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Khodayari A, Hirn U, Spirk S, Ogawa Y, Seveno D, Thielemans W. Advancing plant cell wall modelling: Atomistic insights into cellulose, disordered cellulose, and hemicelluloses - A review. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 343:122415. [PMID: 39174111 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
The complexity of plant cell walls on different hierarchical levels still impedes the detailed understanding of biosynthetic pathways, interferes with processing in industry and finally limits applicability of cellulose materials. While there exist many challenges to readily accessing these hierarchies at (sub-) angström resolution, the development of advanced computational methods has the potential to unravel important questions in this field. Here, we summarize the contributions of molecular dynamics simulations in advancing the understanding of the physico-chemical properties of natural fibres. We aim to present a comprehensive view of the advancements and insights gained from molecular dynamics simulations in the field of carbohydrate polymers research. The review holds immense value as a vital reference for researchers seeking to undertake atomistic simulations of plant cell wall constituents. Its significance extends beyond the realm of molecular modeling and chemistry, as it offers a pathway to develop a more profound comprehension of plant cell wall chemistry, interactions, and behavior. By delving into these fundamental aspects, the review provides invaluable insights into future perspectives for exploration. Researchers within the molecular modeling and carbohydrates community can greatly benefit from this resource, enabling them to make significant strides in unraveling the intricacies of plant cell wall dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Khodayari
- Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, Leuven 3001, Belgium.
| | - Ulrich Hirn
- Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology, TU Graz, Inffeldgasse 23, Graz 8010, Austria
| | - Stefan Spirk
- Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology, TU Graz, Inffeldgasse 23, Graz 8010, Austria
| | - Yu Ogawa
- Centre de recherches sur les macromolécules végétales, CERMAV-CNRS, CS40700, 38041 Grenoble cedex 9, France
| | - David Seveno
- Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Wim Thielemans
- Sustainable Materials Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
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2
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Banerjee T, Gosai A, Yousefi N, Garibay OO, Seal S, Balasubramanian G. Examining sialic acid derivatives as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:6342-6358. [PMID: 37424217 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2234044] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) has been the primary reason behind the COVID-19 global pandemic which has affected millions of lives worldwide. The fundamental cause of the infection is the molecular binding of the viral spike protein receptor binding domain (SP-RBD) with the human cell angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The infection can be prevented if the binding of RBD-ACE2 is resisted by utilizing certain inhibitors or drugs that demonstrate strong binding affinity towards the SP RBD. Sialic acid based glycans found widely in human cells and tissues have notable propensity of binding to viral proteins of the coronaviridae family. Recent experimental literature have used N-acetyl neuraminic acid (Sialic acid) to create diagnostic sensors for SARS-CoV-2, but a detailed interrogation of the underlying molecular mechanisms is warranted. Here, we perform all atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for the complexes of certain Sialic acid-based molecules with that of SP RBD of SARS CoV-2. Our results indicate that Sialic acid not only reproduces a binding affinity comparable to the RBD-ACE2 interactions, it also assumes the longest time to dissociate completely from the protein binding pocket of SP RBD. Our predictions corroborate that a combination of electrostatic and van der Waals energies as well the polar hydrogen bond interactions between the RBD residues and the inhibitors influence free energy of binding.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanumoy Banerjee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
| | | | - Niloofar Yousefi
- Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Ozlem Ozmen Garibay
- Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Sudipta Seal
- College of Medicine, Bionix Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Ganesh Balasubramanian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
- Institute of Functional Materials & Devices and College of Health, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
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3
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Nie RZ, Luo HM, Chen JY, Sun LH, Wang ZB, Zhang ZP, Bao YR. Molecular insights into the interactions of theaflavin and epicatechin with different lipid bilayer membranes by molecular dynamics simulation. Chem Phys Lipids 2024; 262:105405. [PMID: 38795837 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2024.105405] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
At present, consumers increasingly favored the natural food preservatives with fewer side-effects on health. The green tea catechins and black tea theaflavins attracted considerable interest, and their antibacterial effects were extensively reported in the literature. Epicatechin (EC), a green tea catechin without a gallate moiety, showed no bactericidal activity, whereas the theaflavin (TF), also lacking a gallate moiety, exhibited potent bactericidal activity, and the antibacterial effects of green tea catechins and black tea theaflavins were closely correlated with their abilities to disrupt the bacterial cell membrane. In our present study, the mechanisms of membrane interaction modes and behaviors of TF and EC were explored by molecular dynamics simulations. It was demonstrated that TF exhibited markedly stronger affinity for the POPG bilayer compared to EC. Additionally, the hydrophobic interactions of tropolone/catechol rings with the acyl chain part could significantly contribute to the penetration of TF into the POPG bilayer. It was also found that the resorcinol/pyran rings were the key functional groups in TF for forming hydrogen bonds with the POPG bilayer. We believed that the findings from our current study could offer useful insights to better understand the stronger antibacterial effects of TF compared to EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Zu Nie
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Quality and Safety Control, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Processing and Safety Control, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Huo-Min Luo
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Quality and Safety Control, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Processing and Safety Control, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jing-Yu Chen
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Li-Heng Sun
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zi-Bo Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhen-Ping Zhang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Ya-Ru Bao
- Science and Technology Division, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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4
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Aho N, Groenhof G, Buslaev P. Do All Paths Lead to Rome? How Reliable is Umbrella Sampling Along a Single Path? J Chem Theory Comput 2024. [PMID: 39039621 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are widely applied to estimate absolute binding free energies of protein-ligand and protein-protein complexes. A routinely used method for binding free energy calculations with MD is umbrella sampling (US), which calculates the potential of mean force (PMF) along a single reaction coordinate. Surprisingly, in spite of its widespread use, few validation studies have focused on the convergence of the free energy computed along a single path for specific cases, not addressing the reproducibility of such calculations in general. In this work, we therefore investigate the reproducibility and convergence of US along a standard distance-based reaction coordinate for various protein-protein and protein-ligand complexes, following commonly used guidelines for the setup. We show that repeating the complete US workflow can lead to differences of 2-20 kcal/mol in computed binding free energies. We attribute those discrepancies to small differences in the binding pathways. While these differences are unavoidable in the established US protocol, the popularity of the latter could hint at a lack of awareness of such reproducibility problems. To test if the convergence of PMF profiles can be improved if multiple pathways are sampled simultaneously, we performed additional simulations with an adaptive-biasing method, here the accelerated weight histogram (AWH) approach. Indeed, the PMFs obtained from AHW simulations are consistent and reproducible for the systems tested. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to attempt a systematic assessment of the pitfalls in one the most widely used protocols for computing binding affinities. We anticipate therefore that our results will provide an incentive for a critical reassessment of the validity of PMFs computed with US, and make a strong case to further benchmark the performance of adaptive-biasing methods for computing binding affinities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noora Aho
- Nanoscience Center and Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
- Theoretical Physics and Center for Biophysics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Gerrit Groenhof
- Nanoscience Center and Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Pavel Buslaev
- Nanoscience Center and Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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Kataria A, Srivastava A, Singh DD, Haque S, Han I, Yadav DK. Systematic computational strategies for identifying protein targets and lead discovery. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:2254-2269. [PMID: 39026640 PMCID: PMC11253860 DOI: 10.1039/d4md00223g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational algorithms and tools have retrenched the drug discovery and development timeline. The applicability of computational approaches has gained immense relevance owing to the dramatic surge in the structural information of biomacromolecules and their heteromolecular complexes. Computational methods are now extensively used in identifying new protein targets, druggability assessment, pharmacophore mapping, molecular docking, the virtual screening of lead molecules, bioactivity prediction, molecular dynamics of protein-ligand complexes, affinity prediction, and for designing better ligands. Herein, we provide an overview of salient components of recently reported computational drug-discovery workflows that includes algorithms, tools, and databases for protein target identification and optimized ligand selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arti Kataria
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Hamilton MT 59840 USA
| | - Ankit Srivastava
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Hamilton MT 59840 USA
| | - Desh Deepak Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan Jaipur India
| | - Shafiul Haque
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University Jazan-45142 Saudi Arabia
| | - Ihn Han
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Applied Plasma Medicine Center, Department of Electrical & Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University Seoul 01897 Republic of Korea +82 32 820 4948
| | - Dharmendra Kumar Yadav
- Department of Biologics, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University Hambakmoeiro 191, Yeonsu-gu Incheon 21924 Republic of Korea
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Matus MF, Häkkinen H. Rational Design of Targeted Gold Nanoclusters with High Affinity to Integrin αvβ3 for Combination Cancer Therapy. Bioconjug Chem 2024. [PMID: 39008847 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The unique attributes of targeted nano-drug delivery systems (TNDDSs) over conventional cancer therapies in suppressing off-target effects make them one of the most promising options for cancer treatment. There is evidence that the density of surface-conjugated ligands is a crucial factor in achieving the desired therapeutic efficacy of TNDDSs, but this is hardly manageable in conventional nanomaterials. In this context, ligand-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) are excellent candidates for developing new TNDDSs with a unique control on their surface functionalities, thus helping to achieve enhanced delivery performance. Here, we study the interactions and binding free energies between ten different functionalized Au144(SR)60 (SR = thiolate ligand) nanoclusters and integrin αvβ3 using molecular dynamics simulations and the umbrella sampling method to obtain the optimal formulations. The AuNCs were functionalized with anticancer drugs (5-fluorouracil or signaling pathways inhibitors, such as capivasertib, linifanib, tanespimycin, and taselisib) and integrin-targeting peptides (RGD4C or QS13), and we identified the optimal mixed ligand layer to enhance their binding affinity to the cancer cell receptor. The results showed that changing the proportions of the same type of ligands on the surface of AuNCs led to differences of up to 38 kcal/mol in computed binding free energies. RGD4C as the targeting peptide resulted in greater affinity for αvβ3, and in most formulations studied, a higher amount of drug than peptide was needed. Polar and charged residues, such as Ser123, Asp150, Tyr178, Arg214, and Asp251 were found to play a significant role in AuNC binding. Our simulations also revealed that Mn2+ cations are crucial for stabilizing the αvβ3-AuNC complex. These findings demonstrate the potential of carefully designing the surface composition of TNDDSs to optimize their target affinity and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hannu Häkkinen
- Department of Physics, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience Center, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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Lindahl E, Arvidsson E, Friedman R. Trans vs. cis: a computational study of enasidenib resistance due to IDH2 mutations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:18989-18996. [PMID: 38953374 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01571a] [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: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) is a homodimeric enzyme that plays an important role in energy production. A mutation R140Q in one monomer makes the enzyme tumourigenic. Enasidenib is an effective inhibitor of IDH2/R140Q. A secondary mutation Q316E leads to enasidenib resistance. This mutation was hitherto only found in trans, i.e. where one monomer has the R140Q mutation and the other carries the Q316E mutation. It is not clear if the mutation only leads to resistance when in trans or if it has been discovered in trans only by chance, since it was only reported in two patients. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations we show that the binding of enasidenib to IDH2 is indeed much weaker when the Q316E mutation takes place in trans not in cis, which provides a molecular explanation for the clinical finding. This is corroborated by non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis and DFT calculations. Whereas the MD simulations show a loss of one hydrogen bond upon the resistance mutation, NCI and energy decomposition analysis (EDA) reveal that a multitude of interactions are weakened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Lindahl
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden.
| | - Erik Arvidsson
- Program in Medicine, Linköping University, Sandbäcksgatan 7, 582 25 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ran Friedman
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden.
