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Hernández B, Coïc YM, Kruglik SG, Sanchez-Cortes S, Ghomi M. Relationships between conformational and vibrational features of tryptophan characteristic Raman markers. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 316:124377. [PMID: 38701580 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Tryptophan (Trp) residue provides characteristic vibrational markers to the middle wavenumber spectral region of the Raman spectra recorded from peptides and proteins. In this report, we were particularly interested in eight Trp Raman markers, referred to as Wi (i = 1,…,8). All responsible for pronounced Raman lines, these markers originate from indole moiety, a bicyclic conjugated segment involved in the Trp structure. Numerous investigations have previously attempted to relate the variations observed in the spectral features of these markers to the environmental changes of Trp residues. To emphasize the most important points we can mention (i) the variations in the Raman profile of W4 (∼1360 cm-1) and W5 (∼1340 cm-1), frequently observed as a doublet with variable intensity ratio. These two markers were thought to result from a Fermi-resonance effect between certain planar and nonplanar modes; (ii) the changes observed in the wavenumbers and relative intensities of W4, W7 (∼880 cm-1) and W8 (∼760 cm-1) were supposed to be related to the accessibility of Trp to surrounding water molecules; and (iii) the wavenumber fluctuations of W3 (∼1550 cm-1), taken as a Trp side chain orientational marker. However, some ambiguities still exist regarding the interpretation of these markers, needing further clarification. Herein, upon a joint experimental and theoretical analysis based on a multiconformational approach, attention was paid to the relationships between structural and vibrational features of three indole-containing compounds with increasing structural complexity, i.e., skatole (3-methylindole), tryptophan, and tripeptide Gly-Trp-Gly. This study clearly shows that the existing assignments given to certain Trp Raman markers should be reconsidered, especially those based on the Fermi-resonance origin of W4-W5 (∼1360-1340 cm-1) doublet, as well as the purely environmental dependence of W7 and W8 markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Hernández
- LVTS, INSERM U1148. 74 rue Marcel Cachin. 93017 Bobigny Cédex France
| | - Yves-Marie Coïc
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Unité de Chimie des Biomolécules, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Sergei G Kruglik
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Jean-Perrin, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Mahmoud Ghomi
- Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
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2
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Reyna-Fabián ME, Fernández-Hernández L, Enríquez-Flores S, Apam-Garduño D, Prado-Larrea C, Seo GH, Khang R, Cortés-González V. Deciphering the etiology of undiagnosed ocular anomalies along with systemic alterations in pediatric patients through whole exome sequencing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14380. [PMID: 38909058 PMCID: PMC11193775 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65227-6] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited and developmental eye diseases are quite diverse and numerous, and determining their genetic cause is challenging due to their high allelic and locus heterogeneity. New molecular approaches, such as whole exome sequencing (WES), have proven to be powerful molecular tools for addressing these cases. The present study used WES to identify the genetic etiology in ten unrelated Mexican pediatric patients with complex ocular anomalies and other systemic alterations of unknown etiology. The WES approach allowed us to identify five clinically relevant variants in the GZF1, NFIX, TRRAP, FGFR2 and PAX2 genes associated with Larsen, Malan, developmental delay with or without dysmorphic facies and autism, LADD1 and papillorenal syndromes. Mutations located in GZF1 and NFIX were classified as pathogenic, those in TRRAP and FGFR2 were classified as likely pathogenic variants, and those in PAX2 were classified as variants of unknown significance. Protein modeling of the two missense FGFR2 p.(Arg210Gln) and PAX2 p.(Met3Thr) variants showed that these changes could induce potential structural alterations in important functional regions of the proteins. Notably, four out of the five variants were not previously reported, except for the TRRAP gene. Consequently, WES enabled the identification of the genetic cause in 40% of the cases reported. All the syndromes reported herein are very rare, with phenotypes that may overlap with other genetic entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam E Reyna-Fabián
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Subdirección de Investigación Médica, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Liliana Fernández-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular, Subdirección de Investigación Médica, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Sergio Enríquez-Flores
- Laboratorio de Biomoléculas y Salud Infantil, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, México
| | - David Apam-Garduño
- Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, México
- Departamento de Genética, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Vicente García Torres No. 46 Barrio San Lucas, Coyoacán, C.P. 04030, Mexico City, México
| | - Carolina Prado-Larrea
- Departamento de Glaucoma, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Mexico City, México
| | - Go Hun Seo
- Medical Genetics Division, 3Billion, Inc., Seoul, South Korea
| | - Rin Khang
- Medical Genetics Division, 3Billion, Inc., Seoul, South Korea
| | - Vianney Cortés-González
- Departamento de Genética, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Vicente García Torres No. 46 Barrio San Lucas, Coyoacán, C.P. 04030, Mexico City, México.
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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3
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Mu L, Shi G, Fang H. Hydrated cation-π interactions of π-electrons with hydrated Mg2+ and Ca2+ cations. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:214712. [PMID: 38842493 DOI: 10.1063/5.0210995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydrated cation-π interactions at liquid-solid interfaces between hydrated cations and aromatic ring structures of carbon-based materials are pivotal in many material, biological, and chemical processes, and water serves as a crucial mediator in these interactions. However, a full understanding of the hydrated cation-π interactions between hydrated alkaline earth cations and aromatic ring structures, such as graphene remains elusive. Here, we present a molecular picture of hydrated cation-π interactions for Mg2+ and Ca2+ by using the density functional theory methods. Theoretical results show that the graphene sheet can distort the hydration shell of the hydrated Ca2+ to interact with Ca2+ directly, which is water-cation-π interactions. In contrast, the hydration shell of the hydrated Mg2+ is quite stable and the graphene sheet interacts with Mg2+ indirectly, mediated by water molecules, which is the cation-water-π interactions. These results lead to the anomalous order of adsorption energies for these alkaline earth cations, with hydrated Mg2+-π < hydrated Ca2+-π when the number of water molecules is large (n ≥ 6), contrary to the order observed for cation-π interactions in the absence of water molecules (n = 0). The behavior of hydrated alkaline earth cations adsorbed on a graphene surface is mainly attributed to the competition between the cation-π interactions and hydration effects. These findings provide valuable details of the structures and the adsorption energy of hydrated alkaline earth cations adsorbed onto the graphene surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuhua Mu
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325001, China
- School of Physical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guosheng Shi
- Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325001, China
- Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, State Key Laboratory Advanced Special Steel, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Haiping Fang
- School of Physics, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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4
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Brudenell EL, Pohare MB, Zafred D, Phipps J, Hornsby HR, Darby JF, Dai J, Liggett E, Cain KM, Barran PE, de Silva TI, Sayers JR. Efficient overexpression and purification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleocapsid proteins in Escherichia coli. Biochem J 2024; 481:669-682. [PMID: 38713013 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20240019] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The fundamental biology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid protein (Ncap), its use in diagnostic assays and its potential application as a vaccine component have received considerable attention since the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic in late 2019. Here we report the scalable expression and purification of soluble, immunologically active, SARS-CoV-2 Ncap in Escherichia coli. Codon-optimised synthetic genes encoding the original Ncap sequence and four common variants with an N-terminal 6His affinity tag (sequence MHHHHHHG) were cloned into an inducible expression vector carrying a regulated bacteriophage T5 synthetic promoter controlled by lac operator binding sites. The constructs were used to express Ncap proteins and protocols developed which allow efficient production of purified Ncap with yields of over 200 mg per litre of culture media. These proteins were deployed in ELISA assays to allow comparison of their responses to human sera. Our results suggest that there was no detectable difference between the 6His-tagged and untagged original Ncap proteins but there may be a slight loss of sensitivity of sera to other Ncap isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Brudenell
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Manoj B Pohare
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Domen Zafred
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Janine Phipps
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Hailey R Hornsby
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - John F Darby
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Junxiao Dai
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Ellen Liggett
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Kathleen M Cain
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Perdita E Barran
- Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
| | - Jon R Sayers
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids and Florey Institute, Section of Infection and Immunity, Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, U.K
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5
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Quinn S, Zhang N, Fenton TA, Brusel M, Muruganandam P, Peleg Y, Giladi M, Haitin Y, Lerche H, Bassan H, Liu Y, Ben-Shalom R, Rubinstein M. Complex biophysical changes and reduced neuronal firing in an SCN8A variant associated with developmental delay and epilepsy. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167127. [PMID: 38519006 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167127] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in the SCN8A gene, encoding the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.6, are associated with a range of neurodevelopmental syndromes. The p.(Gly1625Arg) (G1625R) mutation was identified in a patient diagnosed with developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE). While most of the characterized DEE-associated SCN8A mutations were shown to cause a gain-of-channel function, we show that the G1625R variant, positioned within the S4 segment of domain IV, results in complex effects. Voltage-clamp analyses of NaV1.6G1625R demonstrated a mixture of gain- and loss-of-function properties, including reduced current amplitudes, increased time constant of fast voltage-dependent inactivation, a depolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of activation and inactivation, and increased channel availability with high-frequency repeated depolarization. Current-clamp analyses in transfected cultured neurons revealed that these biophysical properties caused a marked reduction in the number of action potentials when firing was driven by the transfected mutant NaV1.6. Accordingly, computational modeling of mature cortical neurons demonstrated a mild decrease in neuronal firing when mimicking the patients' heterozygous SCN8A expression. Structural modeling of NaV1.6G1625R suggested the formation of a cation-π interaction between R1625 and F1588 within domain IV. Double-mutant cycle analysis revealed that this interaction affects the voltage dependence of inactivation in NaV1.6G1625R. Together, our studies demonstrate that the G1625R variant leads to a complex combination of gain and loss of function biophysical changes that result in an overall mild reduction in neuronal firing, related to the perturbed interaction network within the voltage sensor domain, necessitating personalized multi-tiered analysis for SCN8A mutations for optimal treatment selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shir Quinn
- Goldschleger Eye Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Timothy A Fenton
- Neurology Department, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Marina Brusel
- Goldschleger Eye Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Preethi Muruganandam
- Neurology Department, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Yoav Peleg
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Moshe Giladi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yoni Haitin
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Holger Lerche
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Haim Bassan
- Pediatric Neurology and Development Center, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Roy Ben-Shalom
- Neurology Department, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States.
