1
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Ciardullo G, Parise A, Prejanò M, Marino T. Viral RNA Replication Suppression of SARS-CoV-2: Atomistic Insights into Inhibition Mechanisms of RdRp Machinery by ddhCTP. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:1593-1604. [PMID: 38412057 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01919] [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: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The nonstructural protein 12, known as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), is essential for both replication and repair of the viral genome. The RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 has been used as a promising candidate for drug development since the inception of the COVID-19 spread. In this work, we performed an in silico investigation on the insertion of the naturally modified pyrimidine nucleobase ddhCTP into the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp active site, in a comparative analysis with the natural one (CTP). The modification in ddhCTP involves the removal of the 3'-hydroxyl group that prevents the addition of subsequent nucleotides into the nascent strand, acting as an RNA chain terminator inhibitor. Quantum mechanical investigations helped to shed light on the mechanistic source of RdRp activity on the selected nucleobases, and comprehensive all-atom simulations provided insights about the structural rearrangements occurring in the active-site region when inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) is formed. Subsequently, the intricate pathways for the release of PPi, the catalytic product of RdRp, were investigated using Umbrella Sampling simulations. The results are in line with the available experimental data and contribute to a more comprehensive point of view on such an important viral enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Ciardullo
- Dipartimento di Chimica E Tecnologie Chimiche, Laboratorio PROMOCS Cubo 14C, Università della Calabria, RENDE (CS) I-87036, Italy
| | - Angela Parise
- Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR)-IOM C/O International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), Via Bonomea 265, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Mario Prejanò
- Dipartimento di Chimica E Tecnologie Chimiche, Laboratorio PROMOCS Cubo 14C, Università della Calabria, RENDE (CS) I-87036, Italy
| | - Tiziana Marino
- Dipartimento di Chimica E Tecnologie Chimiche, Laboratorio PROMOCS Cubo 14C, Università della Calabria, RENDE (CS) I-87036, Italy
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2
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Wang X, Xu T, Yao Y, Cheung PPH, Gao X, Zhang L. SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Follows Asynchronous Translocation Pathway for Viral Transcription and Replication. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:10119-10128. [PMID: 37922192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01249] [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: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Translocation is one essential step for the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) to exert viral replication and transcription. Although cryo-EM structures of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp are available, the molecular mechanisms of dynamic translocation remain elusive. Herein, we constructed a Markov state model based on extensive molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the translocation dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. We identified two intermediates that pinpoint the rate-limiting step of translocation and characterize the asynchronous movement of the template-primer duplex. The 3'-terminal nucleotide in the primer strand lags behind due to the uneven distribution of protein-RNA interactions, while the translocation of the template strand is delayed by the hurdle residue K500. Even so, the two strands share the same "ratchet" to stabilize the polymerase in the post-translocation state, suggesting a Brownian-ratchet model. Overall, our study provides intriguing insights into SARS-CoV-2 replication and transcription, which would open a new avenue for drug discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Kowloon, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Tiantian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Kowloon, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Peter Pak-Hang Cheung
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Chemical Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Xin Gao
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Fuzhou, Fujian 361005, China
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3
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Dutagaci B, Duan B, Qiu C, Kaplan CD, Feig M. Characterization of RNA polymerase II trigger loop mutations using molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010999. [PMID: 36947548 PMCID: PMC10069792 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010999] [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] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Catalysis and fidelity of multisubunit RNA polymerases rely on a highly conserved active site domain called the trigger loop (TL), which achieves roles in transcription through conformational changes and interaction with NTP substrates. The mutations of TL residues cause distinct effects on catalysis including hypo- and hyperactivity and altered fidelity. We applied molecular dynamics simulation (MD) and machine learning (ML) techniques to characterize TL mutations in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) system. We did so to determine relationships between individual mutations and phenotypes and to associate phenotypes with MD simulated structural alterations. Using fitness values of mutants under various stress conditions, we modeled phenotypes along a spectrum of continual values. We found that ML could predict the phenotypes with 0.68 R2 correlation from amino acid sequences alone. It was more difficult to incorporate MD data to improve predictions from machine learning, presumably because MD data is too noisy and possibly incomplete to directly infer functional phenotypes. However, a variational auto-encoder model based on the MD data allowed the clustering of mutants with different phenotypes based on structural details. Overall, we found that a subset of loss-of-function (LOF) and lethal mutations tended to increase distances of TL residues to the NTP substrate, while another subset of LOF and lethal substitutions tended to confer an increase in distances between TL and bridge helix (BH). In contrast, some of the gain-of-function (GOF) mutants appear to cause disruption of hydrophobic contacts among TL and nearby helices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Merced, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Bingbing Duan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Chenxi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Craig D. Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
