1
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Qian C, Wang L. Unraveling the Structure-Spectrum Relationship of Yeast Phenylalanine Transfer RNA: Insights from Theoretical Modeling of Infrared Spectroscopy. Biochemistry 2024; 63:2075-2088. [PMID: 39099399 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.4c00236] [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: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Yeast phenylalanine tRNA (tRNAphe) is a paradigmatic model in structural biology. In this work, we combine molecular dynamics simulations and spectroscopy modeling to establish a direct link between its structure, conformational dynamics, and infrared (IR) spectra. Employing recently developed vibrational frequency maps and coupling models, we apply a mixed quantum/classical treatment of the line shape theory to simulate the IR spectra of tRNAphe in the 1600-1800 cm-1 region across its folded and unfolded conformations and under varying concentrations of Mg2+ ions. The predicted IR spectra of folded and unfolded tRNAphe are in good agreement with experimental measurements, validating our theoretical framework. We then elucidate how the characteristic L-shaped tertiary structure of the tRNA and its modulation in response to diverse chemical environments give rise to distinct IR absorption peaks and line shapes. These calculations effectively bridge IR spectroscopy experiments and atomistic molecular simulations, unraveling the molecular origins of the observed IR spectra of tRNAphe. This work presents a robust theoretical protocol for modeling the IR spectroscopy of nucleic acids, which will facilitate its application as a sensitive probe for detecting the fluctuating secondary and tertiary structures of these essential biological macromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qian
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
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2
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Muscat S, Martino G, Manigrasso J, Marcia M, De Vivo M. On the Power and Challenges of Atomistic Molecular Dynamics to Investigate RNA Molecules. J Chem Theory Comput 2024. [PMID: 39150960 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
RNA molecules play a vital role in biological processes within the cell, with significant implications for science and medicine. Notably, the biological functions exerted by specific RNA molecules are often linked to the RNA conformational ensemble. However, the experimental characterization of such three-dimensional RNA structures is challenged by the structural heterogeneity of RNA and by its multiple dynamic interactions with binding partners such as small molecules, proteins, and metal ions. Consequently, our current understanding of the structure-function relationship of RNA molecules is still limited. In this context, we highlight molecular dynamics (MD) simulations as a powerful tool to complement experimental efforts on RNAs. Despite the recognized limitations of current force fields for RNA MD simulations, examining the dynamics of selected RNAs has provided valuable functional insights into their structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Muscat
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Martino
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Jacopo Manigrasso
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 50 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Marco Marcia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Laboratory of Molecular Modelling and Drug Discovery, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa, Italy
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3
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Takaba K, Friedman AJ, Cavender CE, Behara PK, Pulido I, Henry MM, MacDermott-Opeskin H, Iacovella CR, Nagle AM, Payne AM, Shirts MR, Mobley DL, Chodera JD, Wang Y. Machine-learned molecular mechanics force fields from large-scale quantum chemical data. Chem Sci 2024; 15:12861-12878. [PMID: 39148808 PMCID: PMC11322960 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc00690a] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of reliable and extensible molecular mechanics (MM) force fields-fast, empirical models characterizing the potential energy surface of molecular systems-is indispensable for biomolecular simulation and computer-aided drug design. Here, we introduce a generalized and extensible machine-learned MM force field, espaloma-0.3, and an end-to-end differentiable framework using graph neural networks to overcome the limitations of traditional rule-based methods. Trained in a single GPU-day to fit a large and diverse quantum chemical dataset of over 1.1 M energy and force calculations, espaloma-0.3 reproduces quantum chemical energetic properties of chemical domains highly relevant to drug discovery, including small molecules, peptides, and nucleic acids. Moreover, this force field maintains the quantum chemical energy-minimized geometries of small molecules and preserves the condensed phase properties of peptides and folded proteins, self-consistently parametrizing proteins and ligands to produce stable simulations leading to highly accurate predictions of binding free energies. This methodology demonstrates significant promise as a path forward for systematically building more accurate force fields that are easily extensible to new chemical domains of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichiro Takaba
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
- Pharmaceuticals Research Center, Advanced Drug Discovery, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation Shizuoka 410-2321 Japan
| | - Anika J Friedman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO 80309 USA
| | - Chapin E Cavender
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla CA 92093 USA
| | - Pavan Kumar Behara
- Center for Neurotherapeutics, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine CA 92697 USA
| | - Iván Pulido
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
| | - Michael M Henry
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
| | | | - Christopher R Iacovella
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
| | - Arnav M Nagle
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720 USA
| | - Alexander Matthew Payne
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
- Tri-Institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York 10065 USA
| | - Michael R Shirts
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO 80309 USA
| | - David L Mobley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - John D Chodera
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
| | - Yuanqing Wang
- Simons Center for Computational Physical Chemistry and Center for Data Science, New York University New York NY 10004 USA
- Computational and Systems Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY 10065 USA
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4
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Heinzelmann G, Huggins DJ, Gilson MK. BAT2: an Open-Source Tool for Flexible, Automated, and Low Cost Absolute Binding Free Energy Calculations. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:6518-6530. [PMID: 39088306 PMCID: PMC11325538 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00205] [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: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Absolute binding free energy (ABFE) calculations with all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) have the potential to greatly reduce costs in the first stages of drug discovery. Here, we introduce BAT2, the new version of the Binding Affinity Tool (BAT.py), designed to combine full automation of ABFE calculations with high-performance MD simulations, making it a potential tool for virtual screening. We describe and test several changes and new features that were incorporated into the code, such as relative restraints between the protein and the ligand instead of using fixed dummy atoms, support for the OpenMM simulation engine, a merged approach to the application/release of restraints, support for cobinders and proteins with multiple chains, and many others. We also reduced the simulation times for each ABFE calculation, assessing the effect on the expected robustness and accuracy of the calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Heinzelmann
- Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis 88040-970, Brasil
| | - David J Huggins
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
- Sanders Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, 1230 York Avenue, Box 122, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Michael K Gilson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego 92093, United States
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5
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Li Z, Bhowmik S, Sagresti L, Brancato G, Smith M, Benson DE, Li P, Merz KM. Simulating Metal-Imidazole Complexes. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:6706-6716. [PMID: 39081207 PMCID: PMC11325557 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
One commonly observed binding motif in metalloproteins involves the interaction between a metal ion and histidine's imidazole side chains. Although previous imidazole-M(II) parameters established the flexibility and reliability of the 12-6-4 Lennard-Jones (LJ)-type nonbonded model by simply tuning the ligating atom's polarizability, they have not been applied to multiple-imidazole complexes. To fill this gap, we systematically simulate multiple-imidazole complexes (ranging from one to six) for five metal ions (Co(II), Cu(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II)) which commonly appear in metalloproteins. Using extensive (40 ns per PMF window) sampling to assemble free energy association profiles (using OPC water and standard HID imidazole charge models from AMBER) and comparing the equilibrium distances to DFT calculations, a new set of parameters was developed to focus on energetic and geometric features of multiple-imidazole complexes. The obtained free energy profiles agree with the experimental binding free energy and DFT calculated distances. To validate our model, we show that we can close the thermodynamic cycle for metal-imidazole complexes with up to six imidazole molecules in the first solvation shell. Given the success in closing the thermodynamic cycles, we then used the same extended sampling method for six other metal ions (Ag(I), Ca(II), Cd(II), Cu(I), Fe(II), and Mg(II)) to obtain new parameters. Since these new parameters can reproduce the one-imidazole geometry and energy accurately, we hypothesize that they will reasonably predict the binding free energy of higher-level coordination numbers. Hence, we did not extend the analysis of these ions up to six imidazole complexes. Overall, the results shed light on metal-protein interactions by emphasizing the importance of ligand-ligand interaction and metal-π-stacking within metalloproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Li
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Subhamoy Bhowmik
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Luca Sagresti
- Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- CSGI, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Sezione di Pisa, Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Brancato
- Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- CSGI, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Sezione di Pisa, Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Madelyn Smith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60660, United States
| | - David E Benson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, United States
| | - Pengfei Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60660, United States
| | - Kenneth M Merz
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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6
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Bao Y, Jia F, Lin Y, Song G, Li M, Xu R, Wang H, Zhang F, Guo J. Unveiling the Mechanism of Phenamacril Resistance in F. graminearum: Computational and Experimental Insights into the C423A Mutation in FgMyoI. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:15653-15661. [PMID: 38959424 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Phenamacril (PHA) is a highly selective fungicide for controlling fusarium head blight (FHB) mainly caused by F. graminearum and F. asiaticum. However, the C423A mutation in myosin I of F. graminearum (FgMyoI) leads to natural resistance to PHA. Here, based on the computational approaches and biochemical validation, we elucidate the atomic-level mechanism behind the natural resistance of F. graminearum to the fungicide PHA due to the C423A mutation in FgMyoI. The mutation leads to a rearrangement of pocket residues, resulting in increased size and flexibility of the binding pocket, which impairs the stable binding of PHA. MST experiments confirm that the mutant protein FgMyoIC423A exhibits significantly reduced affinity for PHA compared to wild-type FgMyoI and the nonresistant C423K mutant. This decreased binding affinity likely underlies the development of PHA resistance in F. graminearum. Conversely, the nonresistant C423K mutant retains sensitivity to PHA due to the introduction of a strong hydrogen bond donor, which facilitates stable binding of PHA in the pocket. These findings shed light on the molecular basis of PHA resistance and provide new directions for the creation of new myosin inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiong Bao