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Chen Q, Zhou J, Sun R. Carbon Nanotube Loading Strategies for Peptide Drugs: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:13515-13526. [PMID: 38887887 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be regarded as a potential platform for transmembrane drug delivery as many experimental works have demonstrated their capability to effectively transport bioactive molecules into living cells. Within this framework, the loading of a peptide drug onto either the interior or exterior of CNTs has gained considerable interest. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive comparison of these two loading methods. To this end, we performed molecular dynamics simulations and the umbrella sampling technique to investigate the interaction energy, conformational changes, and free energy changes of a model peptide drug containing α-helical structure interacting with the inner or outer walls of a 14.7-nm-long (20,20) CNT. Our finding reveals that, for a tube of such dimensions, it is thermodynamically more favorable for the peptide to be loaded onto the inner tube wall than the outer tube wall, primarily due to a larger free energy change for the former strategy. Conversely, unloading the drug from the tube interior poses greater challenges. Moreover, the tube's curvature plays an essential role in influencing the conformation of the adsorbed peptide. Despite the relatively weaker van der Waals interaction between the CNT exterior and the peptide, loading the peptide onto the exterior may induce significant conformational changes, particularly affecting the peptide's α-helix structure. In contrast, loading of the peptide on the CNT interior could maintain most of the α-helical content. CNTs do not typically attract specific peptide residues, with adsorbed groups primarily determined by the peptide's configurations and orientations. Finally, we offer a guideline for selecting an optimal loading strategy for CNT-based drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qu Chen
- School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Zhou
- School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Sun
- School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, People's Republic of China
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Durojaye OA, Yekeen AA, Idris MO, Okoro NO, Odiba AS, Nwanguma BC. Investigation of the MDM2-binding potential of de novo designed peptides using enhanced sampling simulations. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131840. [PMID: 38679255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131840] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The tumor suppressor p53 plays a crucial role in cellular responses to various stresses, regulating key processes such as apoptosis, senescence, and DNA repair. Dysfunctional p53, prevalent in approximately 50 % of human cancers, contributes to tumor development and resistance to treatment. This study employed deep learning-based protein design and structure prediction methods to identify novel high-affinity peptide binders (Pep1 and Pep2) targeting MDM2, with the aim of disrupting its interaction with p53. Extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations highlighted the stability of the designed peptide in complex with the target, supported by several structural analyses, including RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, PCA, and free energy landscapes. Using the steered molecular dynamics and umbrella sampling simulations, we elucidate the dissociation dynamics of p53, Pep1, and Pep2 from MDM2. Notable differences in interaction profiles were observed, emphasizing the distinct dissociation patterns of each peptide. In conclusion, the results of our umbrella sampling simulations suggest Pep1 as a higher-affinity MDM2 binder compared to p53 and Pep2, positioning it as a potential inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 interaction. Using state-of-the-art protein design tools and advanced MD simulations, this study provides a comprehensive framework for rational in silico design of peptide binders with therapeutic implications in disrupting MDM2-p53 interactions for anticancer interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olanrewaju Ayodeji Durojaye
- MOE Key Laboratory of Membraneless Organelle and Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China; Department of Chemical Sciences, Coal City University, Emene, Enugu State, Nigeria.
| | - Abeeb Abiodun Yekeen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | | | - Nkwachukwu Oziamara Okoro
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nigeria
| | - Arome Solomon Odiba
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria.
| | - Bennett Chima Nwanguma
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria.
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10
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Penteado AB, de Oliveira Ribeiro G, Lima Araújo EL, Kato RB, de Melo Freire CC, de Araújo JMG, da Luz Wallau G, Salvato RS, de Jesus R, Bosco GG, Franz HF, da Silva PEA, de Souza Leal E, Goulart Trossini GH, de Lima Neto DF. Binding Evolution of the Dengue Virus Envelope Against DC-SIGN: A Combined Approach of Phylogenetics and Molecular Dynamics Analyses Over 30 Years of Dengue Virus in Brazil. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168577. [PMID: 38642883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168577] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
The Red Queen Hypothesis (RQH), derived from Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass", postulates that organisms must continually adapt in response to each other to maintain relative fitness. Within the context of host-pathogen interactions, the RQH implies an evolutionary arms race, wherein viruses evolve to exploit hosts and hosts evolve to resist viral invasion. This study delves into the dynamics of the RQH in the context of virus-cell interactions, specifically focusing on virus receptors and cell receptors. We observed multiple virus-host systems and noted patterns of co-evolution. As viruses evolved receptor-binding proteins to effectively engage with cell receptors, cells countered by altering their receptor genes. This ongoing mutual adaptation cycle has influenced the molecular intricacies of receptor-ligand interactions. Our data supports the RQH as a driving force behind the diversification and specialization of both viral and host cell receptors. Understanding this co-evolutionary dance offers insights into the unpredictability of emerging viral diseases and potential therapeutic interventions. Future research is crucial to dissect the nuanced molecular changes and the broader ecological consequences of this ever-evolving battle. Here, we combine phylogenetic inferences, structural modeling, and molecular dynamics analyses to describe the epidemiological characteristics of major Brazilian DENV strains that circulated from 1990 to 2022 from a combined perspective, thus providing us with a more detailed picture on the dynamics of such interactions over time.
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MESH Headings
- Dengue Virus/genetics
- Dengue Virus/metabolism
- Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
- Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics
- Receptors, Cell Surface/chemistry
- Phylogeny
- Molecular Dynamics Simulation
- Humans
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/genetics
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/chemistry
- Brazil
- Lectins, C-Type/metabolism
- Lectins, C-Type/genetics
- Lectins, C-Type/chemistry
- Evolution, Molecular
- Dengue/virology
- Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics
- Protein Binding
- Viral Envelope/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/metabolism
- Receptors, Virus/chemistry
- Receptors, Virus/genetics
- Viral Envelope Proteins/genetics
- Viral Envelope Proteins/metabolism
- Viral Envelope Proteins/chemistry
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Affiliation(s)
- André Berndt Penteado
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Department of Pharmacy, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Geovani de Oliveira Ribeiro
- General-Coordination of Public Health Laboratories, Department of Strategic Coordination and Surveillance in Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil; Department of Cellular Biology, University of Brasilia (UNB), Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Emerson Luiz Lima Araújo
- General Coordination of Attention to Communicable Diseases in Primary Care of the Department of Comprehensive Care Management of the Secretariat of Primary Health Care of the Ministry of Health (CDTAP/DGCI/SAPS-MS), Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Bentes Kato
- General-Coordination of Public Health Laboratories, Department of Strategic Coordination and Surveillance in Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Caio Cesar de Melo Freire
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Centre of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sao Carlos, PO Box 676, Washington Luis Road, km 235, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil
| | - Joselio Maria Galvão de Araújo
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Biosciences Center, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Campus Universitário, S/N Lagoa Nova 59078900, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Gabriel da Luz Wallau
- Department of Entomology and Bioinformatics Center of the Aggeu Magalhães Institute - FIOCRUZ - IAM, Brazil
| | - Richard Steiner Salvato
- Center for Scientific and Technological Development, State Center for Health Surveillance of Rio Grande do Sul, State Department of Health of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo de Jesus
- General-Coordination of Public Health Laboratories, Department of Strategic Coordination and Surveillance in Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Geraldine Goés Bosco
- University of São Paulo, Faculty of Philosophy Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto. Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Helena Ferreira Franz
- General-Coordination of Public Health Laboratories, Department of Strategic Coordination and Surveillance in Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Pedro Eduardo Almeida da Silva
- General-Coordination of Public Health Laboratories, Department of Strategic Coordination and Surveillance in Health and the Environment, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Elcio de Souza Leal
- Federal University of Pará, Faculty of Biotechnology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Rua Augusto Corrêa, Guamá, 04039-032 Belem, PA, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Henrique Goulart Trossini
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Department of Pharmacy, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Daniel Ferreira de Lima Neto
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Department of Pharmacy, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-000, Brazil.