| | - Moran Rubinstein
- Goldschleger Eye Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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6
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He J, Bai M, Xiao X, Qiu S, Chen W, Li J, Yu Y, Tian W. Intramolecular Cation-π Interactions Organize Bowl-Shaped, Luminescent Molecular Containers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202402697. [PMID: 38433608 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202402697] [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: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Molecules with nonplanar architectures are highly desirable due to their unique topological structures and functions. We report here the synthesis of two molecular containers (1 ⋅ 3Br- and 1 ⋅ 3Cl-), which utilize intramolecular cation-π interactions to enforce macrocylic arrangements and exhibit high binding affinity and luminescent properties. Remarkably, the geometry of the cation-π interaction can be flexibly tailored to achieve a precise ring arrangement, irrespective of the angle of the noncovalent bonds. Additionally, the C-H⋅⋅⋅Br- hydrogen bonds within the container are also conducive to stabilizing the bowl-shaped conformation. These bowl-shaped conformations were confirmed both in solution through NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray studies. 1 ⋅ 3Br- shows high binding affinity and selectivity: F->Cl-, through C-H⋅⋅⋅X- (X=F, Cl) hydrogen bonds. Additionally, these containers exhibited blue fluorescence in solution and yellow room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in the solid state. Our findings illustrate the utility of cation-π interactions in designing functional molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Minggui Bai
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Xuedong Xiao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Shuai Qiu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Wenzhuo Chen
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Yang Yu
- Center for Supramolecular Chemistry & Catalysis and Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shang-Da Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Wei Tian
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Hybrid Luminescent Materials and Photonic Device, MOE Key Laboratory of Material Physics and Chemistry under Extraordinary Conditions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University., Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, P. R. China
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7
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Del Conte A, Camagni GF, Clementel D, Minervini G, Monzon AM, Ferrari C, Piovesan D, Tosatto SCE. RING 4.0: faster residue interaction networks with novel interaction types across over 35,000 different chemical structures. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae337. [PMID: 38686797 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Residue interaction networks (RINs) are a valuable approach for representing contacts in protein structures. RINs have been widely used in various research areas, including the analysis of mutation effects, domain-domain communication, catalytic activity, and molecular dynamics simulations. The RING server is a powerful tool to calculate non-covalent molecular interactions based on geometrical parameters, providing high-quality and reliable results. Here, we introduce RING 4.0, which includes significant enhancements for identifying both covalent and non-covalent bonds in protein structures. It now encompasses seven different interaction types, with the addition of π-hydrogen, halogen bonds and metal ion coordination sites. The definitions of all available bond types have also been refined and RING can now process the complete PDB chemical component dictionary (over 35000 different molecules) which provides atom names and covalent connectivity information for all known ligands. Optimization of the software has improved execution time by an order of magnitude. The RING web server has been redesigned to provide a more engaging and interactive user experience, incorporating new visualization tools. Users can now visualize all types of interactions simultaneously in the structure viewer and network component. The web server, including extensive help and tutorials, is available from URL: https://ring.biocomputingup.it/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Del Conte
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giorgia F Camagni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Damiano Clementel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | | | - Carlo Ferrari
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Damiano Piovesan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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8
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Bradshaw WJ, Kennedy EC, Moreira T, Smith LA, Chalk R, Katis VL, Benesch JLP, Brennan PE, Murphy EJ, Gileadi O. Regulation of inositol 5-phosphatase activity by the C2 domain of SHIP1 and SHIP2. Structure 2024; 32:453-466.e6. [PMID: 38309262 PMCID: PMC10997489 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.01.005] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
SHIP1, an inositol 5-phosphatase, plays a central role in cellular signaling. As such, it has been implicated in many conditions. Exploiting SHIP1 as a drug target will require structural knowledge and the design of selective small molecules. We have determined apo, and magnesium and phosphate-bound structures of the phosphatase and C2 domains of SHIP1. The C2 domains of SHIP1 and the related SHIP2 modulate the activity of the phosphatase domain. To understand the mechanism, we performed activity assays, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, and molecular dynamics on SHIP1 and SHIP2. Our findings demonstrate that the influence of the C2 domain is more pronounced for SHIP2 than SHIP1. We determined 91 structures of SHIP1 with fragments bound, with some near the interface between the two domains. We performed a mass spectrometry screen and determined four structures with covalent fragments. These structures could act as starting points for the development of potent, selective probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Bradshaw
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK.
| | - Emma C Kennedy
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Tiago Moreira
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Luke A Smith
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Rod Chalk
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Vittorio L Katis
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Justin L P Benesch
- Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Paul E Brennan
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Emma J Murphy
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Opher Gileadi
- ARUK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Old Road Campus, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK.
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9
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Yu F, Wu X, Chen W, Yan F, Li W. Computer-assisted discovery and evaluation of potential ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta 2 inhibitors. Comput Biol Med 2024; 172:108204. [PMID: 38484695 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108204] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
S6K2 is an important protein in mTOR signaling pathway and cancer. To identify potential S6K2 inhibitors for mTOR pathway treatment, a virtual screening of 1,575,957 active molecules was performed using PLANET, AutoDock GPU, and AutoDock Vina, with their classification abilities compared. The MM/PB(GB)SA method was used to identify four compounds with the strongest binding energies. These compounds were further investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand the properties of the S6K2/ligand complex. Due to a lack of available 3D structures of S6K2, OmegaFold served as a reliable 3D predictive model with higher evaluation scores in SAVES v6.0 than AlphaFold, AlphaFold2, and RoseTTAFold2. The 150 ns MD simulation revealed that the S6K2 structure in aqueous solvation experienced compression during conformational relaxation and encountered potential energy traps of about 19.6 kJ mol-1. The virtual screening results indicated that Lys75 and Lys99 in S6K2 are key binding sites in the binding cavity. Additionally, MD simulations revealed that the ligands remained attached to the activation cavity of S6K2. Among the compounds, compound 1 induced restrictive dissociation of S6K2 in the presence of a flexible region, compound 8 achieved strong stability through hydrogen bonding with Lys99, compound 9 caused S6K2 tightening, and the binding of compound 16 was heavily influenced by hydrophobic interactions. This study suggests that these four potential inhibitors with different mechanisms of action could provide potential therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Xiaochuan Wu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - WeiSong Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321000, China
| | - Fugui Yan
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Wen Li
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China.
