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Zou F, Gu Z, Perez-Aguilar JM, Luo Y. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest the potential toxicity of fluorinated graphene to HP35 protein via unfolding the α-helix structure. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9168. [PMID: 38649777 PMCID: PMC11035638 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59780-3] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorinated graphene, a two-dimensional nanomaterial composed of three atomic layers, a central carbon layer sandwiched between two layers of fluorine atoms, has attracted considerable attention across various fields, particularly for its potential use in biomedical applications. Nonetheless, scant effort has been devoted to assessing the potential toxicological implications of this nanomaterial. In this study, we scrutinize the potential impact of fluorinated graphene on a protein model, HP35 by utilizing extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods. Our MD results elucidate that upon adsorption to the nanomaterial, HP35 undergoes a denaturation process initiated by the unraveling of the second helix of the protein and the loss of the proteins hydrophobic core. In detail, substantial alterations in various structural features of HP35 ensue, including alterations in hydrogen bonding, Q value, and RMSD. Subsequent analyses underscore that hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions (predominant), alongside electrostatic energy (subordinate), exert influence over the adsorption of HP35 on the fluorinated graphene surface. Mechanistic scrutiny attests that the unrestrained lateral mobility of HP35 on the fluorinated graphene nanomaterial primarily causes the exposure of HP35's hydrophobic core, resulting in the eventual structural denaturation of HP35. A trend in the features of 2D nanostructures is proposed that may facilitate the denaturation process. Our findings not only substantiate the potential toxicity of fluorinated graphene but also unveil the underlying molecular mechanism, which thereby holds significance for the prospective utilization of such nanomaterials in the field of biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangrong Zou
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, 518110, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zonglin Gu
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, 225009, China
| | - Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- School of Chemical Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), 72570, University City, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Yuqi Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, 518110, Guangdong Province, China.
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Mukhopadhyay T, Ghosh A, Datta A. Screening 2D Materials for Their Nanotoxicity toward Nucleic Acids and Proteins: An In Silico Outlook. ACS PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY AU 2024; 4:97-121. [PMID: 38560753 PMCID: PMC10979489 DOI: 10.1021/acsphyschemau.3c00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Since the discovery of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) materials have been anticipated to demonstrate enormous potential in bionanomedicine. Unfortunately, the majority of 2D materials induce nanotoxicity via disruption of the structure of biomolecules. Consequently, there has been an urge to synthesize and identify biocompatible 2D materials. Before the cytotoxicity of 2D nanomaterials is experimentally tested, computational studies can rapidly screen them. Additionally, computational analyses can provide invaluable insights into molecular-level interactions. Recently, various "in silico" techniques have identified these interactions and helped to develop a comprehensive understanding of nanotoxicity of 2D materials. In this article, we discuss the key recent advances in the application of computational methods for the screening of 2D materials for their nanotoxicity toward two important categories of abundant biomolecules, namely, nucleic acids and proteins. We believe the present article would help to develop newer computational protocols for the identification of novel biocompatible materials, thereby paving the way for next-generation biomedical and therapeutic applications based on 2D materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titas
Kumar Mukhopadhyay
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A and 2B Raja S.C. Mullick Road,
Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Anupam Ghosh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A and 2B Raja S.C. Mullick Road,
Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Ayan Datta
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A and 2B Raja S.C. Mullick Road,
Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
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Luo Y, Gu Z, Liao W, Huang Y, Perez-Aguilar JM, Luo Y, Chen L. Villin headpiece unfolding upon binding to boridene mediated by the "anchoring-perturbation" mechanism. iScience 2024; 27:108577. [PMID: 38170080 PMCID: PMC10758975 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
We employ molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the influence of boridene on the behavior of a protein model, HP35, with the aim of assessing the potential biotoxicity of boridene. Our MD results reveal that HP35 can undergo unfolding via an "anchoring-perturbation" mechanism upon adsorption onto the boridene surface. Specifically, the third helix of HP35 becomes tightly anchored to the boridene surface through strong electrostatic interactions between the abundant molybdenum atoms on the boridene surface and the oxygen atoms on the HP35 backbone. Meanwhile, the first helix, experiencing continuous perturbation from the surrounding water solution over an extended period, suffers from potential breakage of hydrogen bonds, ultimately resulting in its unfolding. Our findings not only propose, for the first time to our knowledge, the "anchoring-perturbation" mechanism as a guiding principle for protein unfolding but also reveal the potential toxicity of boridene on protein structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518110, China
| | - Zonglin Gu
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Weihua Liao
- Department of Radiology, Guangzhou Nansha District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, No. 103, Haibang Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 511457, China
| | - Yiwen Huang
- Department of Emergency, Nansha Hospital, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- School of Chemical Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), University City, Puebla 72570, Mexico
| | - Yanbo Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518110, China
| | - Longzhen Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518110, China