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fangying Jia
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yun Lin
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Guohong Song
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Mengrong Li
- School of Physics and Astronomy & Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ran Xu
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
| | - Hancheng Wang
- Upland Flue-Cured Tobacco Quality and Ecology Key Laboratory of China Tobacco, Guizhou Academy of Tobacco Science, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jingjing Guo
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
- Engineering Research Centre of Applied Technology on Machine Translation and Artificial Intelligence, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
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7
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Koca Fındık B, Jafari M, Song LF, Li Z, Aviyente V, Merz KM. Binding of Phosphate Species to Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ in Aqueous Solution. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:4298-4307. [PMID: 38718258 PMCID: PMC11137831 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Phosphate derivatives and their interaction with metal cations are involved in many important biological phenomena, so an accurate characterization of the phosphate-metal interaction is necessary to properly understand the role of phosphate-metal contacts in mediating biological function. Herein, we improved the standard 12-6 Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential via the usage of the 12-6-4 LJ model, which incorporates ion-induced dipole interactions. Via parameter scanning, we fine-tuned the 12-6-4 LJ polarizability values to obtain accurate absolute binding free energies for the phosphate anions H2PO4-, HPO42-, PO43- coordinating with Ca2+ and Mg2+. First, we modified the phosphate 12-6-4 LJ parameters to reproduce the solvation free energies of the series of phosphate anions using the thermodynamic integration (TI) method. Then, using the potential mean force (PMF) method, the polarizability of the metal-phosphate interaction was obtained. We show that the free energy profiles of phosphate ions coordinated to Ca2+ and Mg2+ generally show similar trends at longer metal-phosphate distances, while the absolute binding energy values increased with deprotonation. The resulting parameters demonstrate the flexibility of the 12-6-4 LJ-type nonbonded model and its usefulness in accurately describing cation-anion interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basak Koca Fındık
- Department
of Chemistry, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
| | - Majid Jafari
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Lin Frank Song
- Biochemical
and Biophysical Systems Group, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Zhen Li
- Department
of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Viktorya Aviyente
- Department
of Chemistry, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul 34342, Turkey
| | - Kenneth M. Merz
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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8
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Goswami A, Peña-Torres A, Jónsson EÖ, Egorov SA, Jónsson H. Evidence of Sharp Transitions between Octahedral and Capped Trigonal Prism States of the Solvation Shell of the Aqueous Fe 3+ Ion. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:4523-4530. [PMID: 38634894 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The structure of the solvation shell of the aqueous Fe3+ ion has been a subject of controversy due to discrepancies between experiments and different levels of theory. We address this issue by performing simulations for a wide range of ion concentrations, using various potential energy functions, supplemented by density functional theory calculations of selected configurations. The solvation shell undergoes abrupt transitions between two states: a hexacoordinated octahedral (OH) state and a capped trigonal prism (CTP) state with 7-fold coordination. The lifetime of these states is dependent on concentration. In dilute FeCl3 solutions, the lifetimes of both are similar (≈1 ns). However, the lifetime of the OH state increases with ion concentration, while that of the CTP state decreases slightly. When a uniform negative background charge is used instead of explicit counterions, the lifetime of the OH state is greatly overestimated. These findings underscore the need for further experimental measurements and higher-level simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Goswami
- Science Institute and Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, VR-III, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Alejandro Peña-Torres
- Science Institute and Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, VR-III, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Elvar Ö Jónsson
- Science Institute and Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, VR-III, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Sergei A Egorov
- Science Institute and Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, VR-III, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901, United States
| | - Hannes Jónsson
- Science Institute and Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, VR-III, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
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9
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Wang TH, Shao HP, Zhao BQ, Zhai HL. Molecular Insights into the Variability in Infection and Immune Evasion Capabilities of SARS-CoV-2 Variants: A Sequence and Structural Investigation of the RBD Domain. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3503-3523. [PMID: 38517012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01730] [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: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants continuously emerge, an increasing number of mutations are accumulating in the Spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) region. Through sequence analysis of various Variants of Concern (VOC), we identified that they predominantly fall within the ο lineage although recent variants introduce any novel mutations in the RBD. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to compute the binding free energy of these variants with human Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Structurally, the binding interface of the ο RBD displays a strong positive charge, complementing the negatively charged binding interface of ACE2, resulting in a significant enhancement in the electrostatic potential energy for the ο variants. Although the increased potential energy is partially offset by the rise in polar solvation free energy, enhanced electrostatic potential contributes to the long-range recognition between the ο variant's RBD and ACE2. We also conducted simulations of glycosylated ACE2-RBD proteins. The newly emerged ο (JN.1) variant has added a glycosylation site at N-354@RBD, which significantly weakened its binding affinity with ACE2. Further, our interaction studies with three monoclonal antibodies across multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains revealed a diminished neutralization efficacy against the ο variants, primarily attributed to the electrostatic repulsion between the antibodies and RBD interface. Considering the characteristics of the ο variant and the trajectory of emerging strains, we propose that newly developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD should have surfaces rich in negative potential and, postbinding, exhibit strong van der Waals interactions. These findings provide invaluable guidance for the formulation of future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Hua Wang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hai Ping Shao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Bing Qiang Zhao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hong Lin Zhai
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
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10
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Xu R, Zhang J, Kang Y, Yu H, Zhang W, Hua M, Pan B, Zhang X. Reversible pH-Gated MXene Membranes with Ultrahigh Mono-/Divalent-Ion Selectivity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6835-6842. [PMID: 38570313 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Artificial ion channel membranes hold high promise in water treatment, nanofluidics, and energy conversion, but it remains a great challenge to construct such smart membranes with both reversible ion-gating capability and desirable ion selectivity. Herein, we constructed a smart MXene-based membrane via p-phenylenediamine functionalization (MLM-PPD) with highly stable and aligned two-dimensional subnanochannels, which exhibits reversible ion-gating capability and ultrahigh metal ion selectivity similar to biological ion channels. The pH-sensitive groups within the MLM-PPD channel confers excellent reversible Mg2+-gating capability with a pH-switching ratio of up to 100. The mono/divalent metal-ion selectivity up to 1243.8 and 400.9 for K+/Mg2+ and Li+/Mg2+, respectively, outperforms other reported membranes. Theoretical calculations combined with experimental results reveal that the steric hindrance and stronger PPD-ion interactions substantially enhance the energy barrier for divalent metal ions passing through the MLM-PPD, and thus leading to ultrahigh mono/divalent metal-ion selectivity. This work provides a new strategy for developing artificial-ion channel membranes with both reversible ion-gating functionality and high-ion selectivity for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jingyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuan Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Hang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Weiming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ming Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Bingcai Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiwang Zhang
- UQ Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia
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11
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Sarkar R, Mainan A, Roy S. Influence of ion and hydration atmospheres on RNA structure and dynamics: insights from advanced theoretical and computational methods. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024. [PMID: 38501190 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc06105a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
RNA, a highly charged biopolymer composed of negatively charged phosphate groups, defies electrostatic repulsion to adopt well-defined, compact structures. Hence, the presence of positively charged metal ions is crucial not only for RNA's charge neutralization, but they also coherently decorate the ion atmosphere of RNA to stabilize its compact fold. This feature article elucidates various modes of close RNA-ion interactions, with a special emphasis on Mg2+ as an outer-sphere and inner-sphere ion. Through examples, we highlight how inner-sphere chelated Mg2+ stabilizes RNA pseudoknots, while outer-sphere ions can also exert long-range electrostatic interactions, inducing groove narrowing, coaxial helical stacking, and RNA ring formation. In addition to investigating the RNA's ion environment, we note that the RNA's hydration environment is relatively underexplored. Our study delves into its profound interplay with the structural dynamics of RNA, employing state-of-the-art atomistic simulation techniques. Through examples, we illustrate how specific ions and water molecules are associated with RNA functions, leveraging atomistic simulations to identify preferential ion binding and hydration sites. However, understanding their impact(s) on the RNA structure remains challenging due to the involvement of large length and long time scales associated with RNA's dynamic nature. Nevertheless, our contributions and recent advances in coarse-grained simulation techniques offer insights into large-scale structural changes dynamically linked to the RNA ion atmosphere. In this connection, we also review how different cutting-edge computational simulation methods provide a microscopic lens into the influence of ions and hydration on RNA structure and dynamics, elucidating distinct ion atmospheric components and specific hydration layers and their individual and collective impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Sarkar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal 741246, India.
| | - Avijit Mainan
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal 741246, India.
| | - Susmita Roy
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal 741246, India.