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10
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Montejo-López W, Sampieri-Cabrera R, Nicolás-Vázquez MI, Aceves-Hernández JM, Razo-Hernández RS. Analysing the effect caused by increasing the molecular volume in M1-AChR receptor agonists and antagonists: a structural and computational study. RSC Adv 2024; 14:8615-8640. [PMID: 38495977 PMCID: PMC10938299 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra07380g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M1-AChR), a member of the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) family, plays a crucial role in learning and memory, making it an important drug target for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia. M1-AChR activation and deactivation have shown modifying effects in AD and PD preclinical models, respectively. However, understanding the pharmacology associated with M1-AChR activation or deactivation is complex, because of the low selectivity among muscarinic subtypes, hampering their therapeutic applications. In this regard, we constructed two quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, one for M1-AChR agonists (total and partial), and the other for the antagonists. The binding mode of 59 structurally different compounds, including agonists and antagonists with experimental binding affinity values (pKi), were analyzed employing computational molecular docking over different structures of M1-AChR. Furthermore, we considered the interaction energy (Einter), the number of rotatable bonds (NRB), and lipophilicity (ilogP) for the construction of the QSAR model for agonists (R2 = 89.64, QLMO2 = 78, and Qext2 = 79.1). For the QSAR model of antagonists (R2 = 88.44, QLMO2 = 82, and Qext2 = 78.1) we considered the Einter, the fraction of sp3 carbons fCsp3, and lipophilicity (MlogP). Our results suggest that the ligand volume is a determinant to establish its biological activity (agonist or antagonist), causing changes in binding energy, and determining the affinity for M1-AChR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilber Montejo-López
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán Campo 1, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Avenida 1o de Mayo s/n, Colonia Santa María las Torres Cuautitlán Izcalli Estado de Mexico 54740 Mexico
| | - Raúl Sampieri-Cabrera
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Ciencias de Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico
| | - María Inés Nicolás-Vázquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Químicas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán Campo 1, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Avenida 1o de Mayo s/n, Colonia Santa María las Torres Cuautitlán Izcalli Estado de Mexico 54740 Mexico
| | - Juan Manuel Aceves-Hernández
- Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria L14 (Alimentos, Micotoxinas, y Micotoxicosis), Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Cuautitlán Izcalli Estado de Mexico 54714 Mexico
| | - Rodrigo Said Razo-Hernández
- Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos Av. Universidad 1001 Cuernavaca 62209 Mexico
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11
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Lee FK, Chan NJY, Krishnan P, Datu Abdul Salam DS, Chee XW, Muhamad A, Low YY, Ting KN, Lim KH. Preparation and Preliminary Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of Schwarzinicine A Analogs as Vasorelaxant Agents. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024. [PMID: 38442031 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c00707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Schwarzinicines A-D, a series of alkaloids recently discovered from Ficus schwarzii, exhibit pronounced vasorelaxant activity in rat isolated aorta. Building on this finding, a concise synthesis of schwarzinicines A and B has been reported, allowing further investigations into their biological properties. Herein, a preliminary exploration of the chemical space surrounding the structure of schwarzinicine A (1) was carried out aiming to identify structural features that are essential for vasorelaxant activity. A total of 57 analogs were synthesized and tested for vasorelaxant activity in rat isolated aorta. Both efficacy (Emax) and potency (EC50) of these analogs were compared. In addition to identifying structural features that are required for activity or associated with potency enhancement effect, four analogs showed significant potency improvements of up to 40.2-fold when compared to 1. Molecular dynamics simulation of a tetrameric 44-bound transient receptor potential canonical-6 (TRPC6) protein indicated that 44 could potentially form important interactions with the residues Glu509, Asp530, Lys748, Arg758, and Tyr521. These results may serve as a foundation for guiding further structural optimization of the schwarzinicine A scaffold, aiming to discover even more potent analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fong-Kai Lee
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, MAHSA University, 42610 Jenjarom, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Premanand Krishnan
- Foundation in Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Xavier Wezen Chee
- School of Engineering and Science, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Azira Muhamad
- Malaysia Genome Institute, Jalan Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yun-Yee Low
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kang-Nee Ting
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kuan-Hon Lim
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
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12
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Guo SC, Shen R, Roux B, Dinner AR. Dynamics of activation in the voltage-sensing domain of Ciona intestinalis phosphatase Ci-VSP. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1408. [PMID: 38360718 PMCID: PMC10869754 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45514-6] [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: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The Ciona intestinalis voltage-sensing phosphatase (Ci-VSP) is a membrane protein containing a voltage-sensing domain (VSD) that is homologous to VSDs from voltage-gated ion channels responsible for cellular excitability. Previously published crystal structures of Ci-VSD in putative resting and active conformations suggested a helical-screw voltage sensing mechanism in which the S4 helix translocates and rotates to enable exchange of salt-bridge partners, but the microscopic details of the transition between the resting and active conformations remained unknown. Here, by combining extensive molecular dynamics simulations with a recently developed computational framework based on dynamical operators, we elucidate the microscopic mechanism of the resting-active transition at physiological membrane potential. Sparse regression reveals a small set of coordinates that distinguish intermediates that are hidden from electrophysiological measurements. The intermediates arise from a noncanonical helical-screw mechanism in which translocation, rotation, and side-chain movement of the S4 helix are only loosely coupled. These results provide insights into existing experimental and computational findings on voltage sensing and suggest ways of further probing its mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer C Guo
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Rong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Benoît Roux
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Aaron R Dinner
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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13
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Lai C, Tang Z, Liu Z, Luo P, Zhang W, Zhang T, Zhang W, Dong Z, Liu X, Yang X, Wang F. Probing the functional hotspots inside protein hydrophobic pockets by in situ photochemical trifluoromethylation and mass spectrometry. Chem Sci 2024; 15:2545-2557. [PMID: 38362424 PMCID: PMC10866368 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05106d] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to the complex high-order structures and interactions of proteins within an aqueous solution, a majority of chemical functionalizations happen on the hydrophilic sites of protein external surfaces which are naturally exposed to the solution. However, the hydrophobic pockets inside proteins are crucial for ligand binding and function as catalytic centers and transporting tunnels. Herein, we describe a reagent pre-organization and in situ photochemical trifluoromethylation strategy to profile the functional sites inside the hydrophobic pockets of native proteins. Unbiased mass spectrometry profiling was applied for the characterization of trifluoromethylated sites with high sensitivity. Native proteins including myoglobin, trypsin, haloalkane dehalogenase, and human serum albumin have been engaged in this mild photochemical process and substantial hydrophobic site-specific and structure-selective trifluoromethylation substitutes are obtained without significant interference to their bioactivity and structures. Sodium triflinate is the only reagent required to functionalize the unprotected proteins with wide pH-range tolerance and high biocompatibility. This "in-pocket" activation model provides a general strategy to modify the potential binding pockets and gain essential structural insights into the functional hotspots inside protein hydrophobic pockets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Lai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Zhiyao Tang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Zheyi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Pan Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- Institute of Advanced Science Facilities Shenzhen 518107 China
| | - Wenxiang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
| | - Zhe Dong
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Xinyuan Liu
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen 518055 China
| | - Xueming Yang
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen 518055 China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- Institute of Advanced Science Facilities Shenzhen 518107 China
| | - Fangjun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Dalian 116023 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China
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14
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Travis CR, Kean KM, Albanese KI, Henriksen HC, Treacy JW, Chao EY, Houk KN, Waters ML. Trimethyllysine Reader Proteins Exhibit Widespread Charge-Agnostic Binding via Different Mechanisms to Cationic and Neutral Ligands. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3086-3093. [PMID: 38266163 PMCID: PMC11140585 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
In the last 40 years, cation-π interactions have become part of the lexicon of noncovalent forces that drive protein binding. Indeed, tetraalkylammoniums are universally bound by aromatic cages in proteins, suggesting that cation-π interactions are a privileged mechanism for binding these ligands. A prominent example is the recognition of histone trimethyllysine (Kme3) by the conserved aromatic cage of reader proteins, dictating gene expression. However, two proteins have recently been suggested as possible exceptions to the conventional understanding of tetraalkylammonium recognition. To broadly interrogate the role of cation-π interactions in protein binding interactions, we report the first large-scale comparative evaluation of reader proteins for a neutral Kme3 isostere, experimental and computational mechanistic studies, and structural analysis. We find unexpected widespread binding of readers to a neutral isostere with the first examples of readers that bind the neutral isostere more tightly than Kme3. We find that no single factor dictates the charge selectivity, demonstrating the challenge of predicting such interactions. Further, readers that bind both cationic and neutral ligands differ in mechanism: binding Kme3 via cation-π interactions and the neutral isostere through the hydrophobic effect in the same aromatic cage. This discovery explains apparently contradictory results in previous studies, challenges traditional understanding of molecular recognition of tetraalkylammoniums by aromatic cages in myriad protein-ligand interactions, and establishes a new framework for selective inhibitor design by exploiting differences in charge dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Travis
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Kean
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Katherine I. Albanese
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hanne C. Henriksen
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Joseph W. Treacy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Elaine Y. Chao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - K. N. Houk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569, USA
| | - Marcey L. Waters
- Department of Chemistry, CB 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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15
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Hőgye F, Farkas LB, Balogh ÁK, Szilágyi L, Alnukari S, Bajza I, Borbás A, Fehér K, Illyés TZ, Timári I. Saturation Transfer Difference NMR and Molecular Docking Interaction Study of Aralkyl-Thiodigalactosides as Potential Inhibitors of the Human-Galectin-3 Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1742. [PMID: 38339036 PMCID: PMC10855533 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031742] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Human Galectin-3 (hGal-3) is a protein that selectively binds to β-galactosides and holds diverse roles in both normal and pathological circumstances. Therefore, targeting hGal-3 has become a vibrant area of research in the pharmaceutical chemistry. As a step towards the development of novel hGal-3 inhibitors, we synthesized and investigated derivatives of thiodigalactoside (TDG) modified with different aromatic substituents. Specifically, we describe a high-yielding synthetic route of thiodigalactoside (TDG); an optimized procedure for the synthesis of the novel 3,3'-di-O-(quinoline-2-yl)methyl)-TDG and three other known, symmetric 3,3'-di-O-TDG derivatives ((naphthalene-2yl)methyl, benzyl, (7-methoxy-2H-1-benzopyran-2-on-4-yl)methyl). In the present study, using competition Saturation Transfer Difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy, we determined the dissociation constant (Kd) of the former three TDG derivatives produced to characterize the strength of the interaction with the target protein (hGal-3). Based on the Kd values determined, the (naphthalen-2-yl)methyl, the (quinolin-2-yl)methyl and the benzyl derivatives bind to hGal-3 94, 30 and 24 times more strongly than TDG. Then, we studied the binding modes of the derivatives in silico by molecular docking calculations. Docking poses similar to the canonical binding modes of well-known hGal-3 inhibitors have been found. However, additional binding forces, cation-π interactions between the arginine residues in the binding pocket of the protein and the aromatic groups of the ligands, have been established as significant features. Our results offer a molecular-level understanding of the varying affinities observed among the synthesized thiodigalactoside derivatives, which can be a key aspect in the future development of more effective ligands of hGal-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanni Hőgye
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.H.); (L.B.F.); (L.S.)
| | - László Bence Farkas
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.H.); (L.B.F.); (L.S.)
- HUN-REN-UD Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.K.B.); (S.A.); (A.B.); (K.F.)
| | - Álex Kálmán Balogh
- HUN-REN-UD Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.K.B.); (S.A.); (A.B.); (K.F.)
| | - László Szilágyi
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.H.); (L.B.F.); (L.S.)
| | - Samar Alnukari
- HUN-REN-UD Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.K.B.); (S.A.); (A.B.); (K.F.)
| | - István Bajza
- GlycOptim Kft., Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Anikó Borbás
- HUN-REN-UD Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.K.B.); (S.A.); (A.B.); (K.F.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Fehér
- HUN-REN-UD Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.K.B.); (S.A.); (A.B.); (K.F.)
| | - Tünde Zita Illyés
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.H.); (L.B.F.); (L.S.)
| | - István Timári
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.H.); (L.B.F.); (L.S.)