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4
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Bignon E, Monari A. Modeling the Enzymatic Mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase by DFT/MM-MD: An Unusual Active Site Leading to High Replication Rates. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:4261-4269. [PMID: 35982544 PMCID: PMC9437665 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Viral infection relies on the hijacking of cellular machineries to enforce the reproduction of the infecting virus and its subsequent diffusion. In this context, the replication of the viral genome is a key step performed by specific enzymes, i.e., polymerases. The replication of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemics, is based on the duplication of its RNA genome, an action performed by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. In this contribution, by using highly demanding DFT/MM-MD computations coupled to 2D-umbrella sampling techniques, we have determined the chemical mechanisms leading to the inclusion of a nucleotide in the nascent viral RNA strand. These results highlight the high efficiency of the polymerase, which lowers the activation free energy to less than 10 kcal/mol. Furthermore, the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase active site is slightly different from those usually found in other similar enzymes, and in particular, it lacks the possibility to enforce a proton shuttle via a nearby histidine. Our simulations show that this absence is partially compensated by lysine whose proton assists the reaction, opening up an alternative, but highly efficient, reactive channel. Our results present the first mechanistic resolution of SARS-CoV-2 genome replication at the DFT/MM-MD level and shed light on its unusual enzymatic reactivity paving the way for the future rational design of antivirals targeting emerging RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Bignon
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Université
de Paris, CNRS, ITODYS, F-75006 Paris, France
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5
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Gallardo A, Bogart BM, Dutagaci B. Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions for RNA Polymerase II Elongation Factors by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:3079-3089. [PMID: 35686985 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) forms a complex with elongation factors to proceed to the elongation stage of the transcription process. In this work, we studied the elongation factor SPT5 and explored the protein-nucleic acid interactions for the isolated systems of KOW1 and KOW4 domains of SPT5 with DNA and RNA, respectively. We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using three commonly used force fields that are CHARMM c36m, AMBER ff14sb, and ff19sb. Simulations showed strong protein-nucleic acid interactions and low electrostatic binding free energies for all force fields used. RNA was found to be highly dynamic with all force fields, while DNA had relatively more stable conformations with the AMBER force fields compared to that with CHARMM. Furthermore, we performed MD simulations of the complete elongation complex using CHARMM c36m and AMBER ff19sb force fields to compare the dynamics and interactions with the isolated systems. Similarly, strong KOW1 and DNA interactions were observed in the complete elongation complex simulations and DNA was further stabilized by a network of interactions involving SPT5-KOW1, SPT4, and rpb2 of Pol II. Overall, our study showed that the differences between CHARMM and AMBER force fields strongly affect the dynamics of the nucleic acids. CHARMM provides highly flexible DNA, while AMBER largely stabilizes the DNA structure. Although the presence of the entire interaction network stabilized the DNA and decreased the differences in the results from the two force fields, the discrepancies of the force fields for smaller systems may reflect their problems in generating accurate dynamics of nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adan Gallardo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Brandon M Bogart
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Road, Merced, California 95343, United States
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6
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Nan B, Zhao Z, Jiang K, Gu X, Li H, Huang X. Astaxanthine attenuates cisplatin ototoxicity in vitro and protects against cisplatin-induced hearing loss in vivo. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:167-181. [PMID: 35127378 PMCID: PMC8800030 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Astaxanthine (AST) has important biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that could alleviate neurological and heart diseases, but its role in the prevention of cisplatin-induced hearing loss (CIHL) is not yet well understood. In our study, a steady interaction between AST and the E3 ligase adapter Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, a predominant repressor of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), was performed and tested via computer molecular docking and dynamics. AST protected against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity via NRF2 mediated pathway using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential revealed that AST reduced ROS overexpression and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, AST exerted anti-apoptosis effects in mouse cochlear explants using immunofluorescence staining and HEI-OC1 cell lines using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. Finally, AST combined with poloxamer was injected into the middle ear through the tympanum, and the protection against CIHL was evaluated using the acoustic brain stem test and immunofluorescent staining in adult mice. Our results suggest that AST reduced ROS overexpression, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis via NRF2-mediated pathway in cisplatin-exposed HEI-OC1 cell lines and mouse cochlear explants, finally promoting cell survival. Our study demonstrates that AST is a candidate therapeutic agent for CIHL.
