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Nkungli NK, Fouegue ADT, Tasheh SN, Bine FK, Hassan AU, Ghogomu JN. In silico investigation of falcipain-2 inhibition by hybrid benzimidazole-thiosemicarbazone antiplasmodial agents: A molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and kinetics study. Mol Divers 2024; 28:475-496. [PMID: 36622482 PMCID: PMC9838286 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10594-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of artemisinin-resistant variants of Plasmodium falciparum necessitates the urgent search for novel antimalarial drugs. In this regard, an in silico study to screen antimalarial drug candidates from a series of benzimidazole-thiosemicarbazone hybrid molecules with interesting antiplasmodial properties and explore their falcipain-2 (FP2) inhibitory potentials has been undertaken herein. FP2 is a key cysteine protease that degrades hemoglobin in Plasmodium falciparum and is an important biomolecular target in the development of antimalarial drugs. Pharmacokinetic properties, ADMET profiles, MM/GBSA-based binding free energies, reaction mechanisms, and associated barrier heights have been investigated. DFT, molecular dynamics simulation, molecular docking, and ONIOM methods were used. From the results obtained, four 4N-substituted derivatives of the hybrid molecule (E)-2-(1-(5-chloro-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)ethylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (1A) denoted 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E are drug-like and promising inhibitors of FP2, exhibiting remarkably small inhibitory constants (5.94 × 10-14 - 2.59 × 10-04 n M) and favorable binding free energies (-30.32 to -17.17 kcal/mol). Moreover, the ONIOM results have revealed that 1B and possibly 1C and 1D may act as covalent inhibitors of FP2. The rate-determining step of the thermodynamically favorable covalent binding mechanism occurs across a surmountable barrier height of 24.18 kcal/mol in water and 28.42 kcal/mol in diethyl ether. Our findings are useful for further experimental investigations on the antimalarial activities of the hybrid molecules studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nyiang Kennet Nkungli
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, P. O. Box 39, Bamenda, Cameroon.
| | - Aymard Didier Tamafo Fouegue
- Department of Chemistry, Higher Teacher Training College Bertoua, University of Bertoua, P.O. Box 652, Bertoua, Cameroon
| | - Stanley Numbonui Tasheh
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, P. O. Box 39, Bamenda, Cameroon
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Fritzgerald Kogge Bine
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Abrar Ul Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, 54400, PK, Pakistan
| | - Julius Numbonui Ghogomu
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, P. O. Box 39, Bamenda, Cameroon
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon
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Singewald K, Wilkinson JA, Hasanbasri Z, Saxena S. Beyond structure: Deciphering site-specific dynamics in proteins from double histidine-based EPR measurements. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4359. [PMID: 35762707 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Site-specific dynamics in proteins are at the heart of protein function. While electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has potential to measure dynamics in large protein complexes, the reliance on flexible nitroxide labels is limitating especially for the accurate measurement of site-specific β-sheet dynamics. Here, we employed EPR spectroscopy to measure site-specific dynamics across the surface of a protein, GB1. Through the use of the double Histidine (dHis) motif, which enables labeling with a Cu(II) - nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) complex, dynamics information was obtained for both α-helical and β-sheet sites. Spectral simulations of the resulting CW-EPR report unique site-specific fluctuations across the surface of GB1. Additionally, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to complement the EPR data. The dynamics observed from MD agree with the EPR results. Furthermore, we observe small changes in gǁ values for different sites, which may be due to small differences in coordination geometry and/or local electrostatics of the site. Taken together, this work expands the utility of Cu(II)NTA-based EPR measurements to probe information beyond distance constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Singewald
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - James A Wilkinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Zikri Hasanbasri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sunil Saxena
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Apostolopoulos V, Bojarska J, Chai TT, Elnagdy S, Kaczmarek K, Matsoukas J, New R, Parang K, Lopez OP, Parhiz H, Perera CO, Pickholz M, Remko M, Saviano M, Skwarczynski M, Tang Y, Wolf WM, Yoshiya T, Zabrocki J, Zielenkiewicz P, AlKhazindar M, Barriga V, Kelaidonis K, Sarasia EM, Toth I. A Global Review on Short Peptides: Frontiers and Perspectives. Molecules 2021; 26:E430. [PMID: 33467522 PMCID: PMC7830668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides are fragments of proteins that carry out biological functions. They act as signaling entities via all domains of life and interfere with protein-protein interactions, which are indispensable in bio-processes. Short peptides include fundamental molecular information for a prelude to the symphony of life. They have aroused considerable interest due to their unique features and great promise in innovative bio-therapies. This work focusing on the current state-of-the-art short peptide-based therapeutical developments is the first global review written by researchers from all continents, as a celebration of 100 years of peptide therapeutics since the commencement of insulin therapy in the 1920s. Peptide "drugs" initially played only the role of hormone analogs to balance disorders. Nowadays, they achieve numerous biomedical tasks, can cross membranes, or reach intracellular targets. The role of peptides in bio-processes can hardly be mimicked by other chemical substances. The article is divided into independent sections, which are related to either the progress in short peptide-based theranostics or the problems posing challenge to bio-medicine. In particular, the SWOT analysis of short peptides, their relevance in therapies of diverse diseases, improvements in (bio)synthesis platforms, advanced nano-supramolecular technologies, aptamers, altered peptide ligands and in silico methodologies to overcome peptide limitations, modern smart bio-functional materials, vaccines, and drug/gene-targeted delivery systems are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasso Apostolopoulos
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (V.A.); (J.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Joanna Bojarska
- Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
| | - Tsun-Thai Chai
- Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar 31900, Malaysia;
| | - Sherif Elnagdy
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Gamaa St., Giza 12613, Egypt; (S.E.); (M.A.)
| | - Krzysztof Kaczmarek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (K.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - John Matsoukas
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (V.A.); (J.M.); (V.B.)
- NewDrug, Patras Science Park, 26500 Patras, Greece;
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Roger New
- Vaxcine (UK) Ltd., c/o London Bioscience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, UK;
- Faculty of Science & Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT, UK;
| | - Keykavous Parang
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Irvine, CA 92618, USA;
| | - Octavio Paredes Lopez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, Irapuato 36824, Guanajuato, Mexico;
| | - Hamideh Parhiz
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6073, USA;
| | - Conrad O. Perera
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand;
| | - Monica Pickholz
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina;
- Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA, UBA-CONICET), Argentina, Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina
| | - Milan Remko
- Remedika, Luzna 9, 85104 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Michele Saviano
- Institute of Crystallography (CNR), Via Amendola 122/o, 70126 Bari, Italy;
| | - Mariusz Skwarczynski
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (I.T.)
| | - Yefeng Tang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharma Ceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
| | - Wojciech M. Wolf
- Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
| | | | - Janusz Zabrocki
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (K.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - Piotr Zielenkiewicz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland;
- Department of Systems Biology, Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maha AlKhazindar
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Gamaa St., Giza 12613, Egypt; (S.E.); (M.A.)
| | - Vanessa Barriga
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3030, Australia; (V.A.); (J.M.); (V.B.)
| | | | | | - Istvan Toth
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.); (I.T.)
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
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