- HUN-REN-UD Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Á.K.B.); (S.A.); (A.B.); (K.F.)
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16
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Schene ME, Infield DT, Ahern CA. Expression and purification of fluorinated proteins from mammalian suspension culture. Methods Enzymol 2024; 696:341-354. [PMID: 38658087 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.01.004] [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] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The site-specific encoding of noncanonical amino acids allows for the introduction of rationalized chemistry into a target protein. Of the methods that enable this technology, evolved tRNA and synthetase pairs offer the potential for expanded protein production and purification. Such an approach combines the versatility of solid-phase peptide synthesis with the scalable features of recombinant protein production. We describe the large scale production and purification of eukaryotic proteins bearing fluorinated phenylalanine in mammalian suspension cell preparations. Downstream applications of this approach include scalable recombinant protein preparation for ligand binding assays with small molecules and ligands, protein structure determination, and protein stability assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda E Schene
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Daniel T Infield
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Christopher A Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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17
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Lin CH, Tsai CH, Chou CC, Wu WF. A Transient π-π or Cation-π Interaction between Degron and Degrader Dual Residues: A Key Step for the Substrate Recognition and Discrimination in the Processive Degradation of SulA by ClpYQ (HslUV) Protease in Escherichia coli. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17353. [PMID: 38139184 PMCID: PMC10743992 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417353] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Escherichia coli ATP-dependent ClpYQ protease constitutes ClpY ATPase/unfoldase and ClpQ peptidase. The Tyr91st residue within the central pore-I site of ClpY-hexamer is important for unfolding and translocating substrates into the catalytic site of ClpQ. We have identified the degron site (GFIMRP147th) of SulA, a cell-division inhibitor recognized by ClpYQ and that the Phe143rd residue in degron site is necessary for SulA native folded structure. However, the functional association of this degron site with the ClpYQ degrader is unknown. Here, we investigated the molecular insights into substrate recognition and discrimination by the ClpYQ protease. We found that the point mutants ClpYY91FQ, ClpYY91HQ, and ClpYY91WQ, carrying a ring structure at the 91st residue of ClpY, efficiently degraded their natural substrates, evidenced by the suppressed bacterial methyl-methane-sulfonate (MMS) sensitivity, the reduced β-galactosidase activity of cpsB::lacZ, and the lowest amounts of MBP-SulA in both in vivo and in vitro degradation analyses. Alternatively, mimicking the wild-type SulA, SulAF143H, SulAF143K and SulAF143W, harboring a ring structure or a cation side-group in 143rd residue of SulA, were efficiently degraded by ClpYQ in the bacterial cells, also revealing shorter half-lives at 41 °C and higher binding affinities towards ClpY in pull-down assays. Finally, ClpYY91FQ and ClpYY91HQ, were capable of effectively degrading SulAF143H and SulAF143K, highlighting a correspondingly functional interaction between the SulA 143rd and ClpY 91st residues. According to the interchangeable substituted amino acids, our results uniquely indicate that a transient π-π or cation-π interaction between the SulA 143rd and ClpY 91st residues could be aptly gripped between the degron site of substrates and the pore site of proteases (degraders) for substrate recognition and discrimination of the processive degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bio-Resource and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hsuan Tsai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chi Chou
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bio-Resource and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Whei-Fen Wu
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bio-Resource and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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18
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Jeong DE, Lee HS, Ku B, Kim CH, Kim SJ, Shin HC. Insights into the recognition mechanism in the UBR box of UBR4 for its specific substrates. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1214. [PMID: 38030679 PMCID: PMC10687169 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05602-7] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The N-end rule pathway is a proteolytic system involving the destabilization of N-terminal amino acids, known as N-degrons, which are recognized by N-recognins. Dysregulation of the N-end rule pathway results in the accumulation of undesired proteins, causing various diseases. The E3 ligases of the UBR subfamily recognize and degrade N-degrons through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Herein, we investigated UBR4, which has a distinct mechanism for recognizing type-2 N-degrons. Structural analysis revealed that the UBR box of UBR4 differs from other UBR boxes in the N-degron binding sites. It recognizes type-2 N-terminal amino acids containing an aromatic ring and type-1 N-terminal arginine through two phenylalanines on its hydrophobic surface. We also characterized the binding mechanism for the second ligand residue. This is the report on the structural basis underlying the recognition of type-2 N-degrons by the UBR box with implications for understanding the N-end rule pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Eun Jeong
- Critical Disease Diagnostics Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Seon Lee
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Division of Biomedical Research, KRIBB, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Bonsu Ku
- Disease Target Structure Research Center, Division of Biomedical Research, KRIBB, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Jun Kim
- Critical Disease Diagnostics Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Proteome Structural Biology, KRIBB School of Bioscience, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ho-Chul Shin
- Critical Disease Diagnostics Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea.
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19
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Ravikumar Y, Koonyosying P, Srichairatanakool S, Ponpandian LN, Kumaravelu J, Srichairatanakool S. In Silico Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulation Analysis of Potential Histone Lysine Methyl Transferase Inhibitors for Managing β-Thalassemia. Molecules 2023; 28:7266. [PMID: 37959685 PMCID: PMC10650625 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28217266] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A decreased hemoglobin synthesis is contemplated as a pathological indication of β-thalassemia. Recent studies show that EPZ035544 from Epizyme could induce fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels due to its proven capability to inhibit euchromatin histone lysine methyl transferase (EHMT2). Therefore, the development of EHMT2 inhibitors is considered promising in managing β-thalassemia. Our strategy to find novel compounds that are EHMT2 inhibitors relies on the virtual screening of ligands that have a structural similarity to N2-[4-methoxy-3-(2,3,4,7-tetrahydro-1H-azepin-5-yl) phenyl]-N4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine (F80) using the PubChem database. In silico docking studies using Autodock Vina were employed to screen a library of 985 compounds and evaluate their binding ability with EHMT2. The selection of hit compounds was based on the docking score and mode of interaction with the protein. The top two ranked compounds were selected for further investigations, including pharmacokinetic properties analysis and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). Based on the obtained docking score and interaction analysis, N-(4-methoxy-3-methylphenyl)-4,6-diphenylpyrimidin-2-amine (TP1) and 2-N-[4-methoxy-3-(5-methoxy-3H-indol-2-yl)phenyl]-4-N,6-dimethylpyrimidine-2,4-diamine (TP2) were found to be promising candidates, and TP1 exhibited better stability in the MDS study compared to TP2. In summary, our approach helps identify potential EHMT2 inhibitors, and further validation using in vitro and in vivo experiments could certainly enable this molecule to be used as a therapeutic drug in managing β-thalassemia disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuvaraj Ravikumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (Y.R.); (P.K.)
| | - Pimpisid Koonyosying
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (Y.R.); (P.K.)
| | - Sirichai Srichairatanakool
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
| | | | - Jayanthi Kumaravelu
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Agharam Road Selaiyur, Chennai 600073, India
| | - Somdet Srichairatanakool
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; (Y.R.); (P.K.)