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7
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Geronimo I, Vidossich P, Donati E, Vivo M. Computational investigations of polymerase enzymes: Structure, function, inhibition, and biotechnology. WIRES COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Inacrist Geronimo
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genoa Italy
| | - Pietro Vidossich
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genoa Italy
| | - Elisa Donati
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genoa Italy
| | - Marco Vivo
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genoa Italy
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8
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Polyakov IV, Grigorenko BL, Nemukhin AV. Model of the RNA Polymerase Complex of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus with Favipiravir. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B 2021. [PMCID: PMC8064419 DOI: 10.1134/s1990793121010255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A model of a multidomain complex is constructed using molecular modeling methods to explain the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of favipiravir on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. As the initial atomic coordinates, we use cryoelectron microscopy data for the apo form of RdRp of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and data on the structure of RdRp of the hepatitis C virus. After appropriate substitutions, an RdRp complex containing RNA chains and a potential enzyme inhibitor, favipiravir in the form of ribosatriphosphate, are constructed. The structure of the complex in aqueous shells, which includes more than 100 000 atoms, is optimized by molecular dynamics methods. Analysis of the active site with the incorporated favipiravir molecule makes it possible to explain the chemical reaction of the enzyme with the inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. V. Polyakov
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - B. L. Grigorenko
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - A. V. Nemukhin
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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9
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Konovalov KA, Pardo-Avila F, Tse CKM, Oh J, Wang D, Huang X. 8-Oxo-guanine DNA damage induces transcription errors by escaping two distinct fidelity control checkpoints of RNA polymerase II. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:4924-4933. [PMID: 30718278 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.007333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) has an intrinsic fidelity control mechanism to maintain faithful genetic information transfer during transcription. 8-Oxo-guanine (8OG), a commonly occurring damaged guanine base, promotes misincorporation of adenine into the RNA strand. Recent structural work has shown that adenine can pair with the syn conformation of 8OG directly upstream of the Pol II active site. However, it remains unknown how 8OG is accommodated in the active site as a template base for the incoming ATP. Here, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate two consecutive steps that may contribute to the adenine misincorporation by Pol II. First, the mismatch is located in the active site, contributing to initial incorporation of adenine. Second, the mismatch is in the adjacent upstream position, contributing to extension from the mismatched bp. These results are supported by an in vitro transcription assay, confirming that 8OG can induce adenine misincorporation. Our simulations further suggest that 8OG forms a stable bp with the mismatched adenine in both the active site and the adjacent upstream position. This stability predominantly originates from hydrogen bonding between the mismatched adenine and 8OG in a noncanonical syn conformation. Interestingly, we also found that an unstable bp present directly upstream of the active site, such as adenine paired with 8OG in the canonical anti conformation, largely disrupts the stability of the active site. Our findings have uncovered two main factors contributing to how 8OG induces transcriptional errors and escapes Pol II transcriptional fidelity control checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill A Konovalov
- From the HKUST-Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen 518057, China.,Department of Chemistry, Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and
| | - Fátima Pardo-Avila
- Department of Chemistry, Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and
| | - Carmen Ka Man Tse
- Department of Chemistry, Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and
| | - Juntaek Oh
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Xuhui Huang
- From the HKUST-Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen 518057, China, .,Department of Chemistry, Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and
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10
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Fu F, Liao K, Ma J, Cheng Z, Zheng D, Gao L, Liu C, Li S, Li W. How intermolecular interactions influence electronic absorption spectra: insights from the molecular packing of uracil in condensed phases. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:4072-4081. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp06152a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Intermolecular interactions in terms of molecular packing are crucial for the investigation of the absorption spectra of uracil in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangjia Fu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Kang Liao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Jing Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Zheng Cheng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Dong Zheng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Liuzhou Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Chungen Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Shuhua Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
| | - Wei Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing
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11
