to other members of the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor family for comparative assessment. In parallel, a more crude approach based on structural superimposition and molecular replacement was also assessed. Both models were then successfully refined using molecular dynamics simulations leading to protein structures where the major data from scientific literature could be recovered. We expect that the detailed strategy used in this work will prove useful for other protein-protein interface design. The RHOA-ARHGEF1 interface modeled here will be extremely useful for the design of inhibitors targeting this protein-protein interaction (PPI).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gervaise Loirand
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, CNRS, Inserm, L'institut Du Thorax, Nantes, France
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41
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Dreier MA, Althoff P, Norahan MJ, Tennigkeit SA, El-Mashtoly SF, Lübben M, Kötting C, Rudack T, Gerwert K. Time-resolved spectroscopic and electrophysiological data reveal insights in the gating mechanism of anion channelrhodopsin. Commun Biol 2021; 4:578. [PMID: 33990694 PMCID: PMC8121809 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02101-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Channelrhodopsins are widely used in optogenetic applications. High photocurrents and low current inactivation levels are desirable. Two parallel photocycles evoked by different retinal conformations cause cation-conducting channelrhodopsin-2 (CrChR2) inactivation: one with efficient conductivity; one with low conductivity. Given the longer half-life of the low conducting photocycle intermediates, which accumulate under continuous illumination, resulting in a largely reduced photocurrent. Here, we demonstrate that for channelrhodopsin-1 of the cryptophyte Guillardia theta (GtACR1), the highly conducting C = N-anti-photocycle was the sole operating cycle using time-resolved step-scan FTIR spectroscopy. The correlation between our spectroscopic measurements and previously reported electrophysiological data provides insights into molecular gating mechanisms and their role in the characteristic high photocurrents. The mechanistic importance of the central constriction site amino acid Glu-68 is also shown. We propose that canceling out the poorly conducting photocycle avoids the inactivation observed in CrChR2, and anticipate that this discovery will advance the development of optimized optogenetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max-Aylmer Dreier
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Philipp Althoff
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mohamad Javad Norahan
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Stefan Alexander Tennigkeit
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Samir F El-Mashtoly
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mathias Lübben
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Carsten Kötting
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Till Rudack
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Klaus Gerwert
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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42
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Kostritskii AY, Machtens JP. Molecular mechanisms of ion conduction and ion selectivity in TMEM16 lipid scramblases. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2826. [PMID: 33990555 PMCID: PMC8121942 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22724-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
TMEM16 lipid scramblases transport lipids and also operate as ion channels with highly variable ion selectivities and various physiological functions. However, their molecular mechanisms of ion conduction and selectivity remain largely unknown. Using computational electrophysiology simulations at atomistic resolution, we identified the main ion-conductive state of TMEM16 lipid scramblases, in which an ion permeation pathway is lined by lipid headgroups that directly interact with permeating ions in a voltage polarity-dependent manner. We found that lipid headgroups modulate the ion-permeability state and regulate ion selectivity to varying degrees in different scramblase isoforms, depending on the amino-acid composition of the pores. Our work has defined the structural basis of ion conduction and selectivity in TMEM16 lipid scramblases and uncovered the mechanisms responsible for the direct effects of membrane lipids on the conduction properties of ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Y. Kostritskii
- grid.8385.60000 0001 2297 375XInstitute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany ,grid.1957.a0000 0001 0728 696XInstitute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany ,grid.1957.a0000 0001 0728 696XDepartment of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan-Philipp Machtens
- grid.8385.60000 0001 2297 375XInstitute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany ,grid.1957.a0000 0001 0728 696XInstitute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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43
