A molecular dynamics study of the pentacyclo-undecane cage amino acid tripeptide

Pentacycloundecane lactam vs lactone norstatine type protease HIV inhibitors: binding energy calculations and DFT study

Background

Novel pentacycloundecane (PCU)-lactone-CO-EAIS peptide inhibitors were designed, synthesized, and evaluated against wild-type C-South African (C-SA) HIV-1 protease. Three compounds are reported herein, two of which displayed IC₅₀ values of less than 1.00 μM. A comparative MM-PB(GB)SA binding free energy of solvation values of PCU-lactam and lactone models and their enantiomers as well as the PCU-lactam-NH-EAIS and lactone-CO-EAIS peptide inhibitors and their corresponding diastereomers complexed with South African HIV protease (C-SA) was performed. This will enable us to rationalize the considerable difference between inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of PCU-lactam-NH-EAIS and PCU-lactone-CO-EAIS peptides.

Results

The PCU-lactam model exhibited more negative calculated binding free energies of solvation than the PCU-lactone model. The same trend was observed for the PCU-peptide inhibitors, which correspond to the experimental activities for the PCU-lactam-NH-EAIS peptide (IC₅₀ = 0.076 μM) and the PCU-lactone-CO-EAIS peptide inhibitors (IC₅₀ = 0.850 μM). Furthermore, a density functional theory (DFT) study on the natural atomic charges of the nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the three PCU-lactam, PCU-lactim and PCU-lactone models were performed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Electrostatic potential maps were also used to visualize the electron density around electron-rich regions. The asymmetry parameter (η) and quadrupole coupling constant (χ) values of the nitrogen and oxygen nuclei of the model compounds were calculated at the same level of theory. Electronic molecular properties including polarizability and electric dipole moments were also calculated and compared. The Gibbs theoretical free solvation energies of solvation (∆G_solv) were also considered.

Conclusions

A general trend is observed that the lactam species appears to have a larger negative charge distribution around the heteroatoms, larger quadrupole constant, dipole moment and better solvation energy, in comparison to the PCU-lactone model. It can be argued that these characteristics will ensure better eletronic interaction between the lactam and the receptor, corresponding to the observed HIV protease activities in terms of experimental IC₅₀ data.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0115-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Charge-site-dependent dissociation of hydrogen-rich radical peptide cations upon vacuum UV photoexcitation

Here, 193 nm vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation (VUVPD) was used to investigate the fragmentation of hydrogen-rich radical peptide cations generated by electron transfer reactions. VUVPD offers new insight into the factors that drive radical- and photon-directed processes. The location of a basic Arg site influences photon-activated C(α)-C(O) bond cleavages of singly charged peptide radical cations, an outcome attributed to the initial conformation of the peptide as supported by molecular dynamics simulated annealing and the population of excited states upon UV excitation. This hybrid ETD/VUVPD method was employed to identify phosphorylation sites of the kinase domain of human TRPM7/ChaK1.

Synthesis and NMR elucidation of novel pentacycloundecane-based peptides

The synthesis and NMR elucidation of two novel pentacycloundecane (PCU)-based peptides are reported. The PCU cage amino acids were synthesised as racemates and the incorporation of the cage amino acid with (S)-natural amino acids produced diastereomeric peptides. The diastereomeric 'cage' peptides were separated using preparative HPLC and the NMR elucidation of these PCU containing peptides are reported for the first time. The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra showed series of overlapping signals of the cage skeleton and that of the peptide, making it extremely difficult to resolve the structure using one-dimensional NMR techniques only. The use of two-dimensional NMR techniques proved to be a highly effective tool in overcoming this problem.

Synthesis and NMR assignment of pentacycloundecane precursors of potential pharmaceutical agents

The synthesis and complete NMR elucidation of eight novel pentacycloundecane (PCU) derivatives are reported. These compounds are precursors in the synthesis of PCU-based anti-tuberculosis (TB) agents and potential human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors. Two-dimensional (2D) NMR techniques were used to assign the NMR spectra for these compounds. Substitution of the cage molecule at (C-8/11) further complicates the assignment, since some of the substituted alkyl chain groups overlap with the cage proton signals. The side chain heteroatoms also introduce a rare through-space deshielding effect to some of the carbon atoms of the cage skeleton. Ring strain in the rigid cage skeleton appears to induce drastic electronic changes in some parts of the cage framework. This observation is more dramatic for the C-4 methylene group of the cage diols and the cage ethers.

Trishomocubane amino acid as a beta-turn scaffold

The synthesis and X-ray structure of two diasteriomeric heptapeptides [Ac-Ala-Ala-Ala-(R/S)-Cage-Ala-Ala-Ala-NH2] with a trishomocubane amino acid as a beta-turn scaffold are reported. The amino acid was synthesized as a racemate and two diastereomeric peptides were obtained. The two peptides were separated by preparative high-pressure liquid chromatography and crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were grown for both diasteriomeric peptides. In general, both the peptides satisfy the criteria for beta-turn conformations. Five of the six Ala residues of both cage peptide crystals satisfy the criteria for 3(10)-helix characteristics and the cage amino acid residue satisfied the alpha-helix classification. These experimental results confirm previous theoretical studies in our laboratory which predicted that the cage moiety would be a strong/active beta-turn inducer.