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Zhou H, Wang C, Ye J, Chen H, Tao R. Design, virtual screening, molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies of novel urushiol derivatives as potential HDAC2 selective inhibitors. Gene 2017; 637:63-71. [PMID: 28939339 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Three series of novel urushiol derivatives were designed by introducing a hydroxamic acid moiety into the tail of an alkyl side chain and substituents with differing electronic properties or steric bulk onto the benzene ring and alkyl side chain. The binding affinity toward HDAC2 of the compounds was screened by Glide docking. The best scoring compounds were processed further with molecular docking, MD simulations and binding free energy studies to analyze the binding modes and mechanisms. Six compounds, 21, 23, 10, 19, 9 and 30, gave Glide scores of -7.9 to -8.5, which revealed that introducing F, Cl, triazole, benzamido, formamido, hydroxyl or nitro substituents onto the benzene ring could increase binding affinity significantly. Molecular docking studies revealed that zinc ion coordination, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions contributed to the high calculated binding affinities of these compounds toward HDAC2 and that His145, His146, Gly154, Glu103, His183, Asp104, Tyr308 and Phe155 contributed favorably to the binding. MD simulations and binding free energy studies showed that all complexes possessed good stability as characterized by low RMSDs; low RMSFs of residues, moderate hydrogen bonding and zinc ion coordination; and low values of binding free energies. van der Waals and electrostatic interactions provided major contributions to the stability of these complexes. These results show the promising potential of urushiol derivatives as potent HDAC2 binding lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhou
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China; Key Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Nanjing 210042, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Chengzhang Wang
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China; Key Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Nanjing 210042, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Jianzhong Ye
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
| | - Hongxia Chen
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
| | - Ran Tao
- Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
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12
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Wang B, Sexton RE, Feig M. Kinetics of nucleotide entry into RNA polymerase active site provides mechanism for efficiency and fidelity. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2017; 1860:482-490. [PMID: 28242207 PMCID: PMC5393355 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2017.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
During transcription, RNA polymerase II elongates RNA by adding nucleotide triphosphates (NTPs) complementary to a DNA template. Structural studies have suggested that NTPs enter and exit the active site via the narrow secondary pore but details have remained unclear. A kinetic model is presented that integrates molecular dynamics simulations with experimental data. Previous simulations of trigger loop dynamics and the dynamics of matched and mismatched NTPs in and near the active site were combined with new simulations describing NTP exit from the active site via the secondary pore. Markov state analysis was applied to identify major states and estimate kinetic rates for transitions between those states. The kinetic model predicts elongation and misincorporation rates in close agreement with experiment and provides mechanistic hypotheses for how NTP entry and exit via the secondary pore is feasible and a key feature for achieving high elongation and low misincorporation rates during RNA elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Rd., Room 218 BCH, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Rachel E Sexton
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Rd., Room 218 BCH, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 603 Wilson Rd., Room 218 BCH, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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13
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Zhang L, Pardo-Avila F, Unarta IC, Cheung PPH, Wang G, Wang D, Huang X. Elucidation of the Dynamics of Transcription Elongation by RNA Polymerase II using Kinetic Network Models. Acc Chem Res 2016; 49:687-94. [PMID: 26991064 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.5b00536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is an essential enzyme that catalyzes transcription with high efficiency and fidelity in eukaryotic cells. During transcription elongation, Pol II catalyzes the nucleotide addition cycle (NAC) to synthesize mRNA using DNA as the template. The transitions between the states of the NAC require conformational changes of both the protein and nucleotides. Although X-ray structures are available for most of these states, the dynamics of the transitions between states are largely unknown. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can predict structure-based molecular details and shed light on the mechanisms of these dynamic transitions. However, the employment of MD simulations on a macromolecule (tens to hundreds of nanoseconds) such as Pol II is challenging due to the difficulty of reaching biologically relevant timescales (tens of microseconds or even longer). For this challenge to be overcome, kinetic network models (KNMs), such as Markov State Models (MSMs), have become a popular approach to access long-timescale conformational changes using many short MD simulations. We describe here our application of KNMs to characterize the molecular mechanisms of the NAC of Pol II. First, we introduce the general background of MSMs and further explain procedures for the construction and validation of MSMs by providing some technical details. Next, we review our previous studies in which we applied MSMs to investigate the individual steps of the NAC, including translocation and pyrophosphate ion release. In particular, we describe in detail how we prepared the initial conformations of Pol II elongation complex, performed MD simulations, extracted MD conformations to construct MSMs, and further validated them. We also summarize our major findings on molecular mechanisms of Pol II elongation based on these MSMs. In addition, we have included discussions regarding various key points and challenges for applications of MSMs to systems as large as the Pol II elongation complex. Finally, to study the overall NAC, we combine the individual steps of the NAC into a five-state KNM based on a nonbranched Brownian ratchet scheme to explain the single-molecule optical tweezers experimental data. The studies complement experimental observations and provide molecular mechanisms for the transcription elongation cycle. In the long term, incorporation of sequence-dependent kinetic parameters into KNMs has great potential for identifying error-prone sequences and predicting transcription dynamics in genome-wide transcriptomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center