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11
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Butt BG, Fischer D, Rep AR, Schauflinger M, Read C, Böck T, Hirner M, Wienen F, Graham SC, von Einem J. Human cytomegalovirus deploys molecular mimicry to recruit VPS4A to sites of virus assembly. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012300. [PMID: 38900818 PMCID: PMC11218997 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012300] [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: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The AAA-type ATPase VPS4 is recruited by proteins of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport III (ESCRT-III) to catalyse membrane constriction and membrane fission. VPS4A accumulates at the cytoplasmic viral assembly complex (cVAC) of cells infected with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), the site where nascent virus particles obtain their membrane envelope. Here we show that VPS4A is recruited to the cVAC via interaction with pUL71. Sequence analysis, deep-learning structure prediction, molecular dynamics and mutagenic analysis identify a short peptide motif in the C-terminal region of pUL71 that is necessary and sufficient for the interaction with VPS4A. This motif is predicted to bind the same groove of the N-terminal VPS4A Microtubule-Interacting and Trafficking (MIT) domain as the Type 2 MIT-Interacting Motif (MIM2) of cellular ESCRT-III components, and this viral MIM2-like motif (vMIM2) is conserved across β-herpesvirus pUL71 homologues. However, recruitment of VPS4A by pUL71 is dispensable for HCMV morphogenesis or replication and the function of the conserved vMIM2 during infection remains enigmatic. VPS4-recruitment via a vMIM2 represents a previously unknown mechanism of molecular mimicry in viruses, extending previous observations that herpesviruses encode proteins with structural and functional homology to cellular ESCRT-III components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin G. Butt
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela Fischer
- Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Alison R. Rep
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Clarissa Read
- Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Böck
- Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Manuel Hirner
- Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Frederik Wienen
- Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stephen C. Graham
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jens von Einem
- Institute of Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
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12
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Li J, Amador C, Wilson MR. Computational predictions of interfacial tension, surface tension, and surfactant adsorption isotherms. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:12107-12120. [PMID: 38587476 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06170a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
All-atom (AA) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to predict interfacial tensions (IFT) and surface tensions (ST) of both ionic and non-ionic surfactants. The general AMBER force field (GAFF) and variants are examined in terms of their performance in predicting accurate IFT/ST, γ, values for chosen water models, together with the hydration free energy, ΔGhyd, and density, ρ, predictions for organic bulk phases. A strong correlation is observed between the quality of ρ and γ predictions. Based on the results, the GAFF-LIPID force field, which provides improved ρ predictions is selected for simulating surfactant tail groups. Good γ predictions are obtained with GAFF/GAFF-LIPID parameters and the TIP3P water model for IFT simulations at a water-triolein interface, and for GAFF/GAFF-LIPID parameters together with the OPC4 water model for ST simulations at a water-vacuum interface. Using a combined molecular dynamics-molecular thermodynamics theory (MD-MTT) framework, a mole fraction of C12E6 molecule of 1.477 × 10-6 (from the experimental critical micelle concentration, CMC) gives a simulated surface excess concentration, ΓMAX, of 76 C12E6 molecules at a 36 nm2 water-vacuum surface (3.5 × 10-10 mol cm-2), which corresponds to a simulated ST of 35 mN m-1. The results compare favourably with an experimental ΓMAX of C12E6 of 3.7 × 10-10 mol cm-2 (80 surfactants for a 36 nm2 surface) and experimental ST of C12E6 of 32 mN m-1 at the CMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
| | - Carlos Amador
- Newcastle Innovation Centre, Procter & Gamble Ltd, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE12 9BZ, UK
| | - Mark R Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
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13
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Niu P, Tao Y, Meng Q, Huang Y, Li S, Ding K, Ma D, Ye Z, Fan M. Discovery of novel macrocyclic derivatives as potent and selective cyclin-dependent kinase 2 inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 104:117711. [PMID: 38583237 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117711] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a member of CDK family of kinases (CDKs) that regulate the cell cycle. Its inopportune or over-activation leads to uncontrolled cell cycle progression and drives numerous types of cancers, especially ovarian, uterine, gastric cancer, as well as those associated with amplified CCNE1 gene. However, developing selective lead compound as CDK2 inhibitors remains challenging owing to similarities in the ATP pockets among different CDKs. Herein, we described the optimization of compound 1, a novel macrocyclic inhibitor targeting CDK2/5/7/9, aiming to discover more selective and metabolically stable lead compound as CDK2 inhibitor. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed for compound 1 and 9 to gain insights into the improved selectivity against CDK5. Further optimization efforts led to compound 22, exhibiting excellent CDK2 inhibitory activity, good selectivity over other CDKs and potent cellular effects. Based on these characterizations, we propose that compound 22 holds great promise as a potential lead candidate for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Niu
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Yanxin Tao
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Qingyuan Meng
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yixing Huang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Shan Li
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Ke Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Zu Ye
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China.
| | - Mengyang Fan
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China.
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14
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Lu L, Gou X, Tan SK, Mann SI, Yang H, Zhong X, Gazgalis D, Valdiviezo J, Jo H, Wu Y, Diolaiti ME, Ashworth A, Polizzi NF, DeGrado WF. De novo design of drug-binding proteins with predictable binding energy and specificity. Science 2024; 384:106-112. [PMID: 38574125 PMCID: PMC11290694 DOI: 10.1126/science.adl5364] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The de novo design of small molecule-binding proteins has seen exciting recent progress; however, high-affinity binding and tunable specificity typically require laborious screening and optimization after computational design. We developed a computational procedure to design a protein that recognizes a common pharmacophore in a series of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 inhibitors. One of three designed proteins bound different inhibitors with affinities ranging from <5 nM to low micromolar. X-ray crystal structures confirmed the accuracy of the designed protein-drug interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations informed the role of water in binding. Binding free energy calculations performed directly on the designed models were in excellent agreement with the experimentally measured affinities. We conclude that de novo design of high-affinity small molecule-binding proteins with tuned interaction energies is feasible entirely from computation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xuxu Gou
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sophia K Tan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Samuel I Mann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Hyunjun Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xiaofang Zhong
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Dimitrios Gazgalis
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jesús Valdiviezo
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hyunil Jo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yibing Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Morgan E Diolaiti
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alan Ashworth
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nicholas F Polizzi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - William F DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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15
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Panda SK, Karmakar S, Sen Gupta PS, Rana MK. Can Duvelisib and Eganelisib work for both cancer and COVID-19? Molecular-level insights from MD simulations and enhanced samplings. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:10961-10973. [PMID: 38526354 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05934k] [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: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has caused severe illness and anxiety worldwide, evolving into more dreadful variants capable of evading the host's immunity. Cytokine storms, led by PI3Kγ, are common in cancer and SARS-CoV-2. Naturally, there is a yearning to see whether any drugs could alleviate cytokine storms for both. Upon investigation, we identified two anticancer drugs, Duvelisib and Eganelisib, that could also work against SARS-CoV-2. This report is the first to decipher their synergic therapeutic effectiveness against COVID-19 and cancer with molecular insights from atomistic simulations. In addition to PI3Kγ, these drugs exhibit specificity for the main protease among all SARS-CoV-2 targets, with significant negative binding free energies and small time-dependent conformational changes of the complexes. Complexation makes active sites and secondary structures highly mechanically stiff, with barely any deformation. Replica simulations estimated large pulling forces in enhanced sampling to dissociate the drugs from Mpro's active site. Furthermore, the radial distribution function (RDF) demonstrated that the therapeutic molecules were closest to the His41 and Cys145 catalytic dyad residues. Finally, analyses implied Duvelisib and Eganelisib as promising dual-purposed anti-COVID and anticancer drugs, potentially targeting Mpro and PI3Kγ to stop virus replication and cytokine storms concomitantly. We also distinguished hotspot residues imparting significant interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroj Kumar Panda
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, Odisha 760010, India.
| | - Shaswata Karmakar
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, Odisha 760010, India.
| | - Parth Sarthi Sen Gupta
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, D Y Patil International University, Akurdi, Pune, India
| | - Malay Kumar Rana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, Odisha 760010, India.
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16
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Ng YK, Konermann L. Mechanism of Protein Aggregation Inhibition by Arginine: Blockage of Anionic Side Chains Favors Unproductive Encounter Complexes. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:8394-8406. [PMID: 38477601 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c14180] [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: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Aggregation refers to the assembly of proteins into nonphysiological higher order structures. While amyloid has been studied extensively, much less is known about amorphous aggregation, a process that interferes with protein expression and storage. Free arginine (Arg+) is a widely used aggregation inhibitor, but its mechanism remains elusive. Focusing on myoglobin (Mb), we recently applied atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for gaining detailed insights into amorphous aggregation (Ng J. Phys. Chem. B 2021, 125, 13099). Building on that approach, the current work for the first time demonstrates that MD simulations can directly elucidate aggregation inhibition mechanisms. Comparative simulations with and without Arg+ reproduced the experimental finding that Arg+ significantly decreased the Mb aggregation propensity. Our data reveal that, without Arg+, protein-protein encounter complexes readily form salt bridges and hydrophobic contacts, culminating in firmly linked dimeric aggregation nuclei. Arg+ promotes the dissociation of encounter complexes. These "unproductive" encounter complexes are favored because Arg+ binding to D- and E- lowers the tendency of these anionic residues to form interprotein salt bridges. Side chain blockage is mediated largely by the guanidinium group of Arg+, which binds carboxylates through H-bond-reinforced ionic contacts. Our MD data revealed Arg+ self-association into a dynamic quasi-infinite network, but we found no evidence that this self-association is important for protein aggregation inhibition. Instead, aggregation inhibition by Arg+ is similar to that mediated by free guanidinium ions. The computational strategy used here should be suitable for the rational design of aggregation inhibitors with enhanced potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen Ki Ng
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Lars Konermann
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
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17
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Volkova A, Semenyuk P. Tyrosine phosphorylation of recombinant hirudin increases affinity to thrombin and antithrombotic activity. Proteins 2024; 92:329-342. [PMID: 37860993 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26616] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Thrombin is one of the key enzymes of the blood coagulation system and a promising target for the development of anticoagulants. One of the most specific natural thrombin inhibitors is hirudin, contained in the salivary glands of medicinal leeches. The medicinal use of recombinant hirudin is limited because of the lack of sulfation on Tyr63, resulting in a 10-fold decrease in activity compared to native (sulfated) hirudin. In the present work, a set of hirudin derivatives was tested for affinity to thrombin: phospho-Tyr63, Tyr63(carboxymethyl)Phe, and Tyr63Glu mutants, which mimic Tyr63 sulfation and Gln65Glu mutant and lysine-succinylated hirudin, which enhance the overall negative charge of hirudin, as well as sulfo-hirudin and desulfo-hirudin as references. Using steered molecular dynamics simulations with subsequent umbrella sampling, phospho-hirudin was shown to exhibit the highest affinity to thrombin among all hirudin analogs, including native sulfo-hirudin; succinylated hirudin was also prospective. Phospho-hirudin exhibited the highest antithrombotic activity in in vitro assay in human plasma. Taking into account the modern methods for obtaining phospho-hirudin and succinylated hirudin, they are prospective as anticoagulants in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Volkova
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel Semenyuk
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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18
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Condict L, Elliott S, Hung A, Ashton J, Kasapis S. Interfacing β-casein - Phenolic compound interactions via molecular dynamics simulations with diffusion kinetics in delivery vehicles. Food Chem 2024; 435:137595. [PMID: 37778255 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137595] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
The effect that protein-bioactive interactions may have on diffusion kinetics in foods and nutraceuticals was investigated by examining the diffusion kinetics of phenolic compounds (ferulic acid and epicatechin) of varying size, in the presence and absence of bovine β-casein. In the presence of the protein, the diffusion rate for ferulic acid and epicatechin was shown to decrease from 2.76 × 10-11 and 1.33 × 10-11 to 8.51 × 10-12 and 1.00 × 10-12 m2/s, respectively. The magnitude of the decrease in diffusion rate appears to be governed by interaction strength, with pulling simulations and umbrella sampling determining binding energies of -4.6 and -6.7 kcal mol-1 for protein-ferulic acid and protein-epicatechin interactions. This outcome indicates that dissociation of the bioactive from the delivery matrix may be the rate limiting process for diffusion in low solid systems. This work offers valuable insights for the use of pulling/umbrella simulations in understanding the impact of interactions on diffusion in foods and nutraceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lloyd Condict
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Plenty Road, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Shakira Elliott
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Plenty Road, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Andrew Hung
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Plenty Road, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - John Ashton
- Sanitarium Development and Innovation, Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company, Cooranbong, NSW 2265, Australia
| | - Stefan Kasapis
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora West Campus, Plenty Road, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia.