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12
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Mei Y, Shen Y. Cation-π Interactions Greatly Influence Ion Transportability of the Light-Driven Sodium Pump KR2: A Molecular Dynamics Study. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:974-982. [PMID: 38237560 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01883] [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: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Krokinobacter eikastus rhodopsin 2 (KR2) is a typical light-driven sodium pump. Although wild-type KR2 exhibits high Na+ selectivity, mutagenesis performed on the residues constituting the entrance enables permeation of K+ and Cs+, while the underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study presents a comprehensive molecular dynamics investigation, including force field optimization, metadynamics, and alchemical free energy methods, to explore the N61L/G263F mutant of KR2, which exhibits transportability for K+ and Cs+. The introduced Phe263 residue can directly promote ion binding at the entrance through cation-π interactions, while the N61L mutation can enhance ion binding at Phe46 by relieving steric hindrance. These results suggest that cation-π interactions may significantly influence the ion transportability and selectivity of KR2, which can provide important insights for protein engineering and the design of artificial ion transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhao Mei
- School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yong Shen
- School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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13
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Landry L, Li P. Development of a Fluctuating Charge Model for Zinc-Containing Metalloproteins. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:812-824. [PMID: 38198652 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01815] [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: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Metalloproteins widely exist in biology and play important roles in various processes. To accurately simulate metalloprotein systems, modeling polarization and charge transfer effects is vital. The fluctuating charge (FQ) model can efficiently generate atomic charges and simulate the charge transfer effect; it has been developed for a wide range of applications, but few models have been specifically tailored for metalloproteins. In this study, we present a fluctuating charge model specifically for zinc-containing metalloproteins based on the extended charge equilibration (EQeq) scheme. Our model was parametrized to reproduce CM5 charges instead of RESP/CHELPG charges because the former is less dependent on the conformation or basis set, does not suffer from unphysical charges for buried atoms, and is still being able to well reproduce the molecular dipoles. During our study, we found that adding the Pauling-bond-order-like term (referred to as the "+C term" in a previous study) between the zinc ion and ligating atoms significantly improves the model's performance. Although our model was trained for four-coordinated zinc sites only, our results indicated it can well describe the atomic charges in diverse zinc sites. Morever, our model was used to generate partial charges for the metal sites in three different zinc-containing metalloproteins (with four-, five-, and six-coordinated metal sites, respectively). These charges exhibited performance comparable to that of the RESP charges in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Additional tests indicated our model could also well reproduce the CM5 charges when geometric changes were involved. Those results indicate that our model can efficiently calculate the atomic charges for metal sites and well simulate the charge transfer effect, which marks an important step toward developing versatile polarizable force fields for metalloproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Landry
- Department of Chemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60660, United States
| | - Pengfei Li
- Department of Chemistry, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60660, United States
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14
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Jafari M, Li Z, Song LF, Sagresti L, Brancato G, Merz KM. Thermodynamics of Metal-Acetate Interactions. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:684-697. [PMID: 38226860 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Metal ions play crucial roles in protein- and ligand-mediated interactions. They not only act as catalysts to facilitate biological processes but are also important as protein structural elements. Accurately predicting metal ion interactions in computational studies has always been a challenge, and various methods have been suggested to improve these interactions. One such method is the 12-6-4 Lennard-Jones (LJ)-type nonbonded model. Using this model, it has been possible to successfully reproduce the experimental properties of metal ions in aqueous solution. The model includes induced dipole interactions typically ignored in the standard 12-6 LJ nonbonded model. In this we expand the applicability of this model to metal ion-carboxylate interactions. Using 12-6-4 parameters that reproduce the solvation free energies of the metal ions leads to an overestimation of metal ion-acetate interactions, thus, prompting us to fine-tune the model to specifically handle the latter. We also show that the standard 12-6 LJ model significantly falls short in reproducing the experimental binding free energy between acetate and 11 metal ions (Ni(II), Mg(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Cu(I), Fe(II), Mn(II), Cd(II), Ca(II), and Ag(I)). In this study, we describe optimized C4 parameters for the 12-6-4 LJ nonbonded model to be used with three widely employed water models (Transferable Intermolecular Potential with 3 Points (TIP3P), Simple Point Charge Extended (SPC/E), and Optimal Point Charge (OPC) water models). These parameters can accurately match the experimental binding free energy between 11 metal ions and acetate. These parameters can be applied to the study of metalloproteins and transition metal ion channels and transporters, as acetate serves as a representative of the negatively charged amino acid side chains from aspartate and glutamate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Jafari
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Lin Frank Song
- Biochemical and Biophysical Systems Group, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Luca Sagresti
- Scuola Normale Superiore and CSGI, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) sezione di Pisa, Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Brancato
- Scuola Normale Superiore and CSGI, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) sezione di Pisa, Largo Bruno Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Kenneth M Merz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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15
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Bao Y, Jia F, Li M, Xu R, Xie Y, Zhang F, Guo J. Characterizing the Molecular Mechanism of the Lethal C423D Mutation in FgMyoI: A Molecular Perspective. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:1539-1549. [PMID: 38226494 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c08648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The lethal mutation C423D in Fusarium graminearum myosin I (FgMyoI) occurs close to the binding pocket of the allosteric inhibitor phenamacril and causes severe inhibition on mycelial growth of F. graminearum strain PH-1. Here, based on extensive Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations and wet experiments, we elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of the abnormal functioning of the FgMyoIC423D mutant at the atomistic level. Our results suggest that the damaging mutation C423D exhibits a synergistic allosteric inhibition mechanism similar to but more robust than that of phenamacril, including effects on the active site and actin binding. Unlike phenamacril-induced closure of Switch2, the mutation results in unfolding of the N-terminal relay helix with a partially opened Switch2 and blocks the structural rearrangement of the relay/SH1 helices, impairing the proper initiation of the recovery stroke. Due to the significant influence of C423D mutation on the function of FgMyoI, designing covalent inhibitors targeting this site holds tremendous potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiong Bao
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fangying Jia
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Mengrong Li
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ran Xu
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
| | - Yanjie Xie
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jingjing Guo
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China
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16
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Ding Y, Huang J. DP/MM: A Hybrid Model for Zinc-Protein Interactions in Molecular Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:616-627. [PMID: 38198685 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Zinc-containing proteins are vital for many biological processes, yet accurately modeling them using classical force fields is hindered by complicated polarization and charge transfer effects. This study introduces DP/MM, a hybrid force field scheme that utilizes a deep potential model to correct the atomic forces of zinc ions and their coordinated atoms, elevating them from MM to QM levels of accuracy. Trained on the difference between MM and QM atomic forces across diverse zinc coordination groups, the DP/MM model faithfully reproduces structural characteristics of zinc coordination during simulations, such as the tetrahedral coordination of Cys4 and Cys3His1 groups. Furthermore, DP/MM allows water exchange in the zinc coordination environment. With its unique blend of accuracy, efficiency, flexibility, and transferability, DP/MM serves as a valuable tool for studying structures and dynamics of zinc-containing proteins and also represents a pioneering approach in the evolving landscape of machine learning potentials for molecular modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Ding
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Westlake AI Therapeutics Lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Jing Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Westlake AI Therapeutics Lab, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
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17
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Duvail M, Moreno Martinez D, Žiberna L, Guillam E, Dufrêche JF, Guilbaud P. Modeling Lanthanide Ions in Solution: A Versatile Force Field in Aqueous and Organic Solvents. J Chem Theory Comput 2024. [PMID: 38221754 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a new nonpolarizable force field for describing the Ln3+ (Ln = lanthanide) series based on a 12-6-4 Lennard-Jones potential. The development of the force field was performed in pure water by adjusting both the ion-oxygen distance and the hydration free energy. This force field accurately reproduces the Ln3+ hydration properties through the series, especially the coordination number that is hardly accessible using a nonpolarizable force field. Then, the validity and the transferability of the current force field were evaluated for two different systems containing Ln3+ in various solvents, namely, 0.1 mol L-1 La(NO3)3 salts in methanol and Eu(NO3)3 salts in solvent organic phases composed of DMDOHEMA molecules in n-heptane. The good agreement between our simulations and the data available in the literature confirms the accuracy of the force field for describing the lanthanide cations in both aqueous and nonaqueous media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Duvail
- ICSM, University of Montpellier, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Diego Moreno Martinez
- CEA, DES, ISEC, DMRC, LILA, University of Montpellier, Marcoule, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Lara Žiberna
- ICSM, University of Montpellier, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | - Erwann Guillam
- ICSM, University of Montpellier, CEA, CNRS, ENSCM, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
| | | | - Philippe Guilbaud
- CEA, DES, ISEC, DMRC, University of Montpellier, Marcoule, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
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18
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Wang K, Zhang S, Zhou X, Yang X, Li X, Wang Y, Fan P, Xiao Y, Sun W, Zhang P, Li W, Huang S. Unambiguous discrimination of all 20 proteinogenic amino acids and their modifications by nanopore. Nat Methods 2024; 21:92-101. [PMID: 37749214 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02021-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Natural proteins are composed of 20 proteinogenic amino acids and their post-translational modifications (PTMs). However, due to the lack of a suitable nanopore sensor that can simultaneously discriminate between all 20 amino acids and their PTMs, direct sequencing of protein with nanopores has not yet been realized. Here, we present an engineered hetero-octameric Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore containing a sole Ni2+ modification. It enables full discrimination of all 20 proteinogenic amino acids and 4 representative modified amino acids, Nω,N'ω-dimethyl-arginine (Me-R), O-acetyl-threonine (Ac-T), N4-(β-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminyl)-asparagine (GlcNAc-N) and O-phosphoserine (P-S). Assisted by machine learning, an accuracy of 98.6% was achieved. Amino acid supplement tablets and peptidase-digested amino acids from peptides were also analyzed using this strategy. This capacity for simultaneous discrimination of all 20 proteinogenic amino acids and their PTMs suggests the potential to achieve protein sequencing using this nanopore-based strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kefan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shanyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao Zhou