for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science, and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Fátima Pardo-Avila
- Department
of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center
for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science, and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ilona Christy Unarta
- Department
of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center
for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science, and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Peter Pak-Hang Cheung
- Department
of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center
for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science, and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Guo Wang
- Department
of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center
for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science, and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Dong Wang
- Department
of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and
Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Xuhui Huang
- Department
of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center
for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science, and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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14
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Burton ZF. The Old and New Testaments of gene regulation. Evolution of multi-subunit RNA polymerases and co-evolution of eukaryote complexity with the RNAP II CTD. Transcription 2015; 5:e28674. [PMID: 25764332 PMCID: PMC4215175 DOI: 10.4161/trns.28674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
I relate a story of genesis told from the point of view of multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) including an Old Testament (core RNAP motifs in all cellular life) and a New Testament (the RNAP II heptad repeat carboxy terminal domain (CTD) and CTD interactome in eukarya). The Old Testament: at their active site, one class of eukaryotic interfering RNAP and ubiquitous multi-subunit RNAPs each have two-double psi β barrel (DPBB) motifs (a distinct pattern for compact 6-β sheet barrels). Between β sheets 2 and 3 of the β subunit type DPBB of all multi-subunit RNAPs is a sandwich barrel hybrid motif (SBHM) that interacts with conserved initiation and elongation factors required to utilize a DNA template. Analysis of RNAP core protein motifs, therefore, indicates that RNAP evolution can be traced from the RNA-protein world to LUCA (the last universal common ancestor) branching to LECA (the last eukaryotic common ancestor) and to the present day, spanning about 4 billion years. The New Testament: in the eukaryotic lineage, I posit that splitting RNAP functions into RNAPs I, II and III and innovations developed around the CTD heptad repeat of RNAP II and the extensive CTD interactome helps to describe how greater structural, cell cycle, epigenetic and signaling complexity co-evolved in eukaryotes relative to eubacteria and archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary F Burton
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI USA
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15
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Čabart P, Jin H, Li L, Kaplan CD. Activation and reactivation of the RNA polymerase II trigger loop for intrinsic RNA cleavage and catalysis. Transcription 2015; 5:e28869. [PMID: 25764335 PMCID: PMC4574878 DOI: 10.4161/trns.28869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to RNA synthesis, multisubunit RNA polymerases (msRNAPs) support enzymatic reactions such as intrinsic transcript cleavage. msRNAP active sites from different species appear to exhibit differential intrinsic transcript cleavage efficiency and have likely evolved to allow fine-tuning of the transcription process. Here we show that a single amino-acid substitution in the trigger loop (TL) of Saccharomyces RNAP II, Rpb1 H1085Y, engenders a gain of intrinsic cleavage activity where the substituted tyrosine appears to participate in acid-base chemistry at alkaline pH for both intrinsic cleavage and nucleotidyl transfer. We extensively characterize this TL substitution for each of these reactions by examining the responses RNAP II enzymes to catalytic metals, altered pH, and factor inputs. We demonstrate that TFIIF stimulation of the first phosphodiester bond formation by RNAP II requires wild type TL function and that H1085Y substitution within the TL compromises or alters RNAP II responsiveness to both TFIIB and TFIIF. Finally, Mn(2+) stimulation of H1085Y RNAP II reveals possible allosteric effects of TFIIB on the active center and cooperation between TFIIB and TFIIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Čabart
- a Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Texas A&M University; College Station, TX
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16