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19
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Xie B, Xu S, Schecterson L, Gumbiner BM, Sivasankar S. Strengthening E-cadherin adhesion via antibody-mediated binding stabilization. Structure 2024; 32:217-227.e3. [PMID: 38052206 PMCID: PMC10872345 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.11.002] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
E-cadherins (Ecads) are a crucial cell-cell adhesion protein with tumor suppression properties. Ecad adhesion can be enhanced by the monoclonal antibody 66E8, which has potential applications in inhibiting cancer metastasis. However, the biophysical mechanisms underlying 66E8-mediated adhesion strengthening are unknown. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations, site-directed mutagenesis, and single-molecule atomic force microscopy experiments to demonstrate that 66E8 strengthens Ecad binding by stabilizing the primary Ecad adhesive conformation: the strand-swap dimer. By forming electrostatic interactions with Ecad, 66E8 stabilizes the swapped β-strand and its hydrophobic pocket and impedes Ecad conformational changes, which are necessary for rupture of the strand-swap dimer. Our findings identify fundamental mechanistic principles for strengthening of Ecad binding using monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Xie
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Shipeng Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Leslayann Schecterson
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Barry M Gumbiner
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sanjeevi Sivasankar
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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20
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Yokoyama K, Barbour E, Hirschkind R, Martinez Hernandez B, Hausrath K, Lam T. Protein Corona Formation and Aggregation of Amyloid β 1-40-Coated Gold Nanocolloids. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:1728-1746. [PMID: 38194428 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrillogenesis is a pathogenic protein aggregation process that occurs through a highly ordered process of protein-protein interactions. To better understand the protein-protein interactions involved in amyloid fibril formation, we formed nanogold colloid aggregates by stepwise additions of ∼2 nmol of amyloid β 1-40 peptide (Aβ1-40) at pH ∼3.7 and ∼25 °C. The processes of protein corona formation and building of gold colloid [diameters (d) of 20 and 80 nm] aggregates were confirmed by a red-shift of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band, λpeak, as the number of Aβ1-40 peptides [N(Aβ1-40)] increased. The normalized red-shift of λpeak, Δλ, was correlated with the degree of protein aggregation, and this process was approximated as the adsorption isotherm explained by the Langmuir-Freundlich model. As the coverage fraction (θ) was analyzed as a function of ϕ, which is the N(Aβ1-40) per total surface area of nanogold colloids available for adsorption, the parameters for explaining the Langmuir-Freundlich model were in good agreement for both 20 and 80 nm gold, indicating that ϕ could define the stage of the aggregation process. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging was conducted at designated values of ϕ and suggested that a protein-gold surface interaction during the initial adsorption stage may be dependent on the nanosize. The 20 nm gold case seems to prefer a relatively smaller contacting section, such as a -C-N or C═C bond, but a plane of the benzene ring may play a significant role for 80 nm gold. Regardless of the size of the particles, the β-sheet and random coil conformations were considered to be used to form gold colloid aggregates. The methodology developed in this study allows for new insights into protein-protein interactions at distinct stages of aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazushige Yokoyama
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York Geneseo College, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, New York 14454, United States
| | - Eli Barbour
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York Geneseo College, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, New York 14454, United States
| | - Rachel Hirschkind
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York Geneseo College, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, New York 14454, United States
| | - Bryan Martinez Hernandez
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York Geneseo College, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, New York 14454, United States
| | - Kaylee Hausrath
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York Geneseo College, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, New York 14454, United States
| | - Theresa Lam
- Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York Geneseo College, 1 College Circle, Geneseo, New York 14454, United States
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21
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Wang M, Ni SD, Yin YW, Ma YQ, Ding HM. Molecular Modeling of the Fluorination Effect on the Penetration of Nanoparticles across Lipid Bilayers. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:1295-1304. [PMID: 38173387 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The fluorinated decorations have recently been widely used in many biomedical applications. However, the potential mechanism of the fluorination effect on the cellular delivery of nanoparticles (NPs) still remains elusive. In this work, we systemically explore the penetration of a perfluoro-octanethiol-coated gold NP (PF-Au NP) and, for comparison, an octanethiol-coated gold NP (OT-Au NP) across lipid bilayers. We also investigated the effect of these two types of NPs on the properties of lipid bilayers. Our findings indicate that the lipid type and the surface tension of the lipid bilayer significantly impact the penetration capabilities of the fluorinated gold NP. By examining the distribution of ligands on the surface of the two types of NPs in water and during the penetration process, we unveil their distinct penetration characteristics. Specifically, the PF-Au NP exhibits amphiphobic behavior (both hydrophobic and lipophobic), while the OT-Au NP exhibits solely hydrophobic characteristics. Finally, we observe that the penetration capabilities can be increased by adjusting the degree of fluorination of the ligands on the NP surface. Overall, this study provides useful physical insights into the unique properties of the fluorinated decorations in NP permeation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wang
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research, School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Song-Di Ni
- Shanghai Marine Electronic Equipment Research Institute, Shanghai 201100, China
| | - Yue-Wen Yin
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research, School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yu-Qiang Ma
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Hong-Ming Ding
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research, School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
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22
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Liu N, Gao P, Lu HY, Fang L, Nicolas J, Ha-Duong T, Shen JS. Polyfluoroalkyl Chain-Based Assemblies for Biomimetic Catalysis. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202302669. [PMID: 37823686 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202302669] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Amphiphobic fluoroalkyl chains are exploited for creating robust and diverse self-assembled biomimetic catalysts. Long terminal perfluoroalkyl chains (Cn F2n+1 with n=6, 8, and 10) linked with a short perhydroalkyl chains (Cm H2m with m=2 and 3) were used to synthesize several 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (TACN) derivatives, Cn F2n+1 -Cm H2m -TACN. In the presence of an equimolar amount of Zn2+ ions that coordinate the TACN moiety and drive the self-assembly into micelle-like aggregates, the critical aggregation concentration of polyfluorinated Cn F2n+1 -Cm H2m -TACN⋅Zn2+ was lowered by ∼1 order of magnitude compared to the traditional perhyroalkyl counterpart with identical carbon number of alkyl chain. When 2'-hydroxypropyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate was used as the model phosphate substrate, polyfluorinated Cn F2n+1 -Cm H2m -TACN⋅Zn2+ assemblies showed higher affinity and catalytic activity, compared to its perhyroalkyl chain-based counterpart. Coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations have been introduced to explore the supramolecular assembly of polyfluoroalkyl chains in the presence of Zn2+ ions and to better understand their enhanced catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ping Gao
- Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, 91400, France
- BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, 91400, France
| | - Hai-Yan Lu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Lei Fang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Julien Nicolas
- Institut Galien Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, 91400, France
| | - Tâp Ha-Duong
- BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Orsay, 91400, France
| | - Jiang-Shan Shen
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China
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23
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Sahoo S, Pal T, Mondal S, Ghanta KP, Bandyopadhyay S. Conformational Properties of Aβ Peptide Oligomers in Aqueous Ionic Liquid Solution: Insights from Molecular Simulation Studies. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:10960-10973. [PMID: 38091356 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05490] [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: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive irreversible neurological disorder with abnormal extracellular deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) peptides in the brain. We have carried out atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the size-dependent conformational properties of aggregated Aβ oligomers of different orders, namely, pentamer [O(5)], decamer [O(10)], and hexadecamer [O(16)] in aqueous solutions containing the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]). The calculations revealed reduced peptide conformational fluctuations in O(5) and O(10) in the presence of the IL. In contrast, the higher order oligomer [O(16)] has been found to exhibit greater structural distortion due to enhanced flexibilities of its peptide units in the presence of the IL. Based on the distributions of the solvent (water) and the cosolvent (IL) components, it is demonstrated that exchange of water by the IL ion pairs at the exterior surface of the oligomers primarily occurs beyond the first layer of surface-bound water molecules. Importantly, a reduced number of relatively weaker peptide salt bridges have been found in O(16) in binary water-IL solution as compared to the other two smaller-sized oligomers [O(5) and O(10)]. Such differential influence of the IL on peptide salt bridges results in less favorable binding free energies of peptide monomers to O(16), which leads to its greater structural distortion and reduced stability compared to those of O(5) and O(10).