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20
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Cerna-Vargas JP, Gumerov VM, Krell T, Zhulin IB. Amine-recognizing domain in diverse receptors from bacteria and archaea evolved from the universal amino acid sensor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305837120. [PMID: 37819981 PMCID: PMC10589655 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305837120] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria possess various receptors that sense different signals and transmit information to enable an optimal adaptation to the environment. A major limitation in microbiology is the lack of information on the signal molecules that activate receptors. Signals recognized by sensor domains are poorly reflected in overall sequence identity, and therefore, the identification of signals from the amino acid sequence of the sensor alone presents a challenge. Biogenic amines are of great physiological importance for microorganisms and humans. They serve as substrates for aerobic and anaerobic growth and play a role of neurotransmitters and osmoprotectants. Here, we report the identification of a sequence motif that is specific for amine-sensing sensor domains that belong to the Cache superfamily of the most abundant extracellular sensors in prokaryotes. We identified approximately 13,000 sensor histidine kinases, chemoreceptors, receptors involved in second messenger homeostasis and Ser/Thr phosphatases from 8,000 bacterial and archaeal species that contain the amine-recognizing motif. The screening of compound libraries and microcalorimetric titrations of selected sensor domains confirmed their ability to specifically bind biogenic amines. Mutants in the amine-binding motif or domains that contain a single mismatch in the binding motif had either no or a largely reduced affinity for amines. We demonstrate that the amine-recognizing domain originated from the universal amino acid-sensing Cache domain, thus providing insight into receptor evolution. Our approach enables precise "wet"-lab experiments to define the function of regulatory systems and therefore holds a strong promise to enable the identification of signals stimulating numerous receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Cerna-Vargas
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada18008, Spain
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid28223, Spain
| | - Vadim M. Gumerov
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada18008, Spain
| | - Igor B. Zhulin
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
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21
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Eskandari S, Rezayof A, Asghari SM, Hashemizadeh S. Neurobiochemical characteristics of arginine-rich peptides explain their potential therapeutic efficacy in neurodegenerative diseases. Neuropeptides 2023; 101:102356. [PMID: 37390744 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2023.102356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer̕ s disease (AD), Parkinson̕ s disease (PD), Huntington̕ s disease (HD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) require special attention to find new potential treatment methods. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge of the relationship between the biochemical properties of arginine-rich peptides (ARPs) and their neuroprotective effects to deal with the harmful effects of risk factors. It seems that ARPs have portrayed a promising and fantastic landscape for treating neurodegeneration-associated disorders. With multimodal mechanisms of action, ARPs play various unprecedented roles, including as the novel delivery platforms for entering the central nervous system (CNS), the potent antagonists for calcium influx, the invader molecules for targeting mitochondria, and the protein stabilizers. Interestingly, these peptides inhibit the proteolytic enzymes and block protein aggregation to induce pro-survival signaling pathways. ARPs also serve as the scavengers of toxic molecules and the reducers of oxidative stress agents. They also have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-cancer properties. Moreover, by providing an efficient nucleic acid delivery system, ARPs can play an essential role in developing various fields, including gene vaccines, gene therapy, gene editing, and imaging. ARP agents and ARP/cargo therapeutics can be raised as an emergent class of neurotherapeutics for neurodegeneration. Part of the aim of this review is to present recent advances in treating neurodegenerative diseases using ARPs as an emerging and powerful therapeutic tool. The applications and progress of ARPs-based nucleic acid delivery systems have also been discussed to highlight their usefulness as a broad-acting class of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sedigheh Eskandari
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - S Mohsen Asghari
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Shiva Hashemizadeh
- School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, IPM, Tehran, Iran
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22
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Afshinpour M, Smith LA, Chakravarty S. AQcalc: A web server that identifies weak molecular interactions in protein structures. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4762. [PMID: 37596782 PMCID: PMC10503417 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4762] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Weak molecular interactions play an important role in protein structure and function. Computational tools that identify weak molecular interactions are, therefore, valuable for the study of proteins. Here, we present AQcalc, a web server (https://aqcalcbiocomputing.com/) that can be used to identify anion-quadrupole (AQ) interactions, which are weak interactions involving aromatic residue (Trp, Tyr, and Phe) ring edges and anions (Asp, Glu, and phosphate ion) both within proteins and at their interfaces (protein-protein, protein-nucleic acids, and protein-lipid bilayer). AQcalc identifies AQ interactions as well as clusters involving AQ, cation-π, and salt bridges, among others. Utilizing AQcalc we analyzed weak interactions in protein models, even in the absence of experimental structures, to understand the contributions of weak interactions to deleterious structural changes, including those associated with oncogenic and germline disease variants. We identified several deleterious variants with disrupted AQ interactions (comparable in frequency to cation-π disruptions). Amyloid fibrils utilize AQ to bury anions at frequencies that far exceed those observed for globular proteins. AQ interactions were detected three and five times more frequently than the hydrogen-bonded AQ (HBAQ) in fibril structures and protein-lipid bilayer interfaces, respectively. By contrast, AQ and HBAQ interactions were detected with similar frequencies in globular proteins. Collectively, these findings suggest AQcalc will be effective in facilitating fine structural analysis. As other web utilities designed to identify protein residue interaction networks do not report AQ interactions, wide use of AQcalc will enrich our understanding of residue interaction networks and facilitate hypothesis testing by identifying and experimentally characterizing these comparably weak but important interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maral Afshinpour
- Department of Chemistry & BiochemistrySouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSouth DakotaUSA
| | - Logan A. Smith
- Department of Chemistry & BiochemistrySouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSouth DakotaUSA
| | - Suvobrata Chakravarty
- Department of Chemistry & BiochemistrySouth Dakota State UniversityBrookingsSouth DakotaUSA
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23
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Burger WAC, Pham V, Vuckovic Z, Powers AS, Mobbs JI, Laloudakis Y, Glukhova A, Wootten D, Tobin AB, Sexton PM, Paul SM, Felder CC, Danev R, Dror RO, Christopoulos A, Valant C, Thal DM. Xanomeline displays concomitant orthosteric and allosteric binding modes at the M 4 mAChR. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5440. [PMID: 37673901 PMCID: PMC10482975 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41199-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M4 mAChR) has emerged as a drug target of high therapeutic interest due to its expression in regions of the brain involved in the regulation of psychosis, cognition, and addiction. The mAChR agonist, xanomeline, has provided significant improvement in the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) scores in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Here we report the active state cryo-EM structure of xanomeline bound to the human M4 mAChR in complex with the heterotrimeric Gi1 transducer protein. Unexpectedly, two molecules of xanomeline were found to concomitantly bind to the monomeric M4 mAChR, with one molecule bound in the orthosteric (acetylcholine-binding) site and a second molecule in an extracellular vestibular allosteric site. Molecular dynamic simulations supports the structural findings, and pharmacological validation confirmed that xanomeline acts as a dual orthosteric and allosteric ligand at the human M4 mAChR. These findings provide a basis for further understanding xanomeline's complex pharmacology and highlight the myriad of ways through which clinically relevant ligands can bind to and regulate GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wessel A C Burger
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Vi Pham
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Ziva Vuckovic
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Alexander S Powers
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Departments of Computer Science, Structural Biology, and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jesse I Mobbs
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Yianni Laloudakis
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Alisa Glukhova
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Denise Wootten
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Andrew B Tobin
- The Advanced Research Centre (ARC), Centre for Translational Science, School of Biomolecular Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Patrick M Sexton
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | | | | | - Radostin Danev
- Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, N415, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ron O Dror
- Departments of Computer Science, Structural Biology, and Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Arthur Christopoulos
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Neuromedicines Discovery Centre, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - Celine Valant
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - David M Thal
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
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24
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Jones S, Matos B, Dennison S, Fardilha M, Howl J. Stem Cell Bioengineering with Bioportides: Inhibition of Planarian Head Regeneration with Peptide Mimetics of Eyes Absent Proteins. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2018. [PMID: 37631231 PMCID: PMC10458859 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082018] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Djeya1 (RKLAFRYRRIKELYNSYR) is a very effective cell penetrating peptide (CPP) that mimics the α5 helix of the highly conserved Eya domain (ED) of eyes absent (Eya) proteins. The objective of this study was to bioengineer analogues of Djeya1 that, following effective translocation into planarian tissues, would reduce the ability of neoblasts (totipotent stem cells) and their progeny to regenerate the anterior pole in decapitated S. mediterranea. As a strategy to increase the propensity for helix formation, molecular bioengineering of Djeya1 was achieved by the mono-substitution of the helicogenic aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) at three species-variable sites: 10, 13, and 16. CD analyses indicated that Djeya1 is highly helical, and that Aib-substitution had subtle influences upon the secondary structures of bioengineered analogues. Aib-substituted Djeya1 analogues are highly efficient CPPs, devoid of influence upon cell viability or proliferation. All three peptides increase the migration of PC-3 cells, a prostate cancer line that expresses high concentrations of Eya. Two peptides, [Aib13]Djeya1 and [Aib16]Djeya1, are bioportides which delay planarian head regeneration. As neoblasts are the only cell population capable of division in planaria, these data indicate that bioportide technologies could be utilised to directly manipulate other stem cells in situ, thus negating any requirement for genetic manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jones
- Research Institute in Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science & Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK;
| | - Bárbara Matos
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (B.M.); (M.F.)
| | - Sarah Dennison
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK;
| | - Margarida Fardilha
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (B.M.); (M.F.)
| | - John Howl
- Research Institute in Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science & Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK;
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25
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Chen Z, Mondal A, Abderemane-Ali F, Jang S, Niranjan S, Montaño JL, Zaro BW, Minor DL. EMC chaperone-Ca V structure reveals an ion channel assembly intermediate. Nature 2023; 619:410-419. [PMID: 37196677 PMCID: PMC10896479 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06175-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated ion channels (VGICs) comprise multiple structural units, the assembly of which is required for function1,2. Structural understanding of how VGIC subunits assemble and whether chaperone proteins are required is lacking. High-voltage-activated calcium channels (CaVs)3,4 are paradigmatic multisubunit VGICs whose function and trafficking are powerfully shaped by interactions between pore-forming CaV1 or CaV2 CaVα1 (ref. 3), and the auxiliary CaVβ5 and CaVα2δ subunits6,7. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of human brain and cardiac CaV1.2 bound with CaVβ3 to a chaperone-the endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex (EMC)8,9-and of the assembled CaV1.2-CaVβ3-CaVα2δ-1 channel. These structures provide a view of an EMC-client complex and define EMC sites-the transmembrane (TM) and cytoplasmic (Cyto) docks; interaction between these sites and the client channel causes partial extraction of a pore subunit and splays open the CaVα2δ-interaction site. The structures identify the CaVα2δ-binding site for gabapentinoid anti-pain and anti-anxiety drugs6, show that EMC and CaVα2δ interactions with the channel are mutually exclusive, and indicate that EMC-to-CaVα2δ hand-off involves a divalent ion-dependent step and CaV1.2 element ordering. Disruption of the EMC-CaV complex compromises CaV function, suggesting that the EMC functions as a channel holdase that facilitates channel assembly. Together, the structures reveal a CaV assembly intermediate and EMC client-binding sites that could have wide-ranging implications for the biogenesis of VGICs and other membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Chen
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Abhisek Mondal
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Fayal Abderemane-Ali
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Seil Jang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sangeeta Niranjan
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - José L Montaño
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Balyn W Zaro
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel L Minor
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bio-imaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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26
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Huang F, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wang C, Lian J, Ding F, Sun Y. Dissecting the Self-assembly Dynamics of Imperfect Repeats in α-Synuclein. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:3591-3600. [PMID: 37253119 PMCID: PMC10363412 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The pathological aggregation of α-synuclein (αS) into amyloid fibrils is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). The self-assembly and membrane interactions of αS are mainly governed by the seven imperfect 11-residue repeats of the XKTKEGVXXXX motif around residues 1-95. However, the particular role of each repeat in αS fibrillization remains unclear. To answer this question, we studied the aggregation dynamics of each repeat with up to 10 peptides in silico by conducting multiple independent micro-second atomistic discrete molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulations revealed that only repeats R3 and R6 readily self-assembled into β-sheet-rich oligomers, while the other repeats remained as unstructured monomers with weak self-assembly and β-sheet propensities. The self-assembly process of R3 featured frequent conformational changes with β-sheet formation mainly in the non-conserved hydrophobic tail, whereas R6 spontaneously self-assembled into extended and stable cross-β structures. These results of seven repeats are consistent with their structures and organization in recently solved αS fibrils. As the primary amyloidogenic core, R6 was buried inside the central cross-β core of all αS fibrils, attracting the hydrophobic tails of adjacent R4, R5, and R7 repeats forming β-sheets around R6 in the core. Further away from R6 in the sequence but with a moderate amyloid aggregation propensity, the R3 tail could serve as a secondary amyloidogenic core and form independent β-sheets in the fibril. Overall, our results demonstrate the critical role of R3 and R6 repeats in αS amyloid aggregation and suggest their potential as targets for the peptide-based and small-molecule amyloid inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengjuan Huang
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Chuang Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Jiangfang Lian
- Ningbo Institute of Innovation for Combined Medicine and Engineering (NIIME), Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo 315211, China
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Feng Ding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
| | - Yunxiang Sun
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, United States
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27
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Ghosh M, Rana S. The anaphylatoxin C5a: Structure, function, signaling, physiology, disease, and therapeutics. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 118:110081. [PMID: 36989901 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The complement system is one of the oldest known tightly regulated host defense systems evolved for efficiently functioning cell-based immune systems and antibodies. Essentially, the complement system acts as a pivot between the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. The complement system collectively represents a cocktail of ∼50 cell-bound/soluble glycoproteins directly involved in controlling infection and inflammation. Activation of the complement cascade generates complement fragments like C3a, C4a, and C5a as anaphylatoxins. C5a is the most potent proinflammatory anaphylatoxin, which is involved in inflammatory signaling in a myriad of tissues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of human C5a in the context of its structure and signaling under several pathophysiological conditions, including the current and future therapeutic applications targeting C5a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manaswini Ghosh
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Odisha 752050, India
| | - Soumendra Rana
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Odisha 752050, India.