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Lu Y, Li M, Lee GY, Zhao N, Chen Z, Edwards A, Zhang K. Seeking the exclusive binding region of phenylalkylamine derivatives on human T-type calcium channels via homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulation approach. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2021; 9:e00783. [PMID: 33984189 PMCID: PMC8118199 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.783] [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: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmaceutical features of phenylalkylamine derivatives (PAAs) binding to calcium channels have been studied extensively in the past decades. Only a few PAAs have the binding specificity on calcium channels, for example, NNC 55‐0396. Here, we created the homology models of human Cav3.2, Cav3.3 and use them as a receptor on the rigid docking tests. The nonspecific calcium channel blocker mibefradil showed inconsistent docking preference across four domains; however, NNC 55‐0396 had a unique binding pattern on domain II specifically. The subsequent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations identified that Cav3.1, Cav3.2, and Cav3.3 share domain II when Ca2+ appearing in the neighbor region of selective filters (SFs). Moreover, free‐energy perturbation analysis suggests single mutation of lysine at P‐loop domain III, or threonine at the P‐loop domain II largely reduced the total amount of hydration‐free energy in the system. All these findings suggest that P‐loop and segment six domain II in the T‐type calcium channels (TCCs) are crucial for attracting the PAAs with specificity as the antagonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Lu
- Department of Physics and Computer Science, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA.,Bioinformatics Core of Xavier NIH RCMI Center of Cancer Research, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Physiology SL-39, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Gi Young Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Na Zhao
- Key Laboratory in Software Engineering of Yunnan Province, School of Software, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Physics and Computer Science, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA.,Bioinformatics Core of Xavier NIH RCMI Center of Cancer Research, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Andrea Edwards
- Department of Physics and Computer Science, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Physics and Computer Science, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA.,Bioinformatics Core of Xavier NIH RCMI Center of Cancer Research, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA
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44
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Rudack T, Teuber C, Scherlo M, Güldenhaupt J, Schartner J, Lübben M, Klare J, Gerwert K, Kötting C. The Ras dimer structure. Chem Sci 2021; 12:8178-8189. [PMID: 34194708 PMCID: PMC8208300 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc00957e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic mutated Ras is a key player in cancer, but despite intense and expensive approaches its catalytic center seems undruggable. The Ras dimer interface is a possible alternative drug target. Dimerization at the membrane affects cell growth signal transduction. In vivo studies indicate that preventing dimerization of oncogenic mutated Ras inhibits uncontrolled cell growth. Conventional computational drug-screening approaches require a precise atomic dimer model as input to successfully access drug candidates. However, the proposed dimer structural models are controversial. Here, we provide a clear-cut experimentally validated N-Ras dimer structural model. We incorporated unnatural amino acids into Ras to enable the binding of labels at multiple positions via click chemistry. This labeling allowed the determination of multiple distances of the membrane-bound Ras-dimer measured by fluorescence and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In combination with protein-protein docking and biomolecular simulations, we identified key residues for dimerization. Site-directed mutations of these residues prevent dimer formation in our experiments, proving our dimer model to be correct. The presented dimer structure enables computational drug-screening studies exploiting the Ras dimer interface as an alternative drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Till Rudack
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Christian Teuber
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Marvin Scherlo
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Jörn Güldenhaupt
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Jonas Schartner
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Mathias Lübben
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Johann Klare
- Department of Physics, Osnabrück University 49074 Osnabrück Germany
| | - Klaus Gerwert
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
| | - Carsten Kötting
- Biospectroscopy, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
- Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum 44801 Bochum Germany
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45