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Luo Y, Gu Z, Perez-Aguilar JM, Liao W, Huang Y, Luo Y. Moderate binding of villin headpiece protein to C 3N 3 nanosheet reveals the suitable biocompatibility of this nanomaterial. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13783. [PMID: 37612444 PMCID: PMC10447452 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41125-1] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its recent successful synthesis and due to its promising physical and chemical properties, the carbon nitrite nanomaterial, C3N3, has attracted considerable attention in various scientific areas. However, thus far, little effort has been devoted to investigating the structural influence of the direct interaction of this 2D nanomaterial and biomolecules, including proteins and biomembranes so as to understand the physical origin of its bio-effect, particularly from the molecular landscape. Such information is fundamental to correlate to the potential nanotoxicology of the C3N3 nanomaterial. In this work, we explored the potential structural influence of a C3N3 nanosheet on the prototypical globular protein, villin headpiece (HP35) using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We found that HP35 could maintain its native conformations upon adsorption onto the C3N3 nanosheet regardless of the diversity in the binding sites, implying the potential advantage of C3N3 in protecting the biomolecular structure. The adsorption was mediated primarily by vdW interactions. Moreover, once adsorbed on the C3N3 surface, HP35 remains relatively fixed on the nanostructure without a distinct lateral translation, which may aid in keeping the structural integrity of the protein. In addition, the porous topological structure of C3N3 and the special water layer present on the C3N3 holes conjointly contributed to the restricted motion of HP35 via the formation of a high free energy barrier and a steric hindrance to prevent the surface displacement. This work revealed for the first time the potential influence of the 2D C3N3 nanomaterial in the protein structure and provided the corresponding in-depth molecular-level mechanism, which is valuable for future applications of C3N3 in bionanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, 518110, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zonglin Gu
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, 225009, China
| | - Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- School of Chemical Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), 72570, University City, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Weihua Liao
- Department of Radiology, Guangzhou Nansha District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, No. 103, Haibang Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511457, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiwen Huang
- Department of Emergency, Nansha Hospital, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanbo Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, No. 187, Guanlan Road, Longhua District, Shenzhen, 518110, Guangdong, China
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Mild adsorption of carbon nitride (C 3N 3) nanosheet on a cellular membrane reveals its suitable biocompatibility. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021; 205:111896. [PMID: 34098364 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.111896] [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: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Recently, the novel hole-containing carbon nitride C3N3 nanomaterial was successfully synthesized, featuring outstanding and unique mechanical and electrical properties. However, to fully exploit this nanomaterial in biomedical applications, information regarding its biocompatibility is necessary. Herein, by using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we evaluate the interactions between a C3N3 nanosheet and a critical cellular component, that is, a lipid membrane bilayer. Our results indicate that the C3N3 nanosheet is able to interact with the lipid bilayer surface without affecting the membrane's structural integrity. Moreover, our results showed that the C3N3 nanosheet is adsorbed on the surface of the lipid bilayer without inflicting any structural damage to the membrane, regardless of the conditions of the system (that is, with and without restrains in the C3N3 nanosheet). Also, we found that both energy contributions, namely vdW and Coulomb energies, conjointly mediated the C3N3 adsorption process. In comparison and as expected, pristine graphene significantly disturbed the membrane structure. Perpendicularly-oriented-sheet simulations described the significance of the surface charges of the C3N3 nanosheet in prohibiting its insertion into the membrane. Detailed analysis indicated that the electrostatic attraction between the pores in the C3N3 structure and the lipid head amino groups stabilized the interaction restricting the insertion of the C3N3 structure deeper into the membrane. Our results suggested the importance of the negatively charged C3N3 pores when interacting with lipid membranes. Our findings shed light on the potential compatibility of C3N3 with biomembranes and its underlying molecular mechanism, which might provide a useful foundation for the future exploration of this 2D nanomaterial in biomedical applications.
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Zhao L, Gu Z. Potential Unwinding of Double-Stranded DNA upon Binding to a Carbon Nitride Polyaniline (C 3N) Nanosheet. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:2258-2265. [PMID: 33625858 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c11288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recently, carbon nitride polyaniline (C3N) had attracted considerable attention from many scientific fields after its successful synthesis. However, thus far, limited efforts were devoted to reveal its potential effect to biomolecules, which correlated intimately with its further utilization. In this study, by using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approach, we investigated in detail the interaction between C3N and a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) segment to expose the underlying biological effect of C3N to dsDNA and the corresponding molecular basis. MD simulation results demonstrated that dsDNA presented serious damages upon adsorption onto a C3N nanosheet with the terminal base pairs denaturized, unwound, and directly packing on the C3N surface, which implied that C3N was potentially deleterious to biomolecules. This binding/unwinding process was mainly guided by a combination of van der Waals and π-π stacking interactions together with a continuous lateral migration of dsDNA. Moreover, the nanoscale dewetting also played an important role during the adsorption. These findings revealed the potential bio-effect of the C3N nanomaterial and its molecular mechanism, which might benefit the future applications of C3N-based nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhao
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Zonglin Gu
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
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Gu Z, Perez-Aguilar JM, Shao Q. Restricted binding of a model protein on C3N4 nanosheets suggests an adequate biocompatibility of the nanomaterial. RSC Adv 2021; 11:7417-7425. [PMID: 35423284 PMCID: PMC8694939 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra10125g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The fixed binding pattern of protein adsorption to C3N4 plays a major role in the nanomaterial biocompatibility, which results from the inherent porous surface structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zonglin Gu
- College of Physical Science and Technology
- Yangzhou University
- China
| | - Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- School of Chemical Sciences
- Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP)
- University City
- Puebla 72570
- Mexico
| | - Qiwen Shao
- Institute of Quantitative Biology
- Department of Physics
- College of Life Science
- Zhejiang University
- Hangzhou 310027
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