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28
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Cerna-Vargas JP, Gumerov VM, Krell T, Zhulin IB. Amine recognizing domain in diverse receptors from bacteria and archaea evolved from the universal amino acid sensor. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535858. [PMID: 37066253 PMCID: PMC10104139 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria contain many different receptor families that sense different signals permitting an optimal adaptation to the environment. A major limitation in microbiology is the lack of information on the signal molecules that activate receptors. Due to a significant sequence divergence, the signal recognized by sensor domains is only poorly reflected in overall sequence identity. Biogenic amines are of central physiological relevance for microorganisms and serve for example as substrates for aerobic and anaerobic growth, neurotransmitters or osmoprotectants. Based on protein structural information and sequence analysis, we report here the identification of a sequence motif that is specific for amine-sensing dCache sensor domains (dCache_1AM). These domains were identified in more than 13,000 proteins from 8,000 bacterial and archaeal species. dCache_1AM containing receptors were identified in all major receptor families including sensor kinases, chemoreceptors, receptors involved in second messenger homeostasis and Ser/Thr phosphatases. The screening of compound libraries and microcalorimetric titrations of selected dCache_1AM domains confirmed their capacity to specifically bind amines. Mutants in the amine binding motif or domains that contain a single mismatch in the binding motif, had either no or a largely reduced affinity for amines, illustrating the specificity of this motif. We demonstrate that the dCache_1AM domain has evolved from the universal amino acid sensing domain, providing novel insight into receptor evolution. Our approach enables precise "wet"-lab experiments to define the function of regulatory systems and thus holds a strong promise to address an important bottleneck in microbiology: the identification of signals that stimulate numerous receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Cerna-Vargas
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas CBGP, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/CSIC, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de la UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vadim M. Gumerov
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Igor B. Zhulin
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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29
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Yang JF, Wang F, Wang MY, Wang D, Zhou ZS, Hao GF, Li QX, Yang GF. CIPDB: A biological structure databank for studying cation and π interactions. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103546. [PMID: 36871844 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103546] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
As major forces for modulating protein folding and molecular recognition, cation and π interactions are extensively identified in protein structures. They are even more competitive than hydrogen bonds in molecular recognition, thus, are vital in numerous biological processes. In this review, we introduce the methods for the identification and quantification of cation and π interactions, provide insights into the characteristics of cation and π interactions in the natural state, and reveal their biological function together with our developed database (Cation and π Interaction in Protein Data Bank; CIPDB; http://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/database/CIPDB). This review lays the foundation for the in-depth study of cation and π interactions and will guide the use of molecular design for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Fang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Fan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Meng-Yao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Di Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Zhong-Shi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Ge-Fei Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Research and Development Center for Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, PR China.
| | - Qing X Li
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Guang-Fu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, PR China.
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30
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Azzaz F, Hilaire D, Fantini J. Structural basis of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A1 binding to human SV2A or SV2C receptors. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 373:110384. [PMID: 36754227 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110384] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin A1 (BoNT/A1) is the most potent natural poison in human. BoNT/A1 recognize the luminal domain of SV2A (LD-SV2A) and its glycosylation at position N573 (N573g) or the luminal domain of SV2C (LD-SV2C) and its glycosylation at position N559 (N559g) to bind neural membrane. Our computational data suggest that the N-glycan at position 480 (N480g) in the luminal domain of SV2C (LD-SV2C) indirectly enhanced the contacts of the neurotoxin surface with the second N-glycan at position 559 (N559g) by acting as a shield to prevent N559g to interact with residues of LD-SV2C. The absence of an N-glycan homologous to N480g in LD-SV2A leads to a decrease of the binding of N573g to the surface of BoNT/A1. Concerning the intermolecular interactions between BoNT/A and the protein part of LD-SV2A or LD-SV2C, we showed that the high affinity of the neurotoxin for binding LD-SV2C are mediated by a better compaction of its F557-F562 part provided by a π-π network mediated by residues F547, F552, F557 and F562 coupled with the presence of two aromatic residues at position 563 and 564 that optimize the binding of BoNT/A1 via cation-pi and CH-pi interaction. Finally, in addition to the well-known ganglioside binding site which accommodates a ganglioside on the surface of BoNT/A1, we identified a structure we coined the ganglioside binding loop defined by the sequence 1253-HQFNNIAK-1260 that is conserved across all subtypes of BoNT/A and is predicted to has a high affinity to interact with gangliosides. These data solved the puzzle generated by mutational studies that could be only partially understood with crystallographic data that lack both a biologically relevant membrane environment and a full glycosylation of SV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fodil Azzaz
- University of Aix-Marseille and INSERM U_1072, Marseille, France.
| | - Didier Hilaire
- DGA (Direction Générale de L'armement), DGA Maîtrise NRBC, Vert le Petit, France
| | - Jacques Fantini
- University of Aix-Marseille and INSERM U_1072, Marseille, France
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31
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Gonçalves RA, Holmberg K, Lindman B. Cationic surfactants: A review. J Mol Liq 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2023.121335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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32
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Nickerson TR, Antonio EN, McNally DP, Toney MF, Ban C, Straub AP. Unlocking the potential of polymeric desalination membranes by understanding molecular-level interactions and transport mechanisms. Chem Sci 2023; 14:751-770. [PMID: 36755730 PMCID: PMC9890600 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04920a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyamide reverse osmosis (PA-RO) membranes achieve remarkably high water permeability and salt rejection, making them a key technology for addressing water shortages through processes including seawater desalination and wastewater reuse. However, current state-of-the-art membranes suffer from challenges related to inadequate selectivity, fouling, and a poor ability of existing models to predict performance. In this Perspective, we assert that a molecular understanding of the mechanisms that govern selectivity and transport of PA-RO and other polymer membranes is crucial to both guide future membrane development efforts and improve the predictive capability of transport models. We summarize the current understanding of ion, water, and polymer interactions in PA-RO membranes, drawing insights from nanofiltration and ion exchange membranes. Building on this knowledge, we explore how these interactions impact the transport properties of membranes, highlighting assumptions of transport models that warrant further investigation to improve predictive capabilities and elucidate underlying transport mechanisms. We then underscore recent advances in in situ characterization techniques that allow for direct measurements of previously difficult-to-obtain information on hydrated polymer membrane properties, hydrated ion properties, and ion-water-membrane interactions as well as powerful computational and electrochemical methods that facilitate systematic studies of transport phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trisha R. Nickerson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA
| | - Emma N. Antonio
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA,Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA
| | - Dylan P. McNally
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA
| | - Michael F. Toney
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA,Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA,Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA
| | - Chunmei Ban
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO 80309 USA .,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO 80309 USA
| | - Anthony P. Straub
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderCO 80309USA,Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado BoulderBoulderColorado 80309USA
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33
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Zuo K, Capelli R, Rossetti G, Nechushtai R, Carloni P. Predictions of the Poses and Affinity of a Ligand over the Entire Surface of a NEET Protein: The Case of Human MitoNEET. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:643-654. [PMID: 36623826 PMCID: PMC9875805 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Human NEET proteins contain two [2Fe-2S] iron-sulfur clusters, bound to three Cys residues and one His residue. They exist in two redox states. Recently, these proteins have revealed themselves as attractive drug targets for mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, Wolfram syndrome 2, and cancers. Unfortunately, the lack of information and mechanistic understanding of ligands binding to the whole functional, cytoplasmatic domain has limited rational drug design approaches. Here, we use an enhanced sampling technique, volume-based metadynamics, recently developed by a team involving some of us, to predict the poses and affinity of the 2-benzamido-4-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)-thiophene-3-carboxylate ligand to the entire surface of the cytoplasmatic domain of the human NEET protein mitoNEET (mNT) in an aqueous solution. The calculations, based on the recently published X-ray structure of the complex, are consistent with the measured affinity. The calculated free energy landscape revealed that the ligand can bind in multiple sites and with poses other than the one found in the X-ray. This difference is likely to be caused by crystal packing effects that allow the ligand to interact with multiple adjacent NEET protein copies. Such extra contacts are of course absent in the solution; therefore, the X-ray pose is only transient in our calculations, where the binding free energy correlates with the number of contacts. We further evaluated how the reduction and protonation of the Fe-bound histidine, as well as temperature, can affect ligand binding. Both such modifications introduce the possibility for the ligand to bind in an area of the protein other than the one observed in the X-ray, with no or little impact on affinity. Overall, our study can provide insights on the molecular recognition mechanisms of ligand binding to mNT in different oxidative conditions, possibly helping rational drug design of NEET ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zuo
- The
Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel
- Department
of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Computational
Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute
of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department
of Physics, Università di Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Riccardo Capelli
- Department
of Biosciences, Università degli
Studi di Milano, Via
Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Rossetti
- Computational
Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute
of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Jülich
Supercomputing Center (JSC), Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department
of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH
Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Rachel Nechushtai
- The
Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Paolo Carloni
- Department
of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Computational
Biomedicine, Institute of Advanced Simulation IAS-5 and Institute
of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-9, Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- JARA