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Kostritskii AY, Alleva C, Cönen S, Machtens JP. g_elpot: A Tool for Quantifying Biomolecular Electrostatics from Molecular Dynamics Trajectories. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:3157-3167. [PMID: 33914551 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c01246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Electrostatic forces drive a wide variety of biomolecular processes by defining the energetics of the interaction between biomolecules and charged substances. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide trajectories that contain ensembles of structural configurations sampled by biomolecules and their environment. Although this information can be used for high-resolution characterization of biomolecular electrostatics, it has not yet been possible to calculate electrostatic potentials from MD trajectories in a way allowing for quantitative connection to energetics. Here, we present g_elpot, a GROMACS-based tool that utilizes the smooth particle mesh Ewald method to quantify the electrostatics of biomolecules by calculating potential within water molecules that are explicitly present in biomolecular MD simulations. g_elpot can extract the global distribution of the electrostatic potential from MD trajectories and measure its time course in functionally important regions of a biomolecule. To demonstrate that g_elpot can be used to gain biophysical insights into various biomolecular processes, we applied the tool to MD trajectories of the P2X3 receptor, TMEM16 lipid scramblases, the secondary-active transporter GltPh, and DNA complexed with cationic polymers. Our results indicate that g_elpot is well suited for quantifying electrostatics in biomolecular systems to provide a deeper understanding of its role in biomolecular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Y Kostritskii
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Department of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
| | - Claudia Alleva
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Saskia Cönen
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan-Philipp Machtens
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany
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46
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Ubbiali D, Orlando M, Kovačič M, Iacobucci C, Semrau MS, Bajc G, Fortuna S, Ilc G, Medagli B, Oloketuyi S, Storici P, Sinz A, Grandori R, de Marco A. An anti-HER2 nanobody binds to its antigen HER2 via two independent paratopes. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 182:502-511. [PMID: 33848543 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution structural data of complexes between antibodies and membrane receptors still represent a demanding task. In this study, we used complementary sets of experimental data to obtain a structural model of the complex formed by the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and its specific nanobody A10. First we identified by NMR the residues that bind or rearrange as a consequence of the complex formation. In parallel, the complex was cross-linked, digested and the resulting peptides were characterized by mass-spectrometry to define maximal distance restraints between HER2 and A10 amino acids in their complex. These independent datasets guided a docking process, refined by molecular dynamics simulations, to develop a model of the complex and estimate per-residue free-energy contributions. Such a model explains the experimental data and identifies a second, non-canonical paratope, located in the region opposite to the conventional nanobody paratope, formed by the hypervariable loop regions LH1 and LH3. Both paratopes contributed substantially to the overall affinity by binding to independent HER2 epitopes. Nanobody mutants with substitution of key interaction residues, as indicated by the model, possess significantly lower affinity for HER2. This is the first described case of a "natural" biparatopic nanobody, directly selected by in-vitro panning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Ubbiali
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Marco Orlando
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy; Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Matic Kovačič
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Claudio Iacobucci
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Marta S Semrau
- Structural Biology Lab, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., 34149, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy; CIBIO, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, Povo 38123, Italy
| | - Gregor Bajc
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sara Fortuna
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Gregor Ilc
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Medagli
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sandra Oloketuyi
- Lab of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska cesta 13, 5000 Rožna Dolina, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
| | - Paola Storici
- Structural Biology Lab, Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., 34149, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Andrea Sinz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Institute of Pharmacy, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Rita Grandori
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Ario de Marco
- Lab of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska cesta 13, 5000 Rožna Dolina, Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
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47