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Zhang L, Silva DA, Pardo-Avila F, Wang D, Huang X. Structural Model of RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complex with Complete Transcription Bubble Reveals NTP Entry Routes. PLoS Comput Biol 2015; 11:e1004354. [PMID: 26134169 PMCID: PMC4489626 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a eukaryotic enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of the messenger RNA using a DNA template. Despite numerous biochemical and biophysical studies, it remains elusive whether the “secondary channel” is the only route for NTP to reach the active site of the enzyme or if the “main channel” could be an alternative. On this regard, crystallographic structures of Pol II have been extremely useful to understand the structural basis of transcription, however, the conformation of the unpaired non-template DNA part of the full transcription bubble (TB) is still unknown. Since diffusion routes of the nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) substrate through the main channel might overlap with the TB region, gaining structural information of the full TB is critical for a complete understanding of Pol II transcription process. In this study, we have built a structural model of Pol II with a complete transcription bubble based on multiple sources of existing structural data and used Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations together with structural analysis to shed light on NTP entry pathways. Interestingly, we found that although both channels have enough space to allow NTP loading, the percentage of MD conformations containing enough space for NTP loading through the secondary channel is twice higher than that of the main channel. Further energetic study based on MD simulations with NTP loaded in the channels has revealed that the diffusion of the NTP through the main channel is greatly disfavored by electrostatic repulsion between the NTP and the highly negatively charged backbones of nucleotides in the non-template DNA strand. Taken together, our results suggest that the secondary channel is the major route for NTP entry during Pol II transcription. In eukaryotic cells, the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a central enzyme that reads the genetic information encoded in the DNA template to synthetize a messenger RNA. To perform its function, Pol II needs to have the substrate nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) diffuse into its deeply buried active site. Despite numerous efforts, the NTP entry routes remain elusive: NTP could diffuse only through the secondary channel, or also via the main channel. The structural information of the transcription bubble is essential to study this process, however, the unpaired non-template DNA of the transcription bubble is absent in the available X-ray crystal structures. In this regard, we have built a structural model of the Pol II elongation complex with reconstructed transcription bubble using existing experimental data. We then performed Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations and applied structural analysis to study the routes of NTP diffusion. We found that sterically the probability of NTP loading through the secondary channel is more than twice that of the main channel. Further analysis of the non-bonded energetic contributions to NTP diffusion suggests that NTP diffusion through the main channel is greatly disfavored by the electrostatic repulsion between the substrate and negatively charged backbones of nucleotides in the non-template strand of the transcription bubble. Altogether, our findings suggest that the secondary channel is the more favorable NTP diffusion route for Pol II transcription elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Daniel-Adriano Silva
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Fátima Pardo-Avila
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Dong Wang
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Xuhui Huang
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Center for System Biology and Human Health, School of Science and IAS, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- * E-mail:
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17
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Wang B, Opron K, Burton ZF, Cukier RI, Feig M. Five checkpoints maintaining the fidelity of transcription by RNA polymerases in structural and energetic details. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 43:1133-46. [PMID: 25550432 PMCID: PMC4333413 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku1370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional fidelity, which prevents the misincorporation of incorrect nucleoside monophosphates in RNA, is essential for life. Results from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of eukaryotic RNA polymerase (RNAP) II and bacterial RNAP with experimental data suggest that fidelity may involve as many as five checkpoints. Using MD simulations, the effects of different active site NTPs in both open and closed trigger loop (TL) structures of RNAPs are compared. Unfavorable initial binding of mismatched substrates in the active site with an open TL is proposed to be the first fidelity checkpoint. The leaving of an incorrect substrate is much easier than a correct one energetically from the umbrella sampling simulations. Then, the closing motion of the TL, required for catalysis, is hindered by the presence of mismatched NTPs. Mismatched NTPs also lead to conformational changes in the active site, which perturb the coordination of magnesium ions and likely affect the ability to proceed with catalysis. This step appears to be the most important checkpoint for deoxy-NTP discrimination. Finally, structural perturbations in the template DNA and the nascent RNA in the presence of mismatches likely hinder nucleotide addition and provide the structural foundation for backtracking followed by removing erroneously incorporated nucleotides during proofreading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Kristopher Opron
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Zachary F Burton
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Robert I Cukier
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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18
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Yu J, Da LT, Huang X. Constructing kinetic models to elucidate structural dynamics of a complete RNA polymerase II elongation cycle. Phys Biol 2014; 12:016004. [DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/12/1/016004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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