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Sahoo
- Centre for Computational and Data Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Tamisra Pal
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Souvik Mondal
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Krishna Prasad Ghanta
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Sanjoy Bandyopadhyay
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
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24
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Lu L, Gou X, Tan SK, Mann SI, Yang H, Zhong X, Gazgalis D, Valdiviezo J, Jo H, Wu Y, Diolaiti ME, Ashworth A, Polizzi NF, DeGrado WF. De novo design of drug-binding proteins with predictable binding energy and specificity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.23.573178. [PMID: 38187746 PMCID: PMC10769398 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.23.573178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The de novo design of small-molecule-binding proteins has seen exciting recent progress; however, the ability to achieve exquisite affinity for binding small molecules while tuning specificity has not yet been demonstrated directly from computation. Here, we develop a computational procedure that results in the highest affinity binders to date with predetermined relative affinities, targeting a series of PARP1 inhibitors. Two of four designed proteins bound with affinities ranging from < 5 nM to low μM, in a predictable manner. X-ray crystal structures confirmed the accuracy of the designed protein-drug interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations informed the role of water in binding. Binding free-energy calculations performed directly on the designed models are in excellent agreement with the experimentally measured affinities, suggesting that the de novo design of small-molecule-binding proteins with tuned interaction energies is now feasible entirely from computation. We expect these methods to open many opportunities in biomedicine, including rapid sensor development, antidote design, and drug delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xuxu Gou
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sophia K Tan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Samuel I. Mann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Hyunjun Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Dimitrios Gazgalis
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jesús Valdiviezo
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hyunil Jo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yibing Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Morgan E. Diolaiti
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Alan Ashworth
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - William F. DeGrado
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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25
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Liu X, Duan S, Jin Y, Walker E, Tsao M, Jang JH, Chen Z, Singh AK, Cantrell KL, Ingolfsson HI, Buratto SK, Bowers MT. Computationally Designed Molecules Modulate ALS-Related Amyloidogenic TDP-43 307-319 Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:4395-4408. [PMID: 38050862 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00582] [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] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal cytosolic aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) is observed in multiple diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies have shown that TDP-43307-319 located at the C-terminal of TDP-43 can form higher-order oligomers and fibrils. Of particular interest are the hexamers that adopt a cylindrin structure that has been strongly correlated to neurotoxicity. In this study, we use the joint pharmacophore space (JPS) model to identify and generate potential TDP-43 inhibitors. Five JPS-designed molecules are evaluated using both experimental and computational methods: ion mobility mass spectrometry, thioflavin T fluorescence assay, circular dichroism spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations. We found that all five molecules can prevent the amyloid fibril formation of TDP-43307-319, but their efficacy varies significantly. Furthermore, among the five molecules, [AC0101] is the most efficient in preventing the formation of higher-order oligomers and dissociating preformed higher-order oligomers. Molecular dynamics simulations show that [AC0101] both is the most flexible and forms the most hydrogen bonds with the TDP-43307-319 monomer. The JPS-designed molecules can insert themselves between the β-strands in the hexameric cylindrin structure of TDP-43307-319 and can open its structure. Possible mechanisms for JPS-designed molecules to inhibit and dissociate TDP-43307-319 oligomers on an atomistic scale are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xikun Liu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Shuya Duan
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Yingying Jin
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Ethan Walker
- Department of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California 93108, United States
| | - Michelle Tsao
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Joshua H Jang
- Department of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California 93108, United States
| | - Ziying Chen
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Ambuj K Singh
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Kristi Lazar Cantrell
- Department of Chemistry, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California 93108, United States
| | - Helgi I Ingolfsson
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Steven K Buratto
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Michael T Bowers
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
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26
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Chirasani VR, Khan MAI, Malavade JN, Dokholyan NV, Hoffman BD, Campbell SL. Molecular basis and cellular functions of vinculin-actin directional catch bonding. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8300. [PMID: 38097542 PMCID: PMC10721916 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43779-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of cells and tissues to respond differentially to mechanical forces applied in distinct directions is mediated by the ability of load-bearing proteins to preferentially maintain physical linkages in certain directions. However, the molecular basis and biological consequences of directional force-sensitive binding remain unclear. Vinculin (Vcn) is a load-bearing linker protein that exhibits directional catch bonding due to interactions between the Vcn tail domain (Vt) and filamentous (F)-actin. We developed a computational approach to predict Vcn residues involved in directional catch bonding and produced a set of associated Vcn variants with unaltered Vt structure, actin binding, or phospholipid interactions. Incorporation of the variants did not affect Vcn activation but reduced Vcn loading and altered exchange dynamics, consistent with the loss of directional catch bonding. Expression of Vcn variants perturbed the coordination of subcellular structures and cell migration, establishing key cellular functions for Vcn directional catch bonding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkat R Chirasani
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mohammad Ashhar I Khan
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Juilee N Malavade
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
| | - Brenton D Hoffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Sharon L Campbell
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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27
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Silva RS, Souza LMP, Costa RKM, Souza FR, Pimentel AS. Absolute binding free energies of the antiviral peptide ATN-161 with protein targets of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10546-10557. [PMID: 36476274 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2154848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The interactions of the antiviral pentapeptide ATN-161 with the closed and open conformations of the α5β1 integrin, the SARS-CoV-2 major protease, and the omicron variant spike protein complexed with hACE2 were studied using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular docking was performed to obtain ATN-161 binding poses with these studied protein targets. Subsequently, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to verify the ligand stability at the binding site of each protein target. Pulling simulations, umbrella sampling, and weighted histogram analysis method were used to obtain the potential of mean force of each system and calculate the Gibbs free energy of binding for the ATN-161 peptide in each binding site of these protein targets. The results showed that ATN-161 binds to α5β1 integrin in its active and inactive form, binds weakly to the omicron variant spike protein complexed with hACE2, and strongly binds to the main protease target.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudielson Santos Silva
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Felipe Rodrigues Souza
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - André Silva Pimentel
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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28
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Dehghanbanadaki N, Mehralitabar H, Sotoudeh R, Naderi-Manesh H. The role of Wnt palmitoleylated loop conserved disulfide bonds in Wnt-frizzled complex structural dynamics: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations. Comput Biol Med 2023; 167:107703. [PMID: 37979393 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107703] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Wnts are lipid-modified proteins rich in cysteine, regulating developmental processes, and are involved in various pathological conditions. Wnts structure resembles a hand, with a palmitoleylated thumb and an index finger-like domain interacting with frizzled (FZ) receptors. Previous research shows the palmitoleyl group and the disulfides importance in Wnt folding, secretion, and function, but the structural basis is not fully understood. Here, we utilized classical molecular dynamics simulation (800-ns in total) to investigate how the thumb palmitoleyl and its close conserved disulfides (183-190, 181-195) regulated Wnt-FZ interaction and structural dynamics. Using Steered molecular dynamics experiment followed by a relaxing procedure, we also explored if these disulfides are important in Wnt-FZ complex formation. According to our results, the palmitoleyl group contributes significantly to stabilize Wnt-FZ interaction, and the disulfides modulate this contribution. We also demonstrated that disulfide 183-190 regulates the Wnt thumb fluctuation, hydrogen bond network, and secondary structure. The DCCM analysis depicted disulfide 183-190 roles in regulating native-like collective movement in the palmitoleylated loop, which changed after this disulfide removal. The pulling-relaxing experiment showed that both the disulfides, and especially, the disulfide 183-190, are highly important for long-range salt-bridge interaction establishment between Wnt Lys182 and FZ Glu64, led palmitoleyl group appropriate positioning to FZ, suggested this disulfide essential role in Wnt-FZ complex formation. Together, our findings provide new insights to how thumb-positioned disulfides contribute to Wnt-FZ complex formation, structural dynamics, and stability, introducing disulfide 183-190 as a consequential element to target in drug design and development against Wnt signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Dehghanbanadaki
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, PO Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran
| | - H Mehralitabar
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, PO Box. 48181 68984, Sari, Iran
| | - R Sotoudeh
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, PO Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran
| | - H Naderi-Manesh
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, PO Box: 14115-154, Tehran, Iran.
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29
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Gupta H, Sahi S. High-throughput virtual screening of potential inhibitors of GPR52 using docking and biased sampling method for Huntington's disease therapy. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10763-y. [PMID: 38038795 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10763-y] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare and progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by polyglutamine (poly-Q) mutations of the huntingtin (HTT) gene resulting in chorea, cognitive, and psychiatric dysfunctions. Being a monogenic condition, reducing the levels of the mutated huntingtin protein (mHTT) holds promise as an effective therapeutic approach. GPR52, an orphan G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), enriched in the striatum, is a novel target for slowing down the progression of HD by lowering the mHTT levels. Therefore, the study focuses on identifying potent small-molecule inhibitors for GPR52 using a combination of robust high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS) and pharmacokinetics profiling followed by fast pulling of ligand (FPL) and umbrella sampling (US) simulations. Initially, screening a library of 2,36,545 compounds was done against the binding pocket of GPR52. Based on binding affinity, stereochemical and non-bonded interactions, and pharmacokinetic profiling, 50 compounds were shortlisted. Selected hit compounds 1, 2, and 3 were subjected to FPL simulations with applied external bias potential to investigate their unique dissociation pathways and intermolecular interactions over time. Subsequently, the US simulations were performed on the selected hit compounds to estimate their binding free energy (ΔG). The analysis of the trajectories obtained from simulations revealed that the residues TYR34, TYR185, GLY187, ASP188, ILE189, SER299, PHE300, and THR303 within the active site of GPR52 were significant for efficient ligand binding through the formation of various hydrogen bond interactions and hydrophobic contacts. Out of the three hit compounds, compound 3 had the lowest ΔG of - 20.82 ± 0.44 kcal/mol. The study identified compounds 1, 2, and 3 as potential molecules that can be developed as GPR52 inhibitors holding promise for lowering mHTT levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshi Gupta
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201312, India
| | - Shakti Sahi
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201312, India.