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Jafary F, Jafari S, Ganjalikhany MR. In silico investigation of critical binding pattern in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6927. [PMID: 33767306 PMCID: PMC7994905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86380-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a newly-discovered coronavirus and responsible for the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infected millions of people in the world and immediately became a pandemic in March 2020. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the beta-coronavirus genus of the large family of Coronaviridae. It is now known that its surface spike glycoprotein binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), which is expressed on the lung epithelial cells, mediates the fusion of the cellular and viral membranes, and facilitates the entry of viral genome to the host cell. Therefore, blocking the virus-cell interaction could be a potential target for the prevention of viral infection. The binding of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 is a protein-protein interaction, and so, analyzing the structure of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and its underlying mechanism to bind the host cell receptor would be useful for the management and treatment of COVID-19. In this study, we performed comparative in silico studies to deeply understand the structural and functional details of the interaction between the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and its cognate cellular receptor ACE2. According to our results, the affinity of the ACE2 receptor for SARS-CoV-2 was higher than SARS-CoV. According to the free energy decomposition of the spike glycoprotein-ACE2 complex, we found critical points in three areas which are responsible for the increased binding affinity of SARS-CoV-2 compared with SARS-CoV. These mutations occurred at the receptor-binding domain of the spike glycoprotein that play an essential role in the increasing the affinity of coronavirus to ACE2. For instance, mutations Pro462Ala and Leu472Phe resulted in the altered binding energy from - 2 kcal mol-1 in SARS-COV to - 6 kcal mol-1 in SARS-COV-2. The results demonstrated that some mutations in the receptor-binding motif could be considered as a hot-point for designing potential drugs to inhibit the interaction between the spike glycoprotein and ACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Jafary
- Core Research Facilities (CRF), Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sepideh Jafari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohamad Reza Ganjalikhany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
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48
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Smith H, Pinkerton N, Heisler DB, Kudryashova E, Hall AR, Karch KR, Norris A, Wysocki V, Sotomayor M, Reisler E, Vavylonis D, Kudryashov DS. Rounding Out the Understanding of ACD Toxicity with the Discovery of Cyclic Forms of Actin Oligomers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E718. [PMID: 33450834 PMCID: PMC7828245 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin is an essential element of both innate and adaptive immune systems and can aid in motility and translocation of bacterial pathogens, making it an attractive target for bacterial toxins. Pathogenic Vibrio and Aeromonas genera deliver actin cross-linking domain (ACD) toxin into the cytoplasm of the host cell to poison actin regulation and promptly induce cell rounding. At early stages of toxicity, ACD covalently cross-links actin monomers into oligomers (AOs) that bind through multivalent interactions and potently inhibit several families of actin assembly proteins. At advanced toxicity stages, we found that the terminal protomers of linear AOs can get linked together by ACD to produce cyclic AOs. When tested against formins and Ena/VASP, linear and cyclic AOs exhibit similar inhibitory potential, which for the cyclic AOs is reduced in the presence of profilin. In coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, profilin and WH2-motif binding sites on actin subunits remain exposed in modeled AOs of both geometries. We speculate, therefore, that the reduced toxicity of cyclic AOs is due to their reduced configurational entropy. A characteristic feature of cyclic AOs is that, in contrast to the linear forms, they cannot be straightened to form filaments (e.g., through stabilization by cofilin), which makes them less susceptible to neutralization by the host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harper Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
- Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nick Pinkerton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
| | - David B. Heisler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Elena Kudryashova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
- Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Aaron R. Hall
- Department of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA; (A.R.H.); (D.V.)
| | - Kelly R. Karch
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Andrew Norris
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Vicki Wysocki
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Marcos Sotomayor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
- Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Emil Reisler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Dimitrios Vavylonis
- Department of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA; (A.R.H.); (D.V.)
| | - Dmitri S. Kudryashov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (H.S.); (N.P.); (D.B.H.); (E.K.); (K.R.K.); (A.N.); (V.W.); (M.S.)
- Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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49
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Patil R, Chikhale R, Khanal P, Gurav N, Ayyanar M, Sinha S, Prasad S, Dey YN, Wanjari M, Gurav SS. Computational and network pharmacology analysis of bioflavonoids as possible natural antiviral compounds in COVID-19. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2020; 22:100504. [PMID: 33363251 PMCID: PMC7756171 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2020.100504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioflavonoids are the largest group of plant-derived polyphenolic compounds with diverse biological potential and have also been proven efficacious in the treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The present investigation validates molecular docking, simulation, and MM-PBSA studies of fifteen bioactive bioflavonoids derived from plants as a plausible potential antiviral in the treatment of COVID-19. Molecular docking studies for 15 flavonoids on the three SARS CoV-2 proteins, non-structural protein-15 Endoribonuclease (NSP15), the receptor-binding domain of spike protein (RBD of S protein), and main protease (Mpro/3CLpro) were performed and selected protein-ligand complexes were subjected to Molecular Dynamics simulations. The molecular dynamics trajectories were subjected to free energy calculation by the MM-PBSA method. All flavonoids were further assessed for their effectiveness as adjuvant therapy by network pharmacology analysis on the target proteins. The network pharmacology analysis suggests the involvement of selected bioflavonoids in the modulation of multiple signaling pathways like p53, FoxO, MAPK, Wnt, Rap1, TNF, adipocytokine, and leukocyte transendothelial migration which plays a significant role in immunomodulation, minimizing the oxidative stress and inflammation. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies illustrated the potential of glycyrrhizic acid, amentoflavone, and mulberroside in inhibiting key SARS-CoV-2 proteins and these results could be exploited further in designing future ligands from natural sources.
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Key Words
- 2019-nCoV, 2019 Novel Coronavirus
- Amentoflavone
- Bioflavonoids
- COVID-19, Coronavirus Disease-2019
- CoV, Corona Virus
- Glycyrrhizic acid
- In-silico study
- MD, Molecular Dynamics
- MM-PBSA, Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area
- Mulberroside
- NSP, Non-structural Protein
- Novel Coronavirus-2
- OPLS, Optimized Potentials for Liquid Simulations
- ORF, Open Reading Frame
- RBD, Receptor Binding Domain
- RMSD, Root Mean Square Deviation
- SARS, Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome
- SARS-CoV-2, Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2
- SDF, Structure Data File
- WHO, World Health Organization
- Å, Angstrom
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Patil
- Sinhgad Technical Education Society's, Smt. Kashibai Navale College of Pharmacy, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Rupesh Chikhale
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Pukar Khanal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, KLE College of Pharmacy Belagavi, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER), Belagavi, 590010, India
| | - Nilambari Gurav
- PES's Rajaram and Tarabai Bandekar College of Pharmacy, Ponda, Goa University, Goa, 403401, India
| | - Muniappan Ayyanar
- Department of Botany, A. Veeriya Vandayar Memorial Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Poondi, Thanjavur, 613 503, India
| | - Saurabh Sinha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohanlal Shukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313 001, India
| | - Satyendra Prasad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, R.T.M. University, Nagpur, Maharashtra, 440033, India
| | - Yadu Nandan Dey
- School of Pharmaceutical Technology, Adamas University, Kolkata, 700126, West Bengal, India
| | - Manish Wanjari
- Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Drug Development, Gwalior, 474009, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Shailendra S Gurav
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Goa College of Pharmacy, Panaji, Goa University, Goa, 403 001, India
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50
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Abe Y, Ikeda Y, Fujiyama S, Kini RM, Ueda T. A structural model of the PriB-DnaT complex in Escherichia coli replication restart. FEBS Lett 2020; 595:341-350. [PMID: 33275781 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In Escherichia coli, DNA replication is restarted following DNA repair by the PriA-dependent pathway, in which the binding and dissociation of proteins such as PriA, PriB, and DnaT on ssDNA lead to the formation of a protein-DNA complex for recruiting the DnaB-DnaC replication protein complex. However, the structure of the PriB-DnaT complex, which is an essential step in the PriA-dependent pathway, remains elusive. In this study, the importance of His26 in PriB for replication restart was reconfirmed using plasmid complementation. Furthermore, we used NMR to examine the DnaT interaction sites on PriB. We also evaluated the PriB-DnaT peptide complex model, which was prepared by in silico docking, using molecular dynamic simulation. From these data, we propose a structural model that provides insight into the PriB-DnaT interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshito Abe
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy at Fukuoka, International University of Health and Welfare, Okawa, Japan
| | - Yohei Ikeda
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Saki Fujiyama
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - R Manjunatha Kini
- Protein Science Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tadashi Ueda
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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