Institute: Molecular Neuroscience and Imaging, Institute of Neuroscience
and Medicine INM-11, Forschungszentrum Jülich
GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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34
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Bohannon BM, Jowais JJ, Nyberg L, Liin SI, Larsson HP. Mechanistic insights into robust cardiac I Ks potassium channel activation by aromatic polyunsaturated fatty acid analogues. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.12.523777. [PMID: 36711783 PMCID: PMC9882137 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated potassium (K V ) channels are important regulators of cellular excitability and control action potential repolarization in the heart and brain. K V channel mutations lead to disordered cellular excitability. Loss-of-function mutations, for example, result in membrane hyperexcitability, a characteristic of epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmias. Interventions intended to restore K V channel function have strong therapeutic potential in such disorders. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and PUFA analogues comprise a class of K V channel activators with potential applications in the treatment of arrhythmogenic disorders such as Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). LQTS is caused by a loss-of-function of the cardiac I Ks channel - a tetrameric potassium channel complex formed by K V 7.1 and associated KCNE1 protein subunits. We have discovered a set of aromatic PUFA analogues that produce robust activation of the cardiac I Ks channel and a unique feature of these PUFA analogues is an aromatic, tyrosine head group. We determine the mechanisms through which tyrosine PUFA analogues exert strong activating effects on the I Ks channel by generating modified aromatic head groups designed to probe cation-pi interactions, hydrogen bonding, and ionic interactions. We found that tyrosine PUFA analogues do not activate the I Ks channel through cation-pi interactions, but instead do so through a combination of hydrogen bonding and ionic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana M. Bohannon
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jessica J. Jowais
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Leif Nyberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sara I. Liin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden
| | - H. Peter Larsson
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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35
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Galles GD, Infield DT, Clark CJ, Hemshorn ML, Manikandan S, Fazan F, Rasouli A, Tajkhorshid E, Galpin JD, Cooley RB, Mehl RA, Ahern CA. Tuning phenylalanine fluorination to assess aromatic contributions to protein function and stability in cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:59. [PMID: 36599844 PMCID: PMC9813137 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35761-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The aromatic side-chains of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan interact with their environments via both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Determining the extent to which these contribute to protein function and stability is not possible with conventional mutagenesis. Serial fluorination of a given aromatic is a validated method in vitro and in silico to specifically alter electrostatic characteristics, but this approach is restricted to a select few experimental systems. Here, we report a group of pyrrolysine-based aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs (tRNA/RS pairs) that enable the site-specific encoding of a varied spectrum of fluorinated phenylalanine amino acids in E. coli and mammalian (HEK 293T) cells. By allowing the cross-kingdom expression of proteins bearing these unnatural amino acids at biochemical scale, these tools may potentially enable the study of biological mechanisms which utilize aromatic interactions in structural and cellular contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace D Galles
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- The GCE4All Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Daniel T Infield
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Colin J Clark
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Marcus L Hemshorn
- The GCE4All Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Shivani Manikandan
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Frederico Fazan
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ali Rasouli
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jason D Galpin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Richard B Cooley
- The GCE4All Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Ryan A Mehl
- The GCE4All Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Christopher A Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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36
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Zhu R, Guo R, Yu C, Tan X, Wei S, Song Y, Wang R, Li L, Xie X, Jiang W, Zhang Y. Arginine replacement of histidine on temporin-GHa enhances the antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2022; 87:63-73. [PMID: 36367541 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbac168] [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: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show broad-spectrum microbicidal activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and have been considered as one of the most promising candidates to overcome bacterial antimicrobial resistance. Structural modification of AMPs is an effective strategy to develop high-efficiency and low-toxicity antibacterial agents. A series of peptides GHaR6R, GHaR7R, GHaR8R, and GHaR9W with arginine replacement of histidine (His) derived from temporin-GHa of Hylarana guentheri were designed and synthesized. These derived peptides exhibit antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and GHaR8R exerts bactericidal effect within 15 min at 4 × MIC (25 µm). The derived peptides caused rapid depolarization of bacteria, and the cell membrane damage was monitored using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation assay, which suggests that they target cell membranes to exert antibacterial effects. The derived peptides can effectively eradicate mature biofilms of S. aureus. Taken together, the derived peptides are promising antibacterial agent candidates against S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiying Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Ran Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Chunmei Yu
- Administrative Law Enforcement Brigade of Agriculture, Ji'an, China
| | - Xiuchuan Tan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | | | - Yanting Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Lushuang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xi Xie
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Wenying Jiang
- Hainan University Affiliated Hospital, Haikou, China
| | - Yingxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
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37
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Definition of a saxitoxin (STX) binding code enables discovery and characterization of the anuran saxiphilin family. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2210114119. [PMID: 36279441 PMCID: PMC9636910 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210114119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
American bullfrog (Rana castesbeiana) saxiphilin (RcSxph) is a high-affinity "toxin sponge" protein thought to prevent intoxication by saxitoxin (STX), a lethal bis-guanidinium neurotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) by blocking voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs). How specific RcSxph interactions contribute to STX binding has not been defined and whether other organisms have similar proteins is unclear. Here, we use mutagenesis, ligand binding, and structural studies to define the energetic basis of Sxph:STX recognition. The resultant STX "recognition code" enabled engineering of RcSxph to improve its ability to rescue NaVs from STX and facilitated discovery of 10 new frog and toad Sxphs. Definition of the STX binding code and Sxph family expansion among diverse anurans separated by ∼140 My of evolution provides a molecular basis for understanding the roles of toxin sponge proteins in toxin resistance and for developing novel proteins to sense or neutralize STX and related PSP toxins.
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38
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Cole CC, Misiura M, Hulgan SAH, Peterson CM, Williams JW, Kolomeisky AB, Hartgerink JD. Cation-π Interactions and Their Role in Assembling Collagen Triple Helices. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:4645-4654. [PMID: 36239387 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cation-π interactions play a significant role in the stabilization of globular proteins. However, their role in collagen triple helices is less well understood and they have rarely been used in de novo designed collagen mimetic systems. In this study, we analyze the stabilizing and destabilizing effects in pairwise amino acid interactions between cationic and aromatic residues in both axial and lateral sequential relationships. Thermal unfolding experiments demonstrated that only axial pairs are stabilizing, while the lateral pairs are uniformly destabilizing. Molecular dynamics simulations show that pairs with an axial relationship can achieve a near-ideal interaction distance, but pairs in a lateral relationship do not. Arginine-π systems were found to be more stabilizing than lysine-π and histidine-π. Arginine-π interactions were then studied in more chemically diverse ABC-type heterotrimeric helices, where arginine-tyrosine pairs were found to form the best helix. This work helps elucidate the role of cation-π interactions in triple helices and illustrates their utility in designing collagen mimetic peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carson C Cole
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Mikita Misiura
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Sarah A H Hulgan
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Caroline M Peterson
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Joseph W Williams
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Anatoly B Kolomeisky
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jeffrey D Hartgerink
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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39
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Advanced hydrogen adsorption on benzene: Cation-π interaction effects. Chem Phys 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2022.111649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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40
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Tarenzi T, Lattanzi G, Potestio R. Membrane binding of pore-forming γ-hemolysin components studied at different lipid compositions. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183970. [PMID: 35605647 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.183970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is among those pathogens currently posing the highest threat to public health. Its host immune evasion strategy is mediated by pore-forming toxins (PFTs), among which the bi-component γ-hemolysin is one of the most common. The complexity of the porogenesis mechanism by γ-hemolysin poses difficulties in the development of antivirulence therapies targeting PFTs from S. aureus, and sparse and apparently contrasting experimental data have been produced. Here, through a large set of molecular dynamics simulations at different levels of resolution, we investigate the first step of pore formation, and in particular the effect of membrane composition on the ability of γ-hemolysin components, LukF and Hlg2, to steadily adhere to the lipid bilayer in the absence of proteinaceous receptors. Our simulations are in agreement with experimental data of γ-hemolysin pore formation on model membranes, which are here explained on the basis of the bilayer properties. Our computational investigation suggests a possible rationale to explain experimental data on phospholipid binding to the LukF component, and to hypothesise a mechanism by which, on purely lipidic bilayers, the stable anchoring of LukF to the cell surface facilitates Hlg2 binding, through the exposure of its N-terminal region. We expect that further insights on the mechanism of transition between soluble and membrane bound-forms and on the role played by the lipid molecules will contribute to the design of antivirulence agents with enhanced efficacy against methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Tarenzi
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, Povo (TN) 38123, Italy; INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, Via Sommarive 14, Povo (TN) 38123, Italy.
| | - Gianluca Lattanzi
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, Povo (TN) 38123, Italy; INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, Via Sommarive 14, Povo (TN) 38123, Italy.
| | - Raffaello Potestio
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, Povo (TN) 38123, Italy; INFN-TIFPA, Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications, Via Sommarive 14, Povo (TN) 38123, Italy.