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30
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Abstract
The formation of amyloid fibrils is a complex phenomenon that remains poorly understood at the atomic scale. Herein, we perform extended unbiased all-atom simulations in explicit solvent of a short amphipathic peptide to shed light on the three mechanisms accounting for fibril formation, namely, nucleation via primary and secondary mechanisms, and fibril growth. We find that primary nucleation takes place via the formation of an intermediate state made of two laminated β-sheets oriented perpendicular to each other. The amyloid fibril spine subsequently emerges from the rotation of these β-sheets to account for peptides that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the main axis of the fibril. Growth of this spine, in turn, takes place via a dock-and-lock mechanism. We find that peptides dock onto the fibril tip either from bulk solution or after diffusing on the fibril surface. The latter docking pathway contributes significantly to populate the fibril tip with peptides. We also find that side chain interactions drive the motion of peptides in the lock phase during growth, enabling them to adopt the structure imposed by the fibril tip with atomic fidelity. Conversely, the docked peptide becomes trapped in a local free energy minimum when docked-conformations are sampled randomly. Our simulations also highlight the role played by nonpolar fibril surface patches in catalyzing and orienting the formation of small cross-β structures. More broadly, our simulations provide important new insights into the pathways and interactions accounting for primary and secondary nucleation as well as the growth of amyloid fibrils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharareh Jalali
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Ruoyao Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Mikko P Haataja
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
- Princeton Materials Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Cristiano L Dias
- Department of Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
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31
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Han YL, Yin HH, Xiao C, Bernards MT, He Y, Guan YX. Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of Polyphenol Inhibition of Amyloid β Aggregation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:4051-4061. [PMID: 37890131 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00586] [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] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is highly associated with self-aggregation of amyloid β (Aβ) proteins into fibrils. Inhibition of Aβ aggregation by polyphenols is one of the major therapeutic strategies for AD. Among them, four polyphenols (brazilin, resveratrol, hematoxylin, and rosmarinic acid) have been reported to be effective at inhibiting Aβ aggregation, but the inhibition mechanisms are still unclear. In this work, these four polyphenols were selected to explore their interactions with the Aβ17-42 pentamer by molecular dynamics simulation. All four polyphenols can bind to the pentamer tightly but prefer different binding sites. Conversion of the β-sheet to the random coil, fewer interchain hydrogen bonds, and weaker salt bridges were observed after binding. Interestingly, different Aβ17-42 pentamer destabilizing mechanisms for resveratrol and hematoxylin were found. Resveratrol inserts into the hydrophobic core of the pentamer by forming hydrogen bonds with Asp23 and Lys28, while hematoxylin prefers to bind beside chain A of the pentamer, which leads to β-sheet offset and dissociation of the β1 sheet of chain E. This work reveals the interactions between the Aβ17-42 pentamer and four polyphenols and discusses the relationship between inhibitor structures and their inhibition mechanisms, which also provides useful guidance for screening effective Aβ aggregation inhibitors and drug design against AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Lei Han
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huan-Huan Yin
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Chao Xiao
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Matthew T Bernards
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow 83844, Idaho, United States
| | - Yi He
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, Washington, United States
| | - Yi-Xin Guan
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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32
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Gu Y, Li Y, Ma B, Ren K, Cao C, Gu N. Probing Conformational Transition of TRPV5 Induced by Mechanical Force Using Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:6768-6777. [PMID: 37871325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00614] [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: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Transient receptor potential vanilloid 5 (TRPV5) is a calcium-selective TRP channel that plays a crucial role in calcium homeostasis regulation. However, there are still many issues that need to be addressed, such as the specific conformational transition of TRPV5 and the specific functions of each structure in cation gating. Here, we build a model of the calcium ion transport protein from Xenopus oocytes in the presence of the lipid membrane and water molecules. Due to the activation process of ion channels are global and collective, coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations of the potential of mean force along the conformational transition pathway are performed. The CG-MD simulations show that the S6 helix plays a vital role in the TRPV5 conformational transition. Most importantly, these simulated trajectories indicate that the activation of ion channels happens before the extension and rotation of S6 helices, revealing that TRPV5 has a unique gating mechanism different from TRPV6. The present work demonstrates how the mechanical force acting on the S6 helix opens the TRPV5 channel gates. These results deepen our understanding of the TRPV5 gating mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinwei Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Devices, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Devices, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Baocai Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Devices, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ke Ren
- Department of Orthopaedics, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Chen Cao
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ning Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Devices, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
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33
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de Buhr S, Gräter F. Myristoyl's dual role in allosterically regulating and localizing Abl kinase. eLife 2023; 12:e85216. [PMID: 37843155 PMCID: PMC10619977 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85216] [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: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
c-Abl kinase, a key signaling hub in many biological processes ranging from cell development to proliferation, is tightly regulated by two inhibitory Src homology domains. An N-terminal myristoyl modification can bind to a hydrophobic pocket in the kinase C-lobe, which stabilizes the autoinhibitory assembly. Activation is triggered by myristoyl release. We used molecular dynamics simulations to show how both myristoyl and the Src homology domains are required to impose the full inhibitory effect on the kinase domain and reveal the allosteric transmission pathway at residue-level resolution. Importantly, we find myristoyl insertion into a membrane to thermodynamically compete with binding to c-Abl. Myristoyl thus not only localizes the protein to the cellular membrane, but membrane attachment at the same time enhances activation of c-Abl by stabilizing its preactivated state. Our data put forward a model in which lipidation tightly couples kinase localization and regulation, a scheme that currently appears to be unique for this non-receptor tyrosine kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja de Buhr
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
- Institute for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
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Das BK, Singh O, Chakraborty D. Exploring the Barriers in the Aggregation of a Hexadecameric Human Prion Peptide through the Markov State Model. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:3622-3645. [PMID: 37705330 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00284] [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] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The prefibrillar aggregation kinetics of prion peptides are still an enigma. In this perspective, we employ atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the shortest human prion peptide (HPP) (127GYMLGS132) at various temperatures and peptide concentrations and apply the Markov state model to determine the various intermediates and lag phases. Our results reveal that the natural mechanism of prion peptide self-assembly in the aqueous phase is impeded by two significant kinetic barriers with oligomer sizes of 6-9 and 12-13 peptides, respectively. The first one is the aggregation of unstructured lower-order oligomers, and the second is fibril nucleation, which impedes the further growth of prion aggregates. Among these two activation barriers, the second one is found to be dominant irrespective of the increase in temperature and peptide concentration. These lag phases are captured in all three different force-field parameters, namely, GROMOS-54a7, AMBER-99SB-ILDN, and CHARMMS 36m, at different concentrations. The GROMOS-54a7 and AMBER-99SB-ILDN force fields showed a comparatively higher percentage of β-sheet formation in the metastable aggregate that evolved during the aggregation process. In contrast, the CHARMM-36m force field showed mostly coil or turn conformations. The addition of a novel catecholamine derivative (naphthoquinone dopamine (NQDA)) arrests the aggregation process between the lag phases by increasing the activation barrier for the Lag1 and Lag2 phases in all of the force fields, which further validates the existence of these lag phases. The preferential binding of NQDA with the peptides increases the hydration of peptides and eventually disrupts the organized morphology of prefibrillar aggregates. It reduces the dimer dissociation energy by -24.34 kJ/mol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bratin Kumar Das
- Biophysical and Computational Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore 575025, India
| | - Omkar Singh
- Biophysical and Computational Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore 575025, India
| | - Debashree Chakraborty
- Biophysical and Computational Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore 575025, India
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35
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Zazeri G, Povinelli APR, Pavan NM, Jones AM, Ximenes VF. Solvent-Induced Lag Phase during the Formation of Lysozyme Amyloid Fibrils Triggered by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate: Biophysical Experimental and In Silico Study of Solvent Effects. Molecules 2023; 28:6891. [PMID: 37836734 PMCID: PMC10574774 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196891] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregates arise from either the partial or complete loss of the native protein structure or the inability of proteins to attain their native conformation. These aggregates have been linked to several diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and lysozyme amyloidosis. A comprehensive dataset was recently reported, demonstrating the critical role of the protein's surrounding environment in amyloid formation. In this study, we investigated the formation of lysozyme amyloid fibrils induced by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the effect of solvents in the medium. Experimental data obtained through fluorescence spectroscopy revealed a notable lag phase in amyloid formation when acetone solution was present. This finding suggested that the presence of acetone in the reaction medium created an unfavorable microenvironment for amyloid fibril formation and impeded the organization of the denatured protein into the fibril form. The in silico data provided insights into the molecular mechanism of the interaction between acetone molecules and the lysozyme protofibril, once acetone presented the best experimental results. It was observed that the lysozyme protofibril became highly unstable in the presence of acetone, leading to the complete loss of its β-sheet conformation and resulting in an open structure. Furthermore, the solvation layer of the protofibril in acetone solution was significantly reduced compared to that in other solvents, resulting in fewer hydrogen bonds. Consequently, the presence of acetone facilitated the exposure of the hydrophobic portion of the protofibril, precluding the amyloid fibril formation. In summary, our study underscores the pivotal role the surrounding environment plays in influencing amyloid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Zazeri
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso (IFMT), Campo Novo do Parecis 78360-000, Brazil;
| | - Ana Paula Ribeiro Povinelli
- Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso (IFMT), Campo Novo do Parecis 78360-000, Brazil;
| | - Nathália Mariana Pavan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru 17033-360, Brazil;
| | - Alan M. Jones
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Valdecir Farias Ximenes
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru 17033-360, Brazil;
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36
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Yekeen AA, Durojaye OA, Idris MO, Muritala HF, Arise RO. CHAPERON g: A tool for automated GROMACS-based molecular dynamics simulations and trajectory analyses. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4849-4858. [PMID: 37854635 PMCID: PMC10579869 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a powerful computational tool used in biomolecular studies to investigate the dynamics, energetics, and interactions of a wide range of biological systems at the atomic level. GROMACS is a widely used free and open-source biomolecular MD simulation software recognized for its efficiency, accuracy, and extensive range of simulation options. However, the complexity of setting up, running, and analyzing MD simulations for diverse systems often poses a significant challenge, requiring considerable time, effort, and expertise. Here, we introduce CHAPERONg, a tool that automates the GROMACS MD simulation pipelines for protein and protein-ligand systems. CHAPERONg also integrates seamlessly with GROMACS modules and third-party tools to provide comprehensive analyses of MD simulation trajectories, offering up to 20 post-simulation processing and trajectory analyses. It also streamlines and automates established pipelines for conducting and analyzing biased MD simulations via the steered MD-umbrella sampling workflow. Thus, CHAPERONg makes MD simulations more accessible to beginner GROMACS users whilst empowering experts to focus on data interpretation and other less programmable aspects of MD simulation workflows. CHAPERONg is written in Bash and Python, and the source code is freely available at https://github.com/abeebyekeen/CHAPERONg. Detailed documentation and tutorials are available online at dedicated web pages accessible via https://abeebyekeen.com/chaperong-online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeeb Abiodun Yekeen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Olanrewaju Ayodeji Durojaye
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Coal City University, Emene, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Mukhtar Oluwaseun Idris
- MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hamdalat Folake Muritala
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Rotimi Olusanya Arise
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