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinyue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pingping Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunqi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Panke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenfei Li
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
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19
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Wei J, Long Y, Wang B, Wu H, Gao H, Nie Y. Structure and properties variations of regenerated cellulose fibers induced by metal ion impurity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 255:128124. [PMID: 37981281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128124] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
In the ionic liquids (ILs) method for processing regenerated cellulose fiber (RCF), which is a high-performance ecologically benign product, metal ion impurities (such as Fe3+ and Cu2+) of cellulose might inevitably remain in the recycled ILs and coagulation bath. The presence of metal ions might negatively impact the properties of the manufactured RCFs and obstruct their applications, which are urgent to be made clear. For this research, the solvent for dissolving wood pulp cellulose (WPC) was 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethyl phosphate ([Emim]DEP) with various metal ion concentrations. The effect of metal ions in IL on the dissolution of cellulose was investigated by Molecular Dynamics simulations. Rheological analysis and degree of polymerization (DP) analysis were adopted to evaluate the influence on fiber spinnability of different spinning solution metal ion concentrations and various dissolving times. Further, the morphology and mechanical performances of the RCFs variation regulation were also thoroughly researched. The findings showed that the presence of metal ions in the spinning solution affected the DP, crystallinity, and orientation factor of RCFs, which will influence their stress more sensitively than the strain. These findings can serve as a practical guide for the commercial manufacture of emerging fiber.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wei
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, CAS State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Long
- Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Zhengzhou 450000, China; School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Binqi Wang
- Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Zhengzhou 450000, China; School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Huizheng Wu
- Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Zhengzhou 450000, China; School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Hongshuai Gao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, CAS State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
| | - Yi Nie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, CAS State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
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20
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Bhat N, Nutho B, Hanpaibool C, Hadsadee S, Vangnai A, Rungrotmongkol T. Molecular binding of different classes of organophosphates to methyl parathion hydrolase from Ochrobactrum species. Proteins 2024; 92:96-105. [PMID: 37646471 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26579] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH) is an enzyme of the metallo-β-lactamase superfamily, which hydrolyses a wide range of organophosphates (OPs). Recently, MPH has attracted attention as a promising enzymatic bioremediator. The crystal structure of MPH enzyme shows a dimeric form, with each subunit containing a binuclear metal ion center. MPH also demonstrates metal ion-dependent selectivity patterns. The origins of these patterns remain unclear but are linked to open questions about the more general role of metal ions in functional evolution and divergence within enzyme superfamilies. We aimed to investigate and compare the binding of different OP pesticides to MPH with cobalt(II) metal ions. In this study, MPH was modeled from Ochrobactrum sp. with different OP pesticides bound, including methyl paraoxon and dichlorvos and profenofos. The docked structures for each substrate optimized by DFT calculation were selected and subjected to atomistic molecular dynamics simulations for 500 ns. It was found that alpha metal ions did not coordinate with all the pesticides. Rather, the pesticides coordinated with less buried beta metal ions. It was also observed that the coordination of beta metal ions was perturbed to accommodate the pesticides. The binding free energy calculations and structure-based pharmacophore model revealed that all the three substrates could bind well at the active site. However, profenofos exhibit a stronger binding affinity to MPH in comparison to the other two substrates. Therefore, our findings provide molecular insight on the binding of different OP pesticides which could help us design the enzyme for OP pesticides degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayana Bhat
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bodee Nutho
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chonnikan Hanpaibool
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sarinya Hadsadee
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Alisa Vangnai
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Hazardous Substance Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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21
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Sabu G, De S. Be 2+ Causes Hypersensitivity but Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ Do Not─Favorable Metal Coordination Is the Key for Differential Allosteric Modulation and Binding Affinities. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:10326-10337. [PMID: 38010277 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05461] [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: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Although the ion selectivity of metalloproteins has been well established, selective metal antigen recognition by immunoproteins remains elusive. One such case is the recognition of the Be2+ ion against its heavier congeners, Mg2+ and Ca2+, by the human leukocyte antigen immunoprotein (HLA-DP2), leading to immunotoxicity. Integrating with our previous mechanistic study on Be2+ toxicity, herein, we have explored the basis of characteristic nontoxicity of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions despite their in vivo abundance. The ion binding cleft of the HLA-DP2-peptide complex is composed of four acidic residues, p4D and p7E from the peptide and β26E and β69E from the protein. While the tetrahedral coordination site of the smaller Be2+ ion is located deep inside the cavity, hexa- to octa-coordination sites of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions are located closer to the protein surface. The intrinsic high coordination number of Mg2+/Ca2+ ions induces allosteric modifications on the HLA-DP2_M2 surface, which are atypical for TCR recognition. Furthermore, the lower binding energy of larger Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions with the cavity residues can be correlated to the lower charge density and reduced covalent bonding nature as compared to those of the smaller Be2+ ion. In short, weak binding of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions and the unfavorable allosteric surface modifications are probably the major determinants for the absence of Mg2+/Ca2+ ion-mediated hypersensitivity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopika Sabu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Thrikakkara, Kochi 682 022, India
| | - Susmita De
- Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut, Calicut University P.O., Malappuram 673 635, Kerala, India
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22
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Bao Y, Xu Y, Jia F, Li M, Xu R, Zhang F, Guo J. Allosteric inhibition of myosin by phenamacril: a synergistic mechanism revealed by computational and experimental approaches. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:4977-4989. [PMID: 37540764 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myosin plays a crucial role in cellular processes, while its dysfunction can lead to organismal malfunction. Phenamacril (PHA), a highly species-specific and non-competitive inhibitor of myosin I (FgMyoI) from Fusarium graminearum, has been identified as an effective fungicide for controlling plant diseases caused by partial Fusarium pathogens, such as wheat scab and rice bakanae. However, the molecular basis of its action is still unclear. RESULTS This study used multiple computational approaches first to elucidate the allosteric inhibition mechanism of FgMyoI by PHA at the atomistic level. The results indicated the increase of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding affinity upon PHA binding, which might impede the release of hydrolysis products. Furthermore, simulations revealed a broadened outer cleft and a significantly more flexible interface for actin binding, accompanied by a decrease in signaling transduction from the catalytic center to the actin-binding interface. These various effects might work together to disrupt the actomyosin cycle and hinder the ability of motor to generate force. Our experimental results further confirmed that PHA reduces the enzymatic activity of myosin and its binding with actin. CONCLUSION Therefore, our findings demonstrated that PHA might suppress the function of myosin through a synergistic mechanism, providing new insights into myosin allostery and offering new avenues for drug/fungicide discovery targeting myosin. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiong Bao
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fangying Jia
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengrong Li
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ran Xu
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingjing Guo
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
- Engineering Research Centre of Applied Technology on Machine Translation and Artificial Intelligence, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao, China
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23
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Nutho B, Tungmunnithum D. Exploring Major Flavonoid Phytochemicals from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. as Potential Skin Anti-Aging Agents: In Silico and In Vitro Evaluations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16571. [PMID: 38068894 PMCID: PMC10706394 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., an aquatic medicinal plant (Nelumbonaceae family), has a history of use in traditional medicine across various regions. Our previous study demonstrated the skin anti-aging potential of its stamen ethanolic extract by effectively inhibiting collagenase and tyrosinase enzymes. While the major constituents of this extract are well documented, there is a lack of research on the individual compounds' abilities to inhibit skin aging enzymes. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-aging potential of the primary flavonoids found in N. nucifera using both in silico and in vitro approaches. Our initial step involved molecular docking to identify compounds with the potential to inhibit collagenase, elastase, and tyrosinase. Among the seven flavonoids studied, kaempferol-3-O-robinobioside (Kae-3-Rob) emerged as the most promising candidate, exhibiting the highest docking scores for three skin aging-related enzymes. Subsequent enzyme-based inhibition assays confirmed that Kae-3-Rob displayed robust inhibitory activity against collagenase (58.24 ± 8.27%), elastase (26.29 ± 7.16%), and tyrosinase (69.84 ± 6.07%). Furthermore, we conducted extensive 200-ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, revealing the stability of the complexes formed between Kae-3-Rob and each enzyme along the MD simulation time. MM/PBSA-based binding free energy calculations indicated the considerably stronger binding affinity of Kae-3-Rob for collagenase and tyrosinase compared to elastase, which was related to the greater percentage of hydrogen bond occupations. These computational findings were consistent with the relatively high inhibitory activity of Kae-3-Rob against collagenase and tyrosinase observed in our in vitro experiment. In conclusion, the results obtained from this comprehensive study suggest that Kae-3-Rob, a key flavonoid from N. nucifera, holds significant potential as a source of bioactive compounds for anti-aging cosmeceutical and other phytopharmaceutical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bodee Nutho
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand;
| | - Duangjai Tungmunnithum
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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24
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Zhu C, He X, Shi Y, Wang Z, Hao B, Chen W, Yang H, Zhang L, Ji H, Liu J, Yan C, Zhou J, Qian T. Strong Replaces Weak: Design of H-Bond Interactions Enables Cryogenic Aqueous Zn Metal Batteries. ACS NANO 2023; 17:21614-21625. [PMID: 37916674 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite the numerous advantages of aqueous Zn batteries, their practical application under cryogenic conditions is hindered by the freezing of the electrolyte because the abundance of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) between H2O molecules drives the aqueous system to transform to an orderly frozen structure. Here, a design of H-bond interactions based on the guiding ideology of "strong replaces weak" is proposed. The strong H-bonds formed between introduced eutectic components and water molecules break down the weak H-bonds in the original water molecule network, which contributes to an ultralow freezing point and a high ionic conductivity of 1.7 mS cm-1 at -40 °C. Based on multiperspective theoretical simulations and tailor-made in situ cooling Raman characterizations, it has been demonstrated that substituting weak H-bonds with strong H-bonds facilitates the structural reshaping of Zn2+ solvation and remodeling of the H-bond network in the electrolyte. Endowed with this advantage, reversible and stable Zn plating/stripping behaviors could be realized at -40 °C, and the full cells display a high discharge capacity (200 mA h g-1) at -40 °C with ∼75% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. This study will expand the design philosophy of antifreezing aqueous electrolytes and provide a perspective to promote the adoption of Zn metal batteries for cryogenic environment large-scale energy storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhao Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuye He
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Shi
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenkang Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Baojiu Hao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanhao Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Lifang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoqing Ji
- Key Laboratory of Core Technology of High Specific Energy Battery and Key Materials for Petroleum and Chemical Industry, College of Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenglin Yan
- School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Core Technology of High Specific Energy Battery and Key Materials for Petroleum and Chemical Industry, College of Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, People's Republic of China
- Light Industry Institute of Electrochemical Power Sources, Suzhou 215006, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinqiu Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Qian
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, People's Republic of China
- Light Industry Institute of Electrochemical Power Sources, Suzhou 215006, People's Republic of China
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25
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Kumar S, Reddy G. Mechanism of Fluoride Ion Encapsulation by Magnesium Ions in a Bacterial Riboswitch. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9267-9281. [PMID: 37851949 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c03941] [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: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Riboswitches sense various ions in bacteria and activate gene expression to synthesize proteins that help maintain ion homeostasis. The crystal structure of the aptamer domain (AD) of the fluoride riboswitch shows that the F- ion is encapsulated by three Mg2+ ions bound to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) located at the core of the AD. The assembly mechanism of this intricate structure is unknown. To this end, we performed computer simulations using coarse-grained and all-atom RNA models to bridge multiple time scales involved in riboswitch folding and ion binding. We show that F- encapsulation by the Mg2+ ions bound to the riboswitch involves multiple sequential steps. Broadly, two Mg2+ ions initially interact with the phosphate groups of the LBD using water-mediated outer-shell coordination and transition to a direct inner-shell interaction through dehydration to strengthen their interaction with the LBD. We propose that the efficient binding mode of the third Mg2+ and F- is that they form a water-mediated ion pair and bind to the LBD simultaneously to minimize the electrostatic repulsion between three Mg2+ bound to the LBD. The tertiary stacking interactions among the LBD nucleobases alone are insufficient to stabilize the alignment of the phosphate groups to facilitate Mg2+ binding. We show that the stability of the whole assembly is an intricate balance of the interactions among the five phosphate groups, three Mg2+, and the encapsulated F- ion aided by the Mg2+ solvated water. These insights are helpful in the rational design of RNA-based ion sensors and fast-switching logic gates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Kumar
- Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Govardhan Reddy
- Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
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26
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Çınaroğlu S, Biggin PC. Computed Protein-Protein Enthalpy Signatures as a Tool for Identifying Conformation Sampling Problems. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6095-6108. [PMID: 37759363 PMCID: PMC10565830 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01041] [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: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the thermodynamic signature of protein-peptide binding events is a major challenge in computational chemistry. The complexity generated by both components possessing many degrees of freedom poses a significant issue for methods that attempt to directly compute the enthalpic contribution to binding. Indeed, the prevailing assumption has been that the errors associated with such approaches would be too large for them to be meaningful. Nevertheless, we currently have no indication of how well the present methods would perform in terms of predicting the enthalpy of binding for protein-peptide complexes. To that end, we carefully assembled and curated a set of 11 protein-peptide complexes where there is structural and isothermal titration calorimetry data available and then computed the absolute enthalpy of binding. The initial "out of the box" calculations were, as expected, very modest in terms of agreement with the experiment. However, careful inspection of the outliers allows for the identification of key sampling problems such as distinct conformations of peptide termini not being sampled or suboptimal cofactor parameters. Additional simulations guided by these aspects can lead to a respectable correlation with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments (R2 of 0.88 and an RMSE of 1.48 kcal/mol overall). Although one cannot know prospectively whether computed ITC values will be correct or not, this work shows that if experimental ITC data are available, then this in conjunction with computed ITC, can be used as a tool to know if the ensemble being simulated is representative of the true ensemble or not. That is important for allowing the correct interpretation of the detailed dynamics of the system with respect to the measured enthalpy. The results also suggest that computational calorimetry is becoming increasingly feasible. We provide the data set as a resource for the community, which could be used as a benchmark to help further progress in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philip C. Biggin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
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27
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Almeida ER, Goliatt PVZC, Dos Santos HF, Picaud F. Translocation Processes of Pt(II)-Based Drugs through Human Breast Cancer Cell Membrane: In Silico Experiments. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6141-6155. [PMID: 37751589 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most frequent modalities of cancer worldwide, with notable mortality. The medication based on platinum drugs (cisplatin (cddp), carboplatin (cpx), and oxaliplatin (oxa)) is a conventional chemotherapy despite severe side effects and the development of drug resistance. In order to provide a deeper molecular description of the influx and efflux processes of platinum drugs through breast cancer tissues, this study focuses on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the passive translocation process through a realistic plasma membrane prototype of human breast cancer cell (c_memb). The results showed that the permeation events were mainly mediated by neutral lipids (DOPC, DOPE, and cholesterol), producing a low and temporary membrane deformation. The drug insertion in the region of polar heads was the most favorable stage of the translocation mechanism, especially for cddp and oxa with potential wells of -8.6 and -9.8 kcal mol-1, respectively. However, the potentials of mean force (PMF) revealed unfavorable kinetics for the permeation of these drugs through lipid tails, with energy barriers of 28.3 (cddp), 32.2 (cpx), and 30.4 kcal mol-1 (oxa). The low permeability coefficients (P) of cpx and oxa, which were 3 and 1 orders of magnitude inferior than for cddp, resulted from the high energy barriers for their traslocation processes through the membrane. The obtained results provide a more accurate picture of the permeation of Pt(II)-based drugs through breast cancer cells, which may be relevant for the design and evaluation of new platinum complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo R Almeida
- Núcleo de Estudos em Química Computacional (NEQC), Departamento de Química, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Campus Universitário, Martelos, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-330, Brazil
- Laboratoire de Nanomédecine, Imagerie et Thérapeutiques, EA 4662, Université de Franche-Comté, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon cedex, France
| | - Priscila V Z Capriles Goliatt
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Modelagem Computacional (PGMC), Departamento de Ciência da Computação, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Campus Universitário, Martelos, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-330, Brazil
| | - Hélio F Dos Santos
- Núcleo de Estudos em Química Computacional (NEQC), Departamento de Química, ICE, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Campus Universitário, Martelos, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036-330, Brazil
| | - Fabien Picaud
- Laboratoire de Nanomédecine, Imagerie et Thérapeutiques, EA 4662, Université de Franche-Comté, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon cedex, France
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28
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Verma P, Kwansa AL, Ho R, Yingling YG, Zimmer J. Insights into substrate coordination and glycosyl transfer of poplar cellulose synthase-8. Structure 2023; 31:1166-1173.e6. [PMID: 37572661 PMCID: PMC10592267 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose is an abundant cell wall component of land plants. It is synthesized from UDP-activated glucose molecules by cellulose synthase, a membrane-integrated processive glycosyltransferase. Cellulose synthase couples the elongation of the cellulose polymer with its translocation across the plasma membrane. Here, we present substrate- and product-bound cryogenic electron microscopy structures of the homotrimeric cellulose synthase isoform-8 (CesA8) from hybrid aspen (poplar). UDP-glucose binds to a conserved catalytic pocket adjacent to the entrance to a transmembrane channel. The substrate's glucosyl unit is coordinated by conserved residues of the glycosyltransferase domain and amphipathic interface helices. Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved gating loop capping the active site reveals its critical function for catalytic activity. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal prolonged interactions of the gating loop with the substrate molecule, particularly across its central conserved region. These transient interactions likely facilitate the proper positioning of the substrate molecule for glycosyl transfer and cellulose translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Verma
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Albert L Kwansa
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Ruoya Ho
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Yaroslava G Yingling
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jochen Zimmer
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA.
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29
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Hanpaibool C, Ounjai P, Yotphan S, Mulholland AJ, Spencer J, Ngamwongsatit N, Rungrotmongkol T. Enhancement by pyrazolones of colistin efficacy against mcr-1-expressing E. coli: an in silico and in vitro investigation. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:479-489. [PMID: 37488458 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00519-z] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Owing to the emergence of antibiotic resistance, the polymyxin colistin has been recently revived to treat acute, multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections. Positively charged colistin binds to negatively charged lipids and damages the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. However, the MCR-1 protein, encoded by the mobile colistin resistance (mcr) gene, is involved in bacterial colistin resistance by catalysing phosphoethanolamine (PEA) transfer onto lipid A, neutralising its negative charge, and thereby reducing its interaction with colistin. Our preliminary results showed that treatment with a reference pyrazolone compound significantly reduced colistin minimal inhibitory concentrations in Escherichia coli expressing mcr-1 mediated colistin resistance (Hanpaibool et al. in ACS Omega, 2023). A docking-MD combination was used in an ensemble-based docking approach to identify further pyrazolone compounds as candidate MCR-1 inhibitors. Docking simulations revealed that 13/28 of the pyrazolone compounds tested are predicted to have lower binding free energies than the reference compound. Four of these were chosen for in vitro testing, with the results demonstrating that all the compounds tested could lower colistin MICs in an E. coli strain carrying the mcr-1 gene. Docking of pyrazolones into the MCR-1 active site reveals residues that are implicated in ligand-protein interactions, particularly E246, T285, H395, H466, and H478, which are located in the MCR-1 active site and which participate in interactions with MCR-1 in ≥ 8/10 of the lowest energy complexes. This study establishes pyrazolone-induced colistin susceptibility in E. coli carrying the mcr-1 gene, providing a method for the development of novel treatments against colistin-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonnikan Hanpaibool
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Puey Ounjai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Center of Excellence On Environmental Health and Toxicology, Office of Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Sirilata Yotphan
- Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Adrian J Mulholland
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK
| | - James Spencer
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Natharin Ngamwongsatit
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand.
- Laboratory of Bacteria, Veterinary Diagnostic Center, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand.
| | - Thanyada Rungrotmongkol
- Center of Excellence in Biocatalyst and Sustainable Biotechnology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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30
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Talmazan RA, Podewitz M. PyConSolv: A Python Package for Conformer Generation of (Metal-Containing) Systems in Explicit Solvent. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:5400-5407. [PMID: 37606893 PMCID: PMC10498442 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00798] [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: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
We introduce PyConSolv, a freely available Python package that automates the generation of conformers of metal- and nonmetal-containing complexes in explicit solvent, through classical molecular dynamics simulations. Using a streamlined workflow and interfacing with widely used computational chemistry software, PyConSolv is an all-in-one tool for the generation of conformers in any solvent. Input requirements are minimal; only the geometry of the structure and the desired solvent in xyz (XMOL) format are needed. The package can also account for charged systems, by including arbitrary counterions in the simulation. A bonded model parametrization is performed automatically, utilizing AmberTools, ORCA, and Multiwfn software packages. PyConSolv provides a selection of preparametrized solvents and counterions for use in classical molecular dynamics simulations. We show the applicability of our package on a number of (transition-metal-containing) systems. The software is provided open source and free of charge.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. A. Talmazan
- Institute
of Materials Chemistry, TU Wien, Getreidemarkt 9, A-1060 Wien, Austria
| | - M. Podewitz
- Institute
of Materials Chemistry, TU Wien, Getreidemarkt 9, A-1060 Wien, Austria
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31
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Viviani LG, Kokh DB, Wade RC, T-do Amaral A. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Human Ecto-5'-Nucleotidase (h-ecto-5'-NT, CD73): Insights into Protein Flexibility and Binding Site Dynamics. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:4691-4707. [PMID: 37532679 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01068] [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: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Human ecto-5'-nucleotidase (h-ecto-5'-NT, CD73) is a homodimeric Zn2+-binding metallophosphoesterase that hydrolyzes adenosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-AMP) to adenosine and phosphate. h-Ecto-5'-NT is a key enzyme in purinergic signaling pathways and has been recognized as a promising biological target for several diseases, including cancer and inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases. Despite its importance as a biological target, little is known about h-ecto-5'-NT dynamics, which poses a considerable challenge to the design of inhibitors of this target enzyme. Here, to explore h-ecto-5'-NT flexibility, all-atom unbiased molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed. Remarkable differences in the dynamics of the open (catalytically inactive) and closed (catalytically active) conformations of the apo-h-ecto-5'-NT were observed during the simulations, and the nucleotide analogue inhibitor AMPCP was shown to stabilize the protein structure in the closed conformation. Our results suggest that the large and complex domain motion that enables the h-ecto-5'-NT open/closed conformational switch is slow, and therefore, it could not be completely captured within the time scale of our simulations. Nonetheless, we were able to explore the faster dynamics of the h-ecto-5'-NT substrate binding site, which is mainly located at the C-terminal domain and well conserved among the protein's open and closed conformations. Using the TRAPP ("Transient Pockets in Proteins") approach, we identified transient subpockets close to the substrate binding site. Finally, conformational states of the substrate binding site with higher druggability scores than the crystal structure were identified. In summary, our study provides valuable insights into h-ecto-5'-NT structural flexibility, which can guide the structure-based design of novel h-ecto-5'-NT inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas G Viviani
- Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daria B Kokh
- Molecular and Cellular Modeling Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), 69118 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rebecca C Wade
- Molecular and Cellular Modeling Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), 69118 Heidelberg, Germany
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Antonia T-do Amaral
- Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, 05508-000 São Paulo, Brazil
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32
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Zheng N, Jiang W, Zhang P, Ma L, Chen J, Zhang H. Repurposing of World-Approved Drugs for Potential Inhibition against Human Carbonic Anhydrase I: A Computational Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12619. [PMID: 37628799 PMCID: PMC10454238 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612619] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs) have enzymatic activities for reversible hydration of CO2 and are acknowledged as promising targets for the treatment of various diseases. Using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation approaches, we hit three compounds of methyl 4-chloranyl-2-(phenylsulfonyl)-5-sulfamoyl-benzoate (84Z for short), cyclothiazide, and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-piperidin-1-ylbenzenesulfonamide (3UG for short) from the existing hCA I inhibitors and word-approved drugs. As a Zn2+-dependent metallo-enzyme, the influence of Zn2+ ion models on the stability of metal-binding sites during MD simulations was addressed as well. MM-PBSA analysis predicted a strong binding affinity of -18, -16, and -14 kcal/mol, respectively, for these compounds, and identified key protein residues for binding. The sulfonamide moiety bound to the Zn2+ ion appeared as an essential component of hCA I inhibitors. Vina software predicted a relatively large (unreasonable) Zn2+-sulfonamide distance, although the relative binding strength was reproduced with good accuracy. The selected compounds displayed potent inhibition against other hCA isoforms of II, XIII, and XIV. This work is valuable for molecular modeling of hCAs and further design of potent inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Haiyang Zhang
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
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33
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Horton JT, Boothroyd S, Behara PK, Mobley DL, Cole DJ. A transferable double exponential potential for condensed phase simulations of small molecules. DIGITAL DISCOVERY 2023; 2:1178-1187. [PMID: 38013814 PMCID: PMC10408570 DOI: 10.1039/d3dd00070b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The Lennard-Jones potential is the most widely-used function for the description of non-bonded interactions in transferable force fields for the condensed phase. This is not because it has an optimal functional form, but rather it is a legacy resulting from when computational expense was a major consideration and this potential was particularly convenient numerically. At present, it persists because the effort that would be required to re-write molecular modelling software and train new force fields has, until now, been prohibitive. Here, we present Smirnoff-plugins as a flexible framework to extend the Open Force Field software stack to allow custom force field functional forms. We deploy Smirnoff-plugins with the automated Open Force Field infrastructure to train a transferable, small molecule force field based on the recently-proposed double exponential functional form, on over 1000 experimental condensed phase properties. Extensive testing of the resulting force field shows improvements in transfer free energies, with acceptable conformational energetics, run times and convergence properties compared to state-of-the-art Lennard-Jones based force fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Horton
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
| | | | - Pavan Kumar Behara
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - David L Mobley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine California 92697 USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine California 92697 USA
| | - Daniel J Cole
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
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34
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Lindsay S, Bartolotti L, Li Y. Ca 2+ ions facilitate the organization of the Annexin A2/S100A10 heterotetramer. Proteins 2023; 91:1042-1053. [PMID: 36965169 PMCID: PMC10518368 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26490] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Annexin A2 (A2) is a member of the Annexin family, which contains Ca2+ -regulated phospholipid-binding proteins. Annexins associate with S100 proteins to form heterotetramers. The A2/S100A10 heterotetramer (A2t) is the most extensively studied of these heterotetramers. It induces membrane microdomain formation, causes membrane budding, and facilitates proliferation of some cancers. In this work, the first molecular dynamics (MD) study on the complete A2t of 868 amino acids was performed. MD trajectories of more than 600 ns each were generated for complete A2t complexes with and without Ca2+ ions. The outward extension of membrane-binding residues A2-K279 and A2-K281 was shown to be inhibited in the absence of Ca2+ as they were captured by Ca2+ -binding residue D322. F-actin binding residue A2-D339 was observed to occupy either an exposed or buried state in the absence of Ca2+ , while it only occupied the buried state in the presence of Ca2+ . The observed motions of the A2t subunits are highly organized with a strongly correlated central region which is negatively correlated with the periphery of the complex. The central region contains the S100A10 (p11) dimer, A2-N, and A2-I, while the periphery contains A2-II, A2-III, and A2-IV. Novel interactions between A2 and p11 were identified. A2 residues outside of A2-N (K80, R77, E82, and R145) had strong interactions with p11. Residue R145 of A2 may have a significant effect on the dynamics of the system, with its interaction resulting in asymmetric motions of A2. The presented results provide novel insights to inform future experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Lindsay
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA
| | - Libero Bartolotti
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA
| | - Yumin Li
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA
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Li M, Wu T, Wang S, Duan T, Huang S, Xie Y. The Modulation of Sucrose Nonfermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 2.6 State by Persulfidation and Phosphorylation: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11512. [PMID: 37511271 PMCID: PMC10380758 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411512] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
SnRK2.6 (SUCROSE NONFERMENTING 1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE2.6) has been characterized as a molecular switch for the intracellular abscisic acid (ABA) signal-transduction pathway. Normally, SnRK2.6 is kept in an "off" state, forming a binary complex with protein phosphatase type 2Cs (PP2Cs). Upon stressful conditions, SnRK2.6 turns into an "on" state by its release from PP2Cs and then phosphorylation at Ser175. However, how the "on" and "off" states for SnRK2.6 are fine-tuned, thereby controlling the initiation and braking processes of ABA signaling, is still largely unclear. SnRK2.6 activity was tightly regulated through protein post-translational modifications (PTM), such as persulfidation and phosphorylation. Taking advantage of molecular dynamics simulations, our results showed that Cys131/137 persulfidation on SnRK2.6 induces destabilized binding and weakened interactions between SnRK2.6 and HAB1 (HYPERSENSITIVE TO ABA1), an important PP2C family protein. This unfavorable effect on the association of the SnRK2.6-HAB1 complex suggests that persulfidation functions are a positive regulator of ABA signaling initiation. In addition, Ser267 phosphorylation in persulfidated SnRK2.6 renders a stable physical association between SnRK2.6 and HAB1, a key characterization for SnRK2.6 inhibition. Rather than Ser175, HAB1 cannot dephosphorylate Ser267 in SnRK2.6, which implies that the retained phosphorylation status of Ser267 could ensure that the activated SnRK2.6 reforms the binary complex to cease ABA signaling. Taken together, our findings expand current knowledge concerning the regulation of persulfidation and phosphorylation on the state transition of SnRK2.6 and provide insights into the fine-tuned mechanism of ABA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Li
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ting Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuhan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Tianqi Duan
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Siqi Huang
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops (IBFC), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Changsha 410205, China
| | - Yanjie Xie
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops (IBFC), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Changsha 410205, China
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36
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Chong JX, Childers MC, Marvin CT, Marcello AJ, Gonorazky H, Hazrati LN, Dowling JJ, Al Amrani F, Alanay Y, Nieto Y, Gabriel MÁM, Aylsworth AS, Buckingham KJ, Shively KM, Sommers O, Anderson K, Regnier M, Bamshad MJ. Variants in ACTC1 underlie distal arthrogryposis accompanied by congenital heart defects. HGG ADVANCES 2023; 4:100213. [PMID: 37457373 PMCID: PMC10345160 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2023.100213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Contraction of the human sarcomere is the result of interactions between myosin cross-bridges and actin filaments. Pathogenic variants in genes such as MYH7, TPM1, and TNNI3 that encode parts of the cardiac sarcomere cause muscle diseases that affect the heart, such as dilated cardiomyopathy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In contrast, pathogenic variants in homologous genes such as MYH2, TPM2, and TNNI2 that encode parts of the skeletal muscle sarcomere cause muscle diseases affecting skeletal muscle, such as distal arthrogryposis (DA) syndromes and skeletal myopathies. To date, there have been few reports of genes (e.g., MYH7) encoding sarcomeric proteins in which the same pathogenic variant affects skeletal and cardiac muscle. Moreover, none of the known genes underlying DA have been found to contain pathogenic variants that also cause cardiac abnormalities. We report five families with DA because of heterozygous missense variants in the gene actin, alpha, cardiac muscle 1 (ACTC1). ACTC1 encodes a highly conserved actin that binds to myosin in cardiac and skeletal muscle. Pathogenic variants in ACTC1 have been found previously to underlie atrial septal defect, dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and left ventricular noncompaction. Our discovery delineates a new DA condition because of variants in ACTC1 and suggests that some functions of ACTC1 are shared in cardiac and skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica X. Chong
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman-Baty Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Matthew Carter Childers
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- University of Washington Center for Translational Muscle Research, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Colby T. Marvin
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Anthony J. Marcello
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hernan Gonorazky
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Lili-Naz Hazrati
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - James J. Dowling
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Fatema Al Amrani
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Yasemin Alanay
- Division of Pediatric Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, 34752 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yolanda Nieto
- Department of Basic Bio-Medical Sciences, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Á Marín Gabriel
- Department of Pediatrics, Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda University Hospital, 28221 Madrid, Spain
| | - Arthur S. Aylsworth
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kati J. Buckingham
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kathryn M. Shively
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Olivia Sommers
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kailyn Anderson
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - University of Washington Center for Mendelian Genomics
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman-Baty Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- University of Washington Center for Translational Muscle Research, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
- Division of Pediatric Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, 34752 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Basic Bio-Medical Sciences, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda University Hospital, 28221 Madrid, Spain
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - University of Washington Center for Rare Disease Research
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman-Baty Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- University of Washington Center for Translational Muscle Research, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
- Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
- Division of Pediatric Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, 34752 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Basic Bio-Medical Sciences, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda University Hospital, 28221 Madrid, Spain
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Michael Regnier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- University of Washington Center for Translational Muscle Research, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael J. Bamshad
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Brotman-Baty Institute, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- University of Washington Center for Translational Muscle Research, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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Scrima S, Tiberti M, Ryde U, Lambrughi M, Papaleo E. Comparison of force fields to study the zinc-finger containing protein NPL4, a target for disulfiram in cancer therapy. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2023; 1871:140921. [PMID: 37230374 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2023.140921] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are a powerful approach to studying the structure and dynamics of proteins related to health and disease. Advances in the MD field allow modeling proteins with high accuracy. However, modeling metal ions and their interactions with proteins is still challenging. NPL4 is a zinc-binding protein and works as a cofactor for p97 to regulate protein homeostasis. NPL4 is of biomedical importance and has been proposed as the target of disulfiram, a drug recently repurposed for cancer treatment. Experimental studies proposed that the disulfiram metabolites, bis-(diethyldithiocarbamate)‑copper and cupric ions, induce NPL4 misfolding and aggregation. However, the molecular details of their interactions with NPL4 and consequent structural effects are still elusive. Here, biomolecular simulations can help to shed light on the related structural details. To apply MD simulations to NPL4 and its interaction with copper the first important step is identifying a suitable force field to describe the protein in its zinc-bound states. We examined different sets of non-bonded parameters because we want to study the misfolding mechanism and cannot rule out that the zinc may detach from the protein during the process and copper replaces it. We investigated the force-field ability to model the coordination geometry of the metal ions by comparing the results from MD simulations with optimized geometries from quantum mechanics (QM) calculations using model systems of NPL4. Furthermore, we investigated the performance of a force field including bonded parameters to treat copper ions in NPL4 that we obtained based on QM calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Scrima
- Cancer Structural Biology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Cancer Systems Biology, Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health and Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Matteo Tiberti
- Cancer Structural Biology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulf Ryde
- Division of Theoretical Chemistry, Lund University, Chemical Centre, P. O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Matteo Lambrughi
- Cancer Structural Biology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elena Papaleo
- Cancer Structural Biology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Cancer Systems Biology, Section for Bioinformatics, Department of Health and Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
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38
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Meng X, Liu H, Zhao N, Yang Y, Zhao K, Dai Y. Molecular Dynamics Study of the Effect of Charge and Glycosyl on Superoxide Anion Distribution near Lipid Membrane. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10926. [PMID: 37446103 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310926] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
To examine the effects of membrane charge, the electrolyte species and glycosyl on the distribution of negatively charged radical of superoxide anion (·O2-) around the cell membrane, different phospholipid bilayer systems containing ·O2- radicals, different electrolytes and phospholipid bilayers were constructed through Charmm-GUI and Amber16. These systems were equilibrated with molecular dynamics by using Gromacs 5.0.2 to analyze the statistical behaviors of ·O2- near the lipid membrane under different conditions. It was found that in the presence of potassium rather than sodium, the negative charge of the phospholipid membrane is more likely to rarefy the superoxide anion distribution near the membrane surface. Further, the presence of glycosyl significantly reduced the density of ·O2- near the phospholipid bilayer by 78.3% compared with that of the neutral lipid membrane, which may have a significant contribution to reducing the lipid peroxidation from decreasing the ·O2- density near the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Meng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Huiyu Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Ning Zhao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Yajun Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- Hebei Kingsci Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang 050035, China
- Jangxi Ourshi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Xinyu 338012, China
| | - Yujie Dai
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
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39
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Genna V, Iglesias-Fernández J, Reyes-Fraile L, Villegas N, Guckian K, Seth P, Wan B, Cabrero C, Terrazas M, Brun-Heath I, González C, Sciabola S, Villalobos A, Orozco M. Controlled sulfur-based engineering confers mouldability to phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:4713-4725. [PMID: 37099382 PMCID: PMC10250214 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad309] [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] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphorothioates (PS) have proven their effectiveness in the area of therapeutic oligonucleotides with applications spanning from cancer treatment to neurodegenerative disorders. Initially, PS substitution was introduced for the antisense oligonucleotides (PS ASOs) because it confers an increased nuclease resistance meanwhile ameliorates cellular uptake and in-vivo bioavailability. Thus, PS oligonucleotides have been elevated to a fundamental asset in the realm of gene silencing therapeutic methodologies. But, despite their wide use, little is known on the possibly different structural changes PS-substitutions may provoke in DNA·RNA hybrids. Additionally, scarce information and significant controversy exists on the role of phosphorothioate chirality in modulating PS properties. Here, through comprehensive computational investigations and experimental measurements, we shed light on the impact of PS chirality in DNA-based antisense oligonucleotides; how the different phosphorothioate diastereomers impact DNA topology, stability and flexibility to ultimately disclose pro-Sp S and pro-Rp S roles at the catalytic core of DNA Exonuclease and Human Ribonuclease H; two major obstacles in ASOs-based therapies. Altogether, our results provide full-atom and mechanistic insights on the structural aberrations PS-substitutions provoke and explain the origin of nuclease resistance PS-linkages confer to DNA·RNA hybrids; crucial information to improve current ASOs-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Genna
- Mechanisms of Diseases, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- NBD | Nostrum Biodiscovery, Baldiri Reixac 10, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | | | - Laura Reyes-Fraile
- Mechanisms of Diseases, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Nuria Villegas
- Mechanisms of Diseases, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | | | - Punit Seth
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Brad Wan
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Cristina Cabrero
- Instituto de Química Física Rocasolano, C/ Serrano 119, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Montserrat Terrazas
- Mechanisms of Diseases, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry, IBUB, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabelle Brun-Heath
- Mechanisms of Diseases, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Carlos González
- Instituto de Química Física Rocasolano, C/ Serrano 119, Madrid 28006, Spain
| | | | | | - Modesto Orozco
- Mechanisms of Diseases, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, Barcelona 08028, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain
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40
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Rozza R, Janoš P, Magistrato A. Monovalent Ionic Atmosphere Modulates the Selection of Suboptimal RNA Sequences by Splicing Factors' RNA Recognition Motifs. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:3086-3093. [PMID: 37129986 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The U2AF2 splicing factor is involved in the RNA recognition of the pre-mRNA poly-pyrimidine signaling sequence. This protein contains two RRM domains connected by a flexible linker, which ensure the preferential selection of a poly-uridine sequence over a poly-cytosine one. In this work, all-atom simulations provide insights into the U2AF2 recognition mechanism and on the features underlying its selectivity. Our outcomes show that U2AF2's RNA recognition is driven by cooperative events modulated by RNA-protein and RNA-ion interactions. Stunningly, monovalent ions contribute to mediating the binding of the weakly binding polyC strand, thus contributing to the selection of suboptimal poly-pyrimidine tracts. This finding broadens our understanding of the diverse traits tuning splicing factors' selectivity and adaptability to precisely handle and process diverse pre-mRNA sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pavel Janoš
- CNR-IOM at SISSA via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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41
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Mills KR, Torabifard H. Uncovering the Mechanism of the Proton-Coupled Fluoride Transport in the CLC F Antiporter. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:2445-2455. [PMID: 37053383 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Fluoride is a natural antibiotic abundantly present in the environment and, in micromolar concentrations, is able to inhibit enzymes necessary for bacteria to survive. However, as is the case with many antibiotics, bacteria have evolved resistance methods, including through the use of recently discovered membrane proteins. One such protein is the CLCF F-/H+ antiporter protein, a member of the CLC superfamily of anion-transport proteins. Though previous studies have examined this F- transporter, many questions are still left unanswered. To reveal details of the transport mechanism used by CLCF, we have employed molecular dynamics simulations and umbrella sampling calculations. Our results have led to several discoveries, including the mechanism of proton import and how it is able to aid in the fluoride export. Additionally, we have determined the role of the previously identified residues Glu118, Glu318, Met79, and Tyr396. This work is among the first studies of the CLCF F-/H+ antiporter and is the first computational investigation to model the full transport process, proposing a mechanism which couples the F- export with the H+ import.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira R Mills
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Hedieh Torabifard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
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42
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Melse O, Antes I, Kaila VRI, Zacharias M. Benchmarking biomolecular force field-based Zn 2+ for mono- and bimetallic ligand binding sites. J Comput Chem 2023; 44:912-926. [PMID: 36495007 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Zn2+ is one of the most versatile biologically available metal ions, but accurate modeling of Zn2+ -containing metalloproteins at the biomolecular force field level can be challenging. Since most Zn2+ models are parameterized in bulk solvent, in-depth knowledge about their performance in a protein environment is limited. Thus, we systematically investigate here the behavior of non-polarizable Zn2+ models for their ability to reproduce experimentally determined metal coordination and ligand binding in metalloproteins. The benchmarking is performed in challenging environments, including mono- (carbonic anhydrase II) and bimetallic (metallo-β-lactamase VIM-2) ligand binding sites. We identify key differences in the performance between the Zn2+ models with regard to the preferred ligating atoms (charged/non-charged), attraction of water molecules, and the preferred coordination geometry. Based on these results, we suggest suitable simulation conditions for varying Zn2+ site geometries that could guide the further development of biomolecular Zn2+ models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Okke Melse
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies (CPA), Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.,SynBiofoundry@TUM, Technical University of Munich, Straubing, Germany
| | - Iris Antes
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies (CPA), Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.,SynBiofoundry@TUM, Technical University of Munich, Straubing, Germany
| | - Ville R I Kaila
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Zacharias
- Center for Functional Protein Assemblies (CPA), Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
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43
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Sinha S, Pindi C, Ahsan M, Arantes PR, Palermo G. Machines on Genes through the Computational Microscope. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:1945-1964. [PMID: 36947696 PMCID: PMC10104023 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular machines acting on genes are at the core of life's fundamental processes, including DNA replication and repair, gene transcription and regulation, chromatin packaging, RNA splicing, and genome editing. Here, we report the increasing role of computational biophysics in characterizing the mechanisms of "machines on genes", focusing on innovative applications of computational methods and their integration with structural and biophysical experiments. We showcase how state-of-the-art computational methods, including classical and ab initio molecular dynamics to enhanced sampling techniques, and coarse-grained approaches are used for understanding and exploring gene machines for real-world applications. As this review unfolds, advanced computational methods describe the biophysical function that is unseen through experimental techniques, accomplishing the power of the "computational microscope", an expression coined by Klaus Schulten to highlight the extraordinary capability of computer simulations. Pushing the frontiers of computational biophysics toward a pragmatic representation of large multimegadalton biomolecular complexes is instrumental in bridging the gap between experimentally obtained macroscopic observables and the molecular principles playing at the microscopic level. This understanding will help harness molecular machines for medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological purposes.
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44
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Comparison of Empirical Zn2+ Models in Protein–DNA Complexes. BIOPHYSICA 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/biophysica3010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
Abstract
Zinc ions are the second most abundant ions found in humans. Their role in proteins can be merely structural but also catalytic, owing to their transition metal character. Modelling their geometric–coordination versatility by empirical force fields is, thus, a challenging task. In this work, we evaluated three popular models, specifically designed to represent zinc ions with regard to their capability of preserving structural integrity. To this end, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of two zinc-containing protein–DNA complexes, which differed in their zinc coordination, i.e., four cysteines or two cysteines and two histidines. The most flexible non-bonded 12-6-4 Lennard–Jones-type model shows a preference for six-fold coordination of the Zn2+-ions in contradiction to the crystal structure. The cationic dummy atom model favours tetrahedral geometry, whereas the bonded extended zinc AMBER force field model, by construction, best preserves the initial geometry of a regular or slightly distorted tetrahedron. Our data renders the extended zinc AMBER force field the best model for structural zinc ions in a given geometry. In more complicated cases, though, more flexible models may be advantageous.
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Chong JX, Childers MC, Marvin CT, Marcello AJ, Gonorazky H, Hazrati LN, Dowling JJ, Amrani FA, Alanay Y, Nieto Y, Marín Gabriel MÁ, Aylsworth AS, Buckingham KJ, Shively KM, Sommers O, Anderson K, Regnier M, Bamshad MJ. Variants in ACTC1 underlie distal arthrogryposis accompanied by congenital heart defects. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023. [PMID: 36945405 PMCID: PMC10029015 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.07.23286862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Contraction of the human sarcomere is the result of interactions between myosin cross-bridges and actin filaments. Pathogenic variants in genes such as MYH7 , TPM1 , and TNNI3 that encode parts of the cardiac sarcomere cause muscle diseases that affect the heart, such as dilated cardiomyopathy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In contrast, pathogenic variants in homologous genes MYH2 , TPM2 , and TNNI2 , that encode parts of the skeletal muscle sarcomere, cause muscle diseases affecting skeletal muscle, such as the distal arthrogryposis (DA) syndromes and skeletal myopathies. To date, there have been few reports of genes (e.g., MYH7 ) encoding sarcomeric proteins in which the same pathogenic variant affects both skeletal and cardiac muscle. Moreover, none of the known genes underlying DA have been found to contain mutations that also cause cardiac abnormalities. We report five families with DA due to heterozygous missense variants in the gene actin, alpha, cardiac muscle 1 ( ACTC1 ). ACTC1 encodes a highly conserved actin that binds to myosin in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. Mutations in ACTC1 have previously been found to underlie atrial septal defect, dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and left ventricular noncompaction. Our discovery delineates a new DA condition due to mutations in ACTC1 and suggests that some functions of actin, alpha, cardiac muscle 1 are shared in cardiac and skeletal muscle.
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Mechanism of Chiral-Selective Aminoacylation of an RNA Minihelix Explored by QM/MM Free-Energy Simulations. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030722. [PMID: 36983877 PMCID: PMC10057131 DOI: 10.3390/life13030722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aminoacylation of a primordial RNA minihelix composed of D-ribose shows L-amino acid preference over D-amino acid without any ribozymes or enzymes. This preference in the amino acylation reaction likely plays an important role in the establishment of homochirality in L-amino acid in modern proteins. However, molecular mechanisms of the chiral selective reaction remain unsolved mainly because of difficulty in direct observation of the reaction at the molecular scale by experiments. For seeking a possible mechanism of the chiral selectivity, quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) umbrella sampling molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the aminoacylation reactions in a modeled RNA were performed to investigate differences in their free-energy profiles along the reactions for L- and D-alanine and its physicochemical origin. The reaction is initiated by approaching a 3′-oxygen of the RNA minihelix to the carbonyl carbon of an aminoacyl phosphate oligonucleotide. The QM/MM umbrella sampling MD calculations showed that the height of the free-energy barrier for L-alanine aminoacylation reaction was 17 kcal/mol, which was 9 kcal/mol lower than that for the D-alanine system. At the transition state, the distance between the negatively charged 3′-oxygen and the positively charged amino group of L-alanine was shorter than that of D-alanine, which was caused by the chirality difference of the amino acid. These results indicate that the transition state for L-alanine is more electrostatically stabilized than that for D-alanine, which would be a plausible mechanism previously unexplained for chiral selectivity in the RNA minihelix aminoacylation.
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Zeng J, Tao Y, Giese TJ, York DM. QDπ: A Quantum Deep Potential Interaction Model for Drug Discovery. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:1261-1275. [PMID: 36696673 PMCID: PMC9992268 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
We report QDπ-v1.0 for modeling the internal energy of drug molecules containing H, C, N, and O atoms. The QDπ model is in the form of a quantum mechanical/machine learning potential correction (QM/Δ-MLP) that uses a fast third-order self-consistent density-functional tight-binding (DFTB3/3OB) model that is corrected to a quantitatively high-level of accuracy through a deep-learning potential (DeepPot-SE). The model has the advantage that it is able to properly treat electrostatic interactions and handle changes in charge/protonation states. The model is trained against reference data computed at the ωB97X/6-31G* level (as in the ANI-1x data set) and compared to several other approximate semiempirical and machine learning potentials (ANI-1x, ANI-2x, DFTB3, MNDO/d, AM1, PM6, GFN1-xTB, and GFN2-xTB). The QDπ model is demonstrated to be accurate for a wide range of intra- and intermolecular interactions (despite its intended use as an internal energy model) and has shown to perform exceptionally well for relative protonation/deprotonation energies and tautomers. An example application to model reactions involved in RNA strand cleavage catalyzed by protein and nucleic acid enzymes illustrates QDπ has average errors less than 0.5 kcal/mol, whereas the other models compared have errors over an order of magnitude greater. Taken together, this makes QDπ highly attractive as a potential force field model for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhe Zeng
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Simulation Research, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Yujun Tao
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Simulation Research, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Timothy J. Giese
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Simulation Research, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Darrin M. York
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Simulation Research, Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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Drug repurposing and molecular mechanisms of the antihypertensive drug candesartan as a TMEM16A channel inhibitor. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 235:123839. [PMID: 36842737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123839] [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: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
TMEM16A, a Ca2+-activated chloride channel (CaCC), and its pharmacological inhibitors can inhibit the growth of lung adenocarcinoma cells. However,the poor efficacy, safety, and stability of TMEM16A inhibitors limit the development of these agents. Therefore, finding new therapeutic directions from already marketed drugs is a feasible strategy to obtain safe and effective therapeutic drugs. Here, we screened a library contain more than 2400 FDA, EMA, and NMPA-approved drugs through virtual screening. We identified a drug candidate, candesartan (CDST), which showed strong inhibitory effect on the TMEM16A in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 of 24.40 ± 3.21 μM. In addition, CDST inhibited proliferation, migration and induced apoptosis of LA795 cells targeting TMEM16A, and significantly inhibited lung adenocarcinoma tumor growth in vivo. The molecular mechanism of CDST inhibiting TMEM16A channel indicated it bound to R515/R535/E623/E624 in the drug pocket, thereby blocked the pore. In conclusion, we identified a novel TMEM16A channel inhibitor, CDST, which exhibited excellent inhibitory activity against lung adenocarcinoma. Considering that CDST has been used in clinical treatment of hypertension, it may play an important role in the combined treatment of hypertension and lung adenocarcinoma as a multi-target drug in the future.
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A modified bonded model approach for molecular dynamics simulations of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 121:108431. [PMID: 36827734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108431] [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: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Modelling metalloproteins using the classical force fields is challenging. Several methods have been devised to model metalloproteins in force fields. Of these methods, the bonded model, combined with Restrained Electrostatic Potential (RESP) charge fitting, proved its superiority. The latter method was facilitated by the development of the python-based Metal Centre Parameter Builder (MCPB.py) AmberTool. However, the standard bonded model method offered by the MCPB.py tool may not be appropriate for validating and refining the binding modes predicted by docking when crystal structures are lacking. That is because the representation of coordination interactions between any bound ligand and metal ions by covalent bonds can hinder the flexibility of the ligand. Therefore, a new modification to the standard bonded model approach is proposed here. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations based on the new modified bonded model (MBM) approach avoid the bias caused by coordination bonds and, unlike hybrid QM/MM MD, allow for sufficient sampling of the binding mode given the currently available computational power. The MBM MD approach reproduced the studied crystal structure conformations of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase 1 (NDM-1). Furthermore, the MBM approach described the binding interactions of intact β-lactams with NDM-1 reasonably, and predicted a non-productive binding mode for the poor NDM-1 substrate aztreonam whilst predicting productive binding modes for known good substrates. This study presents a useful MD method for metallo-β-lactamases and provides better understanding of β-lactam substrates recognition by NDM-1. The proposed MBM approach might also be useful in the investigation of other metal-containing protein targets.
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A Combined in Silico and Structural Study Opens New Perspectives on Aliphatic Sulfonamides, a Still Poorly Investigated Class of CA Inhibitors. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020281. [PMID: 36829558 PMCID: PMC9953064 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Aliphatic sulfonamides are an interesting class of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) proven to be effective for several carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms involved in pathologic states. Here we report the crystallographic structures of hCA II in complex with two aliphatic sulfonamides incorporating coumarin rings, which showed a good inhibition and selectivity for this isoform. Although these two molecules have a very similar chemical structure, differing only in the substitution of the two aliphatic hydrogen atoms with two fluorine atoms, they adopt a significantly different binding mode within the enzyme active site. Theoretical binding free energy calculations, performed to rationalize these data, showed that a delicate balance of electrostatic and steric effects modulate the protein-ligand interactions. Data presented here can be fruitfully used for the rational design of novel and effective isozyme-specific inhibitor molecules.
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