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41
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Mitchell W, Tamucci JD, Ng EL, Liu S, Birk AV, Szeto HH, May ER, Alexandrescu AT, Alder NN. Structure-activity relationships of mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide pharmacological compounds. eLife 2022; 11:75531. [PMID: 35913044 PMCID: PMC9342957 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria play a central role in metabolic homeostasis, and dysfunction of this organelle underpins the etiology of many heritable and aging-related diseases. Tetrapeptides with alternating cationic and aromatic residues such as SS-31 (elamipretide) show promise as therapeutic compounds for mitochondrial disorders. In this study, we conducted a quantitative structure-activity analysis of three alternative tetrapeptide analogs, benchmarked against SS-31, that differ with respect to aromatic side chain composition and sequence register. We present the first structural models for this class of compounds, obtained with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and molecular dynamics approaches, showing that all analogs except for SS-31 form compact reverse turn conformations in the membrane-bound state. All peptide analogs bound cardiolipin-containing membranes, yet they had significant differences in equilibrium binding behavior and membrane interactions. Notably, analogs had markedly different effects on membrane surface charge, supporting a mechanism in which modulation of membrane electrostatics is a key feature of their mechanism of action. The peptides had no strict requirement for side chain composition or sequence register to permeate cells and target mitochondria in mammalian cell culture assays. All four peptides were pharmacologically active in serum withdrawal cell stress models yet showed significant differences in their abilities to restore mitochondrial membrane potential, preserve ATP content, and promote cell survival. Within our peptide set, the analog containing tryptophan side chains, SPN10, had the strongest impact on most membrane properties and showed greatest efficacy in cell culture studies. Taken together, these results show that side chain composition and register influence the activity of these mitochondria-targeted peptides, helping provide a framework for the rational design of next-generation therapeutics with enhanced potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne Mitchell
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Jeffrey D Tamucci
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Emery L Ng
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Shaoyi Liu
- Social Profit Network, Menlo Park, CA, United States
| | - Alexander V Birk
- Department of Biology, York College of CUNY, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hazel H Szeto
- Social Profit Network, Menlo Park, CA, United States
| | - Eric R May
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Andrei T Alexandrescu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Nathan N Alder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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42
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Shao J, Kuiper BP, Thunnissen AMWH, Cool RH, Zhou L, Huang C, Dijkstra BW, Broos J. The Role of Tryptophan in π Interactions in Proteins: An Experimental Approach. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:13815-13822. [PMID: 35868012 PMCID: PMC9354243 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c04986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
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In proteins, the amino acids Phe, Tyr, and especially
Trp are frequently
involved in π interactions such as π–π, cation−π,
and CH−π bonds. These interactions are often crucial
for protein structure and protein–ligand binding. A powerful
means to study these interactions is progressive fluorination of these
aromatic residues to modulate the electrostatic component of the interaction.
However, to date no protein expression platform is available to produce
milligram amounts of proteins labeled with such fluorinated amino
acids. Here, we present a Lactococcus lactis Trp
auxotroph-based expression system for efficient incorporation (≥95%)
of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetrafluorinated, as well as a methylated
Trp analog. As a model protein we have chosen LmrR, a dimeric multidrug
transcriptional repressor protein from L. lactis. LmrR binds aromatic drugs, like daunomycin and riboflavin, between
Trp96 and Trp96′ in the dimer interface. Progressive fluorination
of Trp96 decreased the affinity for the drugs 6- to 70-fold, clearly
establishing the importance of electrostatic π–π
interactions for drug binding. Presteady state kinetic data of the
LmrR–drug interaction support the enthalpic nature of the interaction,
while high resolution crystal structures of the labeled protein–drug
complexes provide for the first time a structural view of the progressive
fluorination approach. The L. lactis expression system
was also used to study the role of Trp68 in the binding of riboflavin
by the membrane-bound riboflavin transport protein RibU from L. lactis. Progressive fluorination of Trp68 revealed a
strong electrostatic component that contributed 15–20% to the
total riboflavin-RibU binding energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Shao
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan P Kuiper
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andy-Mark W H Thunnissen
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Robbert H Cool
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Liang Zhou
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Chenxi Huang
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bauke W Dijkstra
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Broos
- Groningen Biomolecular Science and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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43
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Spontarelli K, Infield DT, Nielsen HN, Holm R, Young VC, Galpin JD, Ahern CA, Vilsen B, Artigas P. Role of a conserved ion-binding site tyrosine in ion selectivity of the Na+/K+ pump. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:e202113039. [PMID: 35657726 PMCID: PMC9171065 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202113039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The essential transmembrane Na+ and K+ gradients in animal cells are established by the Na+/K+ pump, a P-type ATPase that exports three Na+ and imports two K+ per ATP hydrolyzed. The mechanism by which the Na+/K+ pump distinguishes between Na+ and K+ at the two membrane sides is poorly understood. Crystal structures identify two sites (sites I and II) that bind Na+ or K+ and a third (site III) specific for Na+. The side chain of a conserved tyrosine at site III of the catalytic α-subunit (Xenopus-α1 Y780) has been proposed to contribute to Na+ binding by cation-π interaction. We substituted Y780 with natural and unnatural amino acids, expressed the mutants in Xenopus oocytes and COS-1 cells, and used electrophysiology and biochemistry to evaluate their function. Substitutions disrupting H-bonds impaired Na+ interaction, while Y780Q strengthened it, likely by H-bond formation. Utilizing the non-sense suppression method previously used to incorporate unnatural derivatives in ion channels, we were able to analyze Na+/K+ pumps with fluorinated tyrosine or phenylalanine derivatives inserted at position 780 to diminish cation-π interaction strength. In line with the results of the analysis of mutants with natural amino acid substitutions, the results with the fluorinated derivatives indicate that Na+-π interaction with the phenol ring at position 780 contributes minimally, if at all, to the binding of Na+. All Y780 substitutions decreased K+ apparent affinity, highlighting that a state-dependent H-bond network is essential for the selectivity switch at sites I and II when the pump changes conformational state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Spontarelli
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX
| | - Daniel T. Infield
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Hang N. Nielsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Rikke Holm
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Victoria C. Young
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX
| | - Jason D. Galpin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Christopher A. Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Bente Vilsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Pablo Artigas
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX
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44
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Theoretical Study of Stability and Electronic Characteristics in Various Complexes of Psoralen as an Anticancer Drug in Gas Phase, Water and CCl4 Solutions. Chem Res Chin Univ 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40242-022-1475-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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45
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Fan H, Guo H, Kurokawa T, Gong JP. Quantitative determination of cation–π interactions between metal ions and aromatic groups in aqueous media by a hydrogel Donnan potential method. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:6126-6132. [DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05622k] [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
The binding ratios of various metal ions to aromatic groups by cation–π interactions in aqueous media have been quantitatively calculated by using Donnan potential measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Fan
- Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, N21W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Honglei Guo
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, N21W11, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kurokawa
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, N21W11, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
| | - Jian Ping Gong
- Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, N21W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
- Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, N21W11, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
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46
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Liu H, Fu H, Chipot C, Shao X, Cai W. Accuracy of Alternate Nonpolarizable Force Fields for the Determination of Protein-Ligand Binding Affinities Dominated by Cation-π Interactions. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:3908-3915. [PMID: 34125530 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Modifying pair-specific Lennard-Jones parameters through the nonbonded FIX (NBFIX) feature of the CHARMM36 force field has proven cost-effective for improving the description of cation-π interactions in biological objects by means of pairwise additive potential energy functions. Here, two sets of newly optimized CHARMM36 force-field parameters including NBFIX corrections, coined CHARMM36m-NBF and CHARMM36-WYF, and the original force fields, namely CHARMM36m and Amber ff14SB, are used to determine the standard binding free energies of seven protein-ligand complexes containing cation-π interactions. Compared with precise experimental measurements, our results indicate that the uncorrected, original force fields significantly underestimate the binding free energies, with a mean error of 5.3 kcal/mol, while the mean errors of CHARMM36m-NBF and CHARMM36-WYF amount to 0.8 and 2.1 kcal/mol, respectively. The present study cogently demonstrates that the use of modified parameters jointly with NBFIX corrections dramatically increases the accuracy of the standard binding free energy of protein-ligand complexes dominated by cation-π interactions, most notably with CHARMM36m-NBF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Liu
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Haohao Fu
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Christophe Chipot
- Laboratoire International Associé CNRS and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, UMR No. 7019, Université de Lorraine, BP 70239, F-54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.,Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Xueguang Shao
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Wensheng Cai
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, and Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
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47
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Moiseenkova-Bell V, Delemotte L, Minor DL. Ion Channels: Intersection of Structure, Function, and Pharmacology. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167102. [PMID: 34119491 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vera Moiseenkova-Bell
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lucie Delemotte
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel L Minor
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bio-imaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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