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Ghasemitarei M, Ghorbi T, Yusupov M, Zhang Y, Zhao T, Shali P, Bogaerts A. Effects of Nitro-Oxidative Stress on Biomolecules: Part 1-Non-Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1371. [PMID: 37759771 PMCID: PMC10527456 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasma medicine, or the biomedical application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), is an expanding field within plasma research. CAP has demonstrated remarkable versatility in diverse biological applications, including cancer treatment, wound healing, microorganism inactivation, and skin disease therapy. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the effects of CAP remain incompletely understood. The therapeutic effects of CAP are largely attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), which play a crucial role in the biological responses induced by CAP. Specifically, RONS produced during CAP treatment have the ability to chemically modify cell membranes and membrane proteins, causing nitro-oxidative stress, thereby leading to changes in membrane permeability and disruption of cellular processes. To gain atomic-level insights into these interactions, non-reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have emerged as a valuable tool. These simulations facilitate the examination of larger-scale system dynamics, including protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions. In this comprehensive review, we focus on the applications of non-reactive MD simulations in studying the effects of CAP on cellular components and interactions at the atomic level, providing a detailed overview of the potential of CAP in medicine. We also review the results of other MD studies that are not related to plasma medicine but explore the effects of nitro-oxidative stress on cellular components and are therefore important for a broader understanding of the underlying processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ghasemitarei
- Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 14588-89694, Iran
- Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tayebeh Ghorbi
- Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 14588-89694, Iran
| | - Maksudbek Yusupov
- School of Engineering, New Uzbekistan University, Tashkent 100007, Uzbekistan
- School of Engineering, Central Asian University, Tashkent 111221, Uzbekistan
- Laboratory of Thermal Physics of Multiphase Systems, Arifov Institute of Ion-Plasma and Laser Technologies, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100125, Uzbekistan
- Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Yuantao Zhang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Tong Zhao
- School of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Parisa Shali
- Research Unit Plasma Technology, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering and Agriculture, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annemie Bogaerts
- Research Group PLASMANT, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
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38
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Blazquez S, Sanchez‐Burgos I, Ramirez J, Higginbotham T, Conde MM, Collepardo‐Guevara R, Tejedor AR, Espinosa JR. Location and Concentration of Aromatic-Rich Segments Dictates the Percolating Inter-Molecular Network and Viscoelastic Properties of Ageing Condensates. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2207742. [PMID: 37386790 PMCID: PMC10477902 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202207742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Maturation of functional liquid-like biomolecular condensates into solid-like aggregates has been linked to the onset of several neurodegenerative disorders. Low-complexity aromatic-rich kinked segments (LARKS) contained in numerous RNA-binding proteins can promote aggregation by forming inter-protein β-sheet fibrils that accumulate over time and ultimately drive the liquid-to-solid transition of the condensates. Here, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations are combined with sequence-dependent coarse-grained models of various resolutions to investigate the role of LARKS abundance and position within the amino acid sequence in the maturation of condensates. Remarkably, proteins with tail-located LARKS display much higher viscosity over time than those in which the LARKS are placed toward the center. Yet, at very long timescales, proteins with a single LARKS-independently of its location-can still relax and form high viscous liquid condensates. However, phase-separated condensates of proteins containing two or more LARKS become kinetically trapped due to the formation of percolated β-sheet networks that display gel-like behavior. Furthermore, as a work case example, they demonstrate how shifting the location of the LARKS-containing low-complexity domain of FUS protein toward its center effectively precludes the accumulation of β-sheet fibrils in FUS-RNA condensates, maintaining functional liquid-like behavior without ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Blazquez
- Department of Physical‐ChemistryUniversidad Complutense de MadridAv. Complutense s/nMadrid28040Spain
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeJ J Thomson AvenueCambridgeCB3 0HEUK
| | - Ignacio Sanchez‐Burgos
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeJ J Thomson AvenueCambridgeCB3 0HEUK
| | - Jorge Ramirez
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversidad Politécnica de MadridJosé Gutiérrez Abascal 2Madrid28006Spain
| | - Tim Higginbotham
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeJ J Thomson AvenueCambridgeCB3 0HEUK
| | - Maria M. Conde
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversidad Politécnica de MadridJosé Gutiérrez Abascal 2Madrid28006Spain
| | - Rosana Collepardo‐Guevara
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeJ J Thomson AvenueCambridgeCB3 0HEUK
- Yusuf Hamied Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeLensfield RoadCambridgeCB2 1EWUK
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EH, UK
| | - Andres R. Tejedor
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeJ J Thomson AvenueCambridgeCB3 0HEUK
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversidad Politécnica de MadridJosé Gutiérrez Abascal 2Madrid28006Spain
| | - Jorge R. Espinosa
- Department of Physical‐ChemistryUniversidad Complutense de MadridAv. Complutense s/nMadrid28040Spain
- Maxwell Centre, Cavendish LaboratoryDepartment of PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeJ J Thomson AvenueCambridgeCB3 0HEUK
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39
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Kamal IM, Das A, Datta S, Paul K, Chakrabarti S, Chakrabarti S, Bhattacharjee P. A Novel spice-antioxidant-based nano-vehicle as a putative green alternative of synthetic AChE inhibitor drugs. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-18. [PMID: 37639732 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2248274] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The present treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves well known synthetic acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibitor drugs which besides having short duration of action also have deleterious impact on human health. Therefore, there is a need for natural plant-based biomolecule(s) with potential AChE inhibition activity (ies). The aim of the work is to design a spice-based nano-vehicle as a novel green alternative of synthetic AD drugs by nanoencapsulating a solvent-less supercritical CO2 extract of small cardamom seeds (SCE) having a synergistic consortium of five antioxidant molecules, using polyethylene glycol and emulsifiers, selected based on Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET) analyses. Ellman's assay and enzyme inhibition kinetics of the antioxidant molecules as well as the extract and its nanoliposomal formulation (SCE-NL) were performed, followed by rigorous molecular docking and dynamics studies using MM-PBSA and umbrella sampling. The antioxidants exhibited significant AChE inhibition in vitro, individually with 1, 8-cineole having the least IC50 value of 65.53 ± 0.05 µg/mL. . Although SCE-NL had higher IC50 value (575.67 ± 0.5 µg/mL) vis-à-vis that of rivastigmine (67.52 ± 0.02 µg/mL), it is safer for usage being 'green'.The Lineweaver-Burk plots (Vmax ∼1.04 mM/min) revealed competitive mode(s) of inhibition of AChE with each of these antioxidants. Binding energy analyses suggested very good binding free energies and stable docking/binding complexes (between the antioxidants and AChE). This study has delivered a nanoliposomal vehicle of food antioxidants as a putative 'green' alternative of synthetic AChE inhibitor drugs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izaz Monir Kamal
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, TRUE Campus, Kolkata, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Anamika Das
- Department of Food Technology and Biochemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | - Sanjukta Datta
- Department of Food Technology and Biochemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | - Kaninika Paul
- Department of Food Technology and Biochemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | - Sasanka Chakrabarti
- Department of Biochemistry and Central Research Cell, M M Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, M M (Deemed to be) University, Ambala, India
| | - Saikat Chakrabarti
- Division of Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, TRUE Campus, Kolkata, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Paramita Bhattacharjee
- Department of Food Technology and Biochemical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
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40
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Neuberger A, Trofimov YA, Yelshanskaya MV, Khau J, Nadezhdin KD, Khosrof LS, Krylov NA, Efremov RG, Sobolevsky AI. Molecular pathway and structural mechanism of human oncochannel TRPV6 inhibition by the phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabivarin. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4630. [PMID: 37532722 PMCID: PMC10397291 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40362-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The calcium-selective oncochannel TRPV6 is an important driver of cell proliferation in human cancers. Despite increasing interest of pharmacological research in developing synthetic inhibitors of TRPV6, natural compounds acting at this channel have been largely neglected. On the other hand, pharmacokinetics of natural small-molecule antagonists optimized by nature throughout evolution endows these compounds with a medicinal potential to serve as potent and safe next-generation anti-cancer drugs. Here we report the structure of human TRPV6 in complex with tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), a natural cannabinoid inhibitor extracted from Cannabis sativa. We use cryo-electron microscopy combined with electrophysiology, calcium imaging, mutagenesis, and molecular dynamics simulations to identify THCV binding sites in the portals that connect the membrane environment surrounding the protein to the central cavity of the channel pore and to characterize the allosteric mechanism of TRPV6 inhibition. We also propose the molecular pathway taken by THCV to reach its binding site. Our study provides a foundation for the development of new TRPV6-targeting drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Neuberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yury A Trofimov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria V Yelshanskaya
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey Khau
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kirill D Nadezhdin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lena S Khosrof
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nikolay A Krylov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Roman G Efremov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander I Sobolevsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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41
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Li M, Chen G, Zhang Z. Modeling the effects of phosphorylation on phase separation of the FUS low-complexity domain. Biophys J 2023; 122:2636-2645. [PMID: 37211763 PMCID: PMC10397571 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of the RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Phosphorylation of Ser/Thr in the FUS low-complexity domain (FUS-LC) may regulate phase separation of FUS and prevent pathological aggregation in cells. However, many details of this process remain elusive to date. In this work, we systematically investigated the phosphorylation of FUS-LC and the underlying molecular mechanism by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and free energy calculations. The results clearly show that phosphorylation can destroy the fibril core structure of FUS-LC by breaking interchain interactions, particularly contacts involving residues like Tyr, Ser, and Gln. Among the six phosphorylation sites, Ser61 and Ser84 may have more important effects on the stability of the fibril core. Our study reveals structural and dynamic details of FUS-LC phase separation modulated by phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingwei Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Guanglin Chen
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyong Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Cellular Dynamics and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China; Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China.
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42
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Ham S, Wang X, Nair AKN, Sun S, Lattimer B, Qiao R. Transport of Heptane Molecules across Water-Vapor Interfaces Laden with Surfactants. J Phys Chem B 2023. [PMID: 37410979 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c02618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular transport across liquid-vapor interfaces covered by surfactant monolayers plays a key role in applications such as fire suppression by foams. The molecular understanding of such transport, however, remains incomplete. This work uses molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the heptane transport across water-vapor interfaces populated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants. Heptane molecules' potential of mean force (PMF) and local diffusivity profiles across SDS monolayers with different SDS densities are calculated to obtain heptane's transport resistance. We show that a heptane molecule experiences a finite resistance as it crosses water-vapor interfaces covered by SDS. Such interfacial transport resistance is contributed significantly by heptane molecules' high PMF in the SDS headgroup region and their slow diffusion there. This resistance increases linearly as the SDS density rises from zero but jumps as the density approaches saturation when its value is equivalent to that afforded by a 5 nm thick layer of bulk water. These results are understood by analyzing the micro-environment experienced by a heptane molecule crossing SDS monolayers and the local perturbation it brings to the monolayers. The implications of these findings for the design of surfactants to suppress heptane transport through water-vapor interfaces are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seokgyun Ham
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Arun Kumar Narayanan Nair
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shuyu Sun
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Brian Lattimer
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Rui Qiao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
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43
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Grupp B, Lemkul JA, Gronemeyer T. An in silico approach to determine inter-subunit affinities in human septin complexes. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2023; 80:141-152. [PMID: 36843207 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
The septins are a conserved family of filament-forming guanine nucleotide binding proteins, often named the fourth component of the cytoskeleton. Correctly assembled septin structures are required for essential intracellular processes such as cytokinesis, vesicular transport, polarity establishment, and cellular adhesion. Structurally, septins belong to the P-Loop NTPases but they do not mediate signals to effectors through GTP binding and hydrolysis. GTP binding and hydrolysis are believed to contribute to septin complex integrity, but biochemical approaches addressing this topic are hampered by the stability of septin complexes after recombinant expression and the lack of nucleotide-depleted complexes. To overcome this limitation, we used a molecular dynamics-based approach to determine inter-subunit binding free energies in available human septin dimer structures and in their apo forms, which we generated in silico. The nucleotide in the GTPase active subunits SEPT2 and SEPT7, but not in SEPT6, was identified as a stabilizing element in the G interface. Removal of GDP from SEPT2 and SEPT7 results in flipping of a conserved Arg residue and disruption of an extensive hydrogen bond network in the septin unique element, concomitant with a decreased inter-subunit affinity. Based on these findings we propose a singular "lock-hydrolysis" mechanism stabilizing human septin filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Grupp
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, James Franck Ring N27, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Justin A Lemkul
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Thomas Gronemeyer
- Institute of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, James Franck Ring N27, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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Iorio A, Timr Š, Chiodo L, Derreumaux P, Sterpone F. Evolution of large Aβ16-22 aggregates at atomic details and potential of mean force associated to peptide unbinding and fragmentation events. Proteins 2023. [PMID: 37139594 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26500] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Atomic characterization of large nonfibrillar aggregates of amyloid polypeptides cannot be determined by experimental means. Starting from β-rich aggregates of Y and elongated topologies predicted by coarse-grained simulations and consisting of more than 100 Aβ16-22 peptides, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics (MD), replica exchange with solute scaling (REST2), and umbrella sampling simulations using the CHARMM36m force field in explicit solvent. Here, we explored the dynamics within 3 μs, the free energy landscape, and the potential of mean force associated with either the unbinding of one single peptide in different configurations within the aggregate or fragmentation events of a large number of peptides. Within the time scale of MD and REST2, we find that the aggregates experience slow global conformational plasticity, and remain essentially random coil though we observe slow beta-strand structuring with a dominance of antiparallel beta-sheets over parallel beta-sheets. Enhanced REST2 simulation is able to capture fragmentation events, and the free energy of fragmentation of a large block of peptides is found to be similar to the free energy associated with fibril depolymerization by one chain for longer Aβ sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Iorio
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique (UPR 9080), CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - Štěpán Timr
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Letizia Chiodo
- Research Unit in Non Linear Physics and Mathematical Modeling Engineering Department of Campus Bio-Medico, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique (UPR 9080), CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Fabio Sterpone
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique (UPR 9080), CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Fondation Edmond de Rothschild, Paris, France
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Yoon J, Lee M, Park Y, Lee K, Shin S. In silico investigation of the structural stability as the origin of the pathogenicity of α-synuclein protofibrils. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:14103-14115. [PMID: 37036430 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2199077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a presynaptic neuronal protein. The fibril form of α-synuclein is a major constituent of the intraneuronal inclusion called Lewy body, a characteristic hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Recent ssNMR and cryo-EM experiments of wild-type α-synuclein fibrils have shown polymorphism and observed two major polymorphs, rod and twister. To associate the cytotoxicity of α-synuclein fibrils with their structural features, it is essential to understand the origins of their structural stability. In this study, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of the two major polymorphs of wild-type α-synuclein fibrils. The predominance of specific fibril polymorphs was rationalized in terms of relative structural stability in aqueous environments, which was attributed to the cooperative contributions of various stabilizing features. The results of the simulations indicated that highly stable structures in aqueous environments could be maintained by the cooperation of compact sidechain packing in the hydrophobic core, backbone geometry of the maximal β-sheet content wrapping the hydrophobic core, and solvent-exposed sidechains with large fluctuations maximizing the solvation entropy. The paired structure of the two protofilaments provides additional stability, especially at the interface region, by forming steric zipper interactions and hiding the hydrophobic residues from exposure to water. The sidechain interaction analyses and pulling simulations showed that the rod polymorph has stronger sidechain interactions and exhibits higher dissociation energy than the twister polymorph. It is expected that our study will provide a basis for understanding the pathogenic behaviors of diverse amyloid strains in terms of their structural properties.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeseong Yoon
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - MinJun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunsu Park
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyunghee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokmin Shin
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Ehret T, Heißenberg T, de Buhr S, Aponte-Santamaría C, Steinem C, Gräter F. FERM domains recruit ample PI(4,5)P 2s to form extensive protein-membrane attachments. Biophys J 2023; 122:1325-1333. [PMID: 36814382 PMCID: PMC10111351 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The four-point-one ezrin-radixin-moesin homology (FERM) protein domain is a multifunctional protein-lipid binding site, constituting an integral part of numerous membrane-associated proteins. Its interaction with the lipid phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), located at the inner leaflet of eukaryotic plasma membranes, is important for localization, anchorage, and activation of FERM-containing proteins. FERM-PIP2 complexes structurally determined so far exclusively feature a 1:1 binding stoichiometry of protein and lipid, with a few basic FERM residues neutralizing the -4 charge of the bound PIP2. Whether this picture from static crystal structures also applies to the dynamic interaction of FERM domains on PIP2 membranes is unknown. We here quantified the stoichiometry of FERM-PIP2 binding in a lipid bilayer using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and experiments on solid supported membranes for the FERM domains of focal adhesion kinase and ezrin. In contrast to the structural data, we find much higher average stoichiometries of FERM-PIP2 binding, amounting to 1:3 or 1:4 ratios, respectively. In simulations, the full set of basic residues at the membrane interface, 7 and 15 residues for focal adhesion kinase and ezrin, respectively, engages in PIP2 interactions. In addition, Na ions enter the FERM-membrane binding interface, compensating negative PIP2 charges in case of high charge surpluses from bound PIP2. We propose the multivalent binding of FERM domains to PIP2 in lipid bilayers to significantly enhance the stability of FERM-membrane binding and to render the FERM-membrane linkage highly adjustable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ehret
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim Heißenberg
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck School Matter to Life, Heidelberg and Göttingen, Germany
| | - Svenja de Buhr
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Steinem
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck School Matter to Life, Heidelberg and Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Frauke Gräter
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany; Max Planck School Matter to Life, Heidelberg and Göttingen, Germany; Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Singh R, Purohit R. Computational analysis of protein-ligand interaction by targeting a cell cycle restrainer. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 231:107367. [PMID: 36716649 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2023.107367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 (CDK4/6) are among the most crucial controllers of the cell cycle, and their abnormal activity may induce uncontrolled cell multiplication, leading to cancers. The FDA currently approved three CDK4/6 inhibitors, however, they are associated with a variety of side effects. Thus it is required to design/develop novel potent and safe CDK4/6 inhibitors. METHODS In the present work, we furnished an integrated in-silico approach followed by steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations to identify molecules that can be developed into novel CDK4/6 inhibitors. RESULTS Out of thirty-two 3-methyleneisoindolin-1-one molecules we selected top three M18, M24, and M32 molecules as potential drug candidates based on their respective interaction energies. According to the robust 250 ns MD simulations and thermodynamic free energy, M24 was the best molecule in comparison to palbociclib. In SMD, M24 required ∼205.587 kJ/mol/nm external pulling force, while palbociclib needed ∼160.97 kJ/mol/nm to dissociate from the binding pocket of the CDK4. CONCLUSIONS The high pulling force required for M24 dissociation from the binding site denotes stronger binding with CDK4. Therefore, M24 offers the possibility of a critical starting structure in developing effective CDK4 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Singh
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, HP 176061, India; Biotechnology Division, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, HP 176061, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Rituraj Purohit
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, HP 176061, India; Biotechnology Division, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, HP 176061, India; Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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Structural mechanism of Fab domain dissociation as a measure of interface stability. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:201-215. [PMID: 36918473 PMCID: PMC10049950 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00501-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic antibodies should not only recognize antigens specifically, but also need to be free from developability issues, such as poor stability. Thus, the mechanistic understanding and characterization of stability are critical determinants for rational antibody design. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the melting process of 16 antigen binding fragments (Fabs). We describe the Fab dissociation mechanisms, showing a separation in the VH-VL and in the CH1-CL domains. We found that the depths of the minima in the free energy curve, corresponding to the bound states, correlate with the experimentally determined melting temperatures. Additionally, we provide a detailed structural description of the dissociation mechanism and identify key interactions in the CDR loops and in the CH1-CL interface that contribute to stabilization. The dissociation of the VH-VL or CH1-CL domains can be represented by conformational changes in the bend angles between the domains. Our findings elucidate the melting process of antigen binding fragments and highlight critical residues in both the variable and constant domains, which are also strongly germline dependent. Thus, our proposed mechanisms have broad implications in the development and design of new and more stable antigen binding fragments.
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Mondal S, Ghanta KP, Bandyopadhyay S. Microscopic Understanding of the Conformational Stability of the Aggregated Nonamyloid β Components of α-Synuclein. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1542-1555. [PMID: 36866721 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01540] [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: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Self-association of α-synuclein peptides into oligomeric species and ordered amyloid fibrils is associated with Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In particular, the peptide domain formed between the residues Glu-61 (or E61) and Val-95 (or V95) of α-synuclein, typically termed the "nonamyloid β component" (NAC), is known to play critical roles in forming aggregated structures. In this work, we have employed molecular dynamics simulations to explore the conformational properties and relative stabilities of aggregated protofilaments of different orders, namely, tetramer (P(4)), hexamer (P(6)), octamer (P(8)), decamer (P(10)), dodecamer (P(12)), and tetradecamer (P(14)), formed by the NAC domains of α-synuclein. Besides, center-of-mass pulling and umbrella sampling simulation methods have also been employed to characterize the mechanistic pathway of peptide association/dissociation and the corresponding free energy profiles. Structural analysis showed that the disordered C-terminal loop and the central core regions of the peptide units lead to more flexible and distorted structures of the lower order protofilaments (P(4) and P(6)) as compared to the higher order ones. Interestingly, our calculation shows the presence of multiple distinctly populated conformational states for the lower order protofilament P(4), which may drive the oligomerization process along multiple pathways to form different polymorphic α-synuclein fibrillar structures. It is further observed that the nonpolar interaction between the peptides and the corresponding nonpolar solvation free energy play a dominant role in stabilizing the aggregated protofilaments. Importantly, our result showed that reduced cooperativity during the binding of a peptide unit beyond a critical size of the protofilament (P(12)) leads to less favorable binding free energy of a peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Mondal
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Krishna Prasad Ghanta
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Sanjoy Bandyopadhyay
- Molecular Modeling Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India
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Zohairi F, Khandelia H, Hakami Zanjani AA. Interaction of psychedelic tryptamine derivatives with a lipid bilayer. Chem Phys Lipids 2023; 251:105279. [PMID: 36627076 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2023.105279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Naturally occurring psychedelics have been used for a long time as remedies or in religious ceremonies and recreational activities. Recent studies have proven the therapeutic potential of some psychedelic compounds to safely treat a wide range of diseases such as anxiety, depression, migraine, and addiction. It is hypothesized that psychedelic compounds like tryptamines can exert their effects by two possible mechanisms: binding to the transmembrane serotonin receptor and/or modifying the properties of the neuronal membrane that can alter the conformational equilibrium and desensitize receptors. The impact of three different tryptamine class compounds with a tertiary amine (dimethyltryptamine, bufotenine, and 5-MeO-DMT) in both neutral and charged forms on a model bilayer lipid membrane are studied using all-atom MD simulations. All compounds partition into the bilayer, and change membrane properties, but to different extents. We determine the tendency of compounds to partition into the membrane by free energy calculations. Neutral tryptamines partition into the bilayer almost completely. Dimethyltryptamine and 5-MeO-DMT cross the membrane spontaneously during the simulation time, but bufotenine does not, although it has the maximum effect on the structural properties of the membrane. However, protonated compounds partition partially into the bilayer and cannot pass through the middle of the membrane during the simulation time. In this way, subtle alteration of chemical structure can play a significant role in the improvement or deterioration of partitioning of these compounds into the bilayer and their passage across the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fateme Zohairi
- Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, 2 Av. de l'Universite, 4365 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Himanshu Khandelia
- PHYLIFE: Physical Life Science, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark.
| | - Ali Asghar Hakami Zanjani
- PHYLIFE: Physical Life Science, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark.
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