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Yan Z, Wei D, Li X, Chung LW. Accelerating reliable multiscale quantum refinement of protein-drug systems enabled by machine learning. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4181. [PMID: 38755151 PMCID: PMC11099068 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48453-4] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Biomacromolecule structures are essential for drug development and biocatalysis. Quantum refinement (QR) methods, which employ reliable quantum mechanics (QM) methods in crystallographic refinement, showed promise in improving the structural quality or even correcting the structure of biomacromolecules. However, vast computational costs and complex quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) setups limit QR applications. Here we incorporate robust machine learning potentials (MLPs) in multiscale ONIOM(QM:MM) schemes to describe the core parts (e.g., drugs/inhibitors), replacing the expensive QM method. Additionally, two levels of MLPs are combined for the first time to overcome MLP limitations. Our unique MLPs+ONIOM-based QR methods achieve QM-level accuracy with significantly higher efficiency. Furthermore, our refinements provide computational evidence for the existence of bonded and nonbonded forms of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug nirmatrelvir in one SARS-CoV-2 main protease structure. This study highlights that powerful MLPs accelerate QRs for reliable protein-drug complexes, promote broader QR applications and provide more atomistic insights into drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyin Yan
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Dacong Wei
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xin Li
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Lung Wa Chung
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Chan B, Dawson W, Nakajima T. Sorting drug conformers in enzyme active sites: the XTB way. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:12610-12618. [PMID: 38597505 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00930d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
In the present study, we have used the MEI196 set of interaction energies to investigate low-cost computational chemistry approaches for the calculation of binding between a molecule and its environment. Density functional theory (DFT) methods, when used with the vDZP basis set, yield good agreement with the reference energies. On the other hand, semi-empirical methods are less accurate as expected. By examining different groups of systems within MEI196 that contain species of a similar nature, we find that chemical similarity leads to cancellation of errors in the calculation of relative binding energies. Importantly, the semi-empirical method GFN1-xTB (XTB1) yields reasonable results for this purpose. We have thus further assessed the performance of XTB1 for calculating relative energies of docking poses of substrates in enzyme active sites represented by cluster models or within the ONIOM protocol. The results support the observations on error cancellation. This paves the way for the use of XTB1 in parts of large-scale virtual screening workflows to accelerate the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bun Chan
- Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, Bunkyo 1-14, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
- RIKEN Center for Computational Science, 7-1-26, Minatojima-minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - William Dawson
- RIKEN Center for Computational Science, 7-1-26, Minatojima-minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takahito Nakajima
- RIKEN Center for Computational Science, 7-1-26, Minatojima-minami-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
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Csizi K, Reiher M. Universal
QM
/
MM
approaches for general nanoscale applications. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Markus Reiher
- Laboratorium für Physikalische Chemie ETH Zürich Zürich Switzerland
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Maier S, Thapa B, Erickson J, Raghavachari K. Comparative assessment of QM-based and MM-based models for prediction of protein-ligand binding affinity trends. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:14525-14537. [PMID: 35661842 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00464j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Methods which accurately predict protein-ligand binding strengths are critical for drug discovery. In the last two decades, advances in chemical modelling have enabled steadily accelerating progress in the discovery and optimization of structure-based drug design. Most computational methods currently used in this context are based on molecular mechanics force fields that often have deficiencies in describing the quantum mechanical (QM) aspects of molecular binding. In this study, we show the competitiveness of our QM-based Molecules-in-Molecules (MIM) fragmentation method for characterizing binding energy trends for seven different datasets of protein-ligand complexes. By using molecular fragmentation, the MIM method allows for accelerated QM calculations. We demonstrate that for classes of structurally similar ligands bound to a common receptor, MIM provides excellent correlation to experiment, surpassing the more popular Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM/PBSA) and Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) methods. The MIM method offers a relatively simple, well-defined protocol by which binding trends can be ascertained at the QM level and is suggested as a promising option for lead optimization in structure-based drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Maier
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Bishnu Thapa
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. .,Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis, Indiana 47285, USA
| | - Jon Erickson
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis, Indiana 47285, USA
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Tzeliou CE, Mermigki MA, Tzeli D. Review on the QM/MM Methodologies and Their Application to Metalloproteins. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27092660. [PMID: 35566011 PMCID: PMC9105939 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The multiscaling quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach was introduced in 1976, while the extensive acceptance of this methodology started in the 1990s. The combination of QM/MM approach with molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, otherwise known as the QM/MM/MD approach, is a powerful and promising tool for the investigation of chemical reactions’ mechanism of complex molecular systems, drug delivery, properties of molecular devices, organic electronics, etc. In the present review, the main methodologies in the multiscaling approaches, i.e., density functional theory (DFT), semiempirical methodologies (SE), MD simulations, MM, and their new advances are discussed in short. Then, a review on calculations and reactions on metalloproteins is presented, where particular attention is given to nitrogenase that catalyzes the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen molecules N₂ into NH₃ through the process known as nitrogen fixation and the FeMo-cofactor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Eleftheria Tzeliou
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 71 Athens, Greece; (C.E.T.); (M.A.M.)
| | - Markella Aliki Mermigki
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 71 Athens, Greece; (C.E.T.); (M.A.M.)
| | - Demeter Tzeli
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 71 Athens, Greece; (C.E.T.); (M.A.M.)
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 116 35 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-210-727-4307
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Lan J, Li X, Yang Y, Zhang X, Chung LW. New Insights and Predictions into Complex Homogeneous Reactions Enabled by Computational Chemistry in Synergy with Experiments: Isotopes and Mechanisms. Acc Chem Res 2022; 55:1109-1123. [PMID: 35385649 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Homogeneous catalysis and biocatalysis have been widely applied in synthetic, medicinal, and energy chemistry as well as synthetic biology. Driven by developments of new computational chemistry methods and better computer hardware, computational chemistry has become an essentially indispensable mechanistic "instrument" to help understand structures and decipher reaction mechanisms in catalysis. In addition, synergy between computational and experimental chemistry deepens our mechanistic understanding, which further promotes the rational design of new catalysts. In this Account, we summarize new or deeper mechanistic insights (including isotope, dispersion, and dynamical effects) into several complex homogeneous reactions from our systematic computational studies along with subsequent experimental studies by different groups. Apart from uncovering new mechanisms in some reactions, a few computational predictions (such as excited-state heavy-atom tunneling, steric-controlled enantioswitching, and a new geminal addition mechanism) based on our mechanistic insights were further verified by ensuing experiments.The Zimmerman group developed a photoinduced triplet di-π-methane rearrangement to form cyclopropane derivatives. Recently, our computational study predicted the first excited-state heavy-atom (carbon) quantum tunneling in one triplet di-π-methane rearrangement, in which the reaction rates and 12C/13C kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) can be enhanced by quantum tunneling at low temperatures. This unprecedented excited-state heavy-atom tunneling in a photoinduced reaction has recently been verified by an experimental 12C/13C KIE study by the Singleton group. Such combined computational and experimental studies should open up opportunities to discover more rare excited-state heavy-atom tunneling in other photoinduced reactions. In addition, we found unexpectedly large secondary KIE values in the five-coordinate Fe(III)-catalyzed hetero-Diels-Alder pathway, even with substantial C-C bond formation, due to the non-negligible equilibrium isotope effect (EIE) derived from altered metal coordination. Therefore, these KIE values cannot reliably reflect transition-state structures for the five-coordinate metal pathway. Furthermore, our density functional theory (DFT) quasi-classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated that the coordination mode and/or spin state of the iron metal as well as an electric field can affect the dynamics of this reaction (e.g., the dynamically stepwise process, the entrance/exit reaction channels).Moreover, we unveiled a new reaction mechanism to account for the uncommon Ru(II)-catalyzed geminal-addition semihydrogenation and hydroboration of silyl alkynes. Our proposed key gem-Ru(II)-carbene intermediates derived from double migrations on the same alkyne carbon were verified by crossover experiments. Additionally, our DFT MD simulations suggested that the first hydrogen migration transition-state structures may directly and quickly form the key gem-Ru-carbene structures, thereby "bypassing" the second migration step. Furthermore, our extensive study revealed the origin of the enantioselectivity of the Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with β-substituted alkenyl bicyclic heteroarenes enabled by dual coordination of both substrates. Such mechanistic insights promoted our computational predictions of the enantioselectivity reversal for the corresponding monocyclic heteroarene substrates and the regiospecific addition to the less reactive internal C═C bond of one diene substrate. These predictions were proven by our experimental collaborators. Finally, our mechanistic insights into a few other reactions are also presented. Overall, we hope that these interactive computational and experimental studies enrich our mechanistic understanding and aid in reaction development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialing Lan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xin Li
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuhong Yang
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lung Wa Chung
- Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Department of Chemistry, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen 518055, China
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Bergmann J, Oksanen E, Ryde U. Combining crystallography with quantum mechanics. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2021; 72:18-26. [PMID: 34392061 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In standard crystallographic refinement of biomacromolecules, the crystallographic raw data are supplemented by empirical restraints that ensure that the structure makes chemical sense. These restraints are typically accurate for amino acids and nucleic acids, but less so for cofactors, substrates, inhibitors, ligands and metal sites. In quantum refinement, this potential is replaced by more accurate quantum mechanical (QM) calculations. Several implementations have been presented, differing in the level of QM and whether it is used for the entire structure or only for a site of particular interest. It has been shown that the method can improve and correct errors in crystal structures and that it can be used to determine protonation and tautomeric states of various ligands and to decide what is really seen in the structure by refining different interpretations and using standard crystallographic and QM quality measures to decide which fits the structure best.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Bergmann
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Lund University, Chemical Centre, P. O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Esko Oksanen
- European Spallation Source ESS ERIC, P. O. Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ryde
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Lund University, Chemical Centre, P